Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-12-28
CHAPTER yII.-,conrinusd)

rr-dniousiy, You will not accept my
warning. You will be my -n-myT
= hope not. surely. Bu, IL you are
my enemy I shall not b- yours" she
ans~sfsd steadily. backing away. yet
keeping an eye upon the glass doors.
For a moment the young man stood
gazing at her With moE- feeling In his
face than sh. could have believed pos
sibl-.
Moiii- little knew how pretty she
looked. as she stood there In her white
gown. with III. soft dark night as
background. and the lights from the
drawing room falling on her curly.
fafi,ed head. nor the simple dignity OF
the grey eyes that regarded him so
fcari~ssiy. All a, once his expression
changed. and grew black and nercc.
distorted with evil thought.
SO you declIs-." he hiss-d In her
ear. You think you will marry that
lonk-l~kked. curly-headed soldier hut
disabus1 your mind OF that idea You
will marry m.. Henri Dubois. swear
H. Whether you love me or not. !
will b. your husband. oh. you Will
soon BE- glad enough to escape from
madame ma mere. and you can do II
by me-oaiy BY me. Ali how anir,
you are! DO you h~ar!'
''Ycs. and so will every one else"
Moiiic replied. standing very erect. and
cycling with naughty disdain his cx-
cited face. Il have listened to you
patiently. but I decline to be threat
sned or cocrced. II may answer with
some peoplc-it never did with LES
;ransc. Let me pass
For a moment Henri paused irrcso-
Lutte. giaring ut her: thEn he gave way
u step. and she was through the draw
log room and half way upstairs before
ha could realize that he had been baf-
hed and refused by this girl of 10.
He had thought to reduce her TO
submission. and Mt the first threat she.
usually 80 gentle. had turned upon him
fearlessly: and he. n coward by na-
turc. failed TO recognize. what his
mother dimly felt. that II was impos-
siblc to cover n spirit that rose high
or whenever danger threatened.
As for Moliie. she was angry and
indignant: yet. once In her room. she
could not help laughing.
80 am TO marry Henri. who will
devote his life to making me happy"
she murmured. us she brushed her
hair. 1T will not be n money NAH king
profession for him. have an idea
that once he had my wretched fortune
he would turn his devotion to his own
amusement"
But from that night the life at
Chalfont became almost unbearable.
Madame openly espoused her sons
cause. saying II was strange Mollie
could refuse one SO handsome and de-
voted. for whom other girls were sigh
ing In vain. Slowly and steadily she
tried to force her into the hated en-
gagement. implying that 1t would be
a great relief to her mind to have her
married to SO estin,able n young man.
the only one she could countenance
for her: and well Mollic knew what
this latter remark meant-neither Mr..
Anstruther nor any one else need ex-
pect her consent As for Henri, he
was worse than ever, following her
everywhere. sullen or sentimental by
turns. repeating his proposals when
ever he had an opportunity: and the
only friend she had In the house was
her little half-sister. Kate.
For the strange child, ever since the
Easter eve when she had flown to
Mollie for protection. had attached her
self to her with quiet persistence that
was both amusing and touching. Every
night she found her rolled up in one
corner Of her bed asleep. or pretend
ing to be, and the fear Of losing this
privilege made her try to check this
irritability that was part of her tenn
and be more amenable to
the sorely-tried governess.
This much Mollie exacted, though |
she would never have had the heart |
to enforce it, for the little ones nerves |
were in terribly strained state. and !
Mollie's room seemed her haven of /
refuge. There she felt safe-there, !
dark or light. nothing could touch
her: there she never had horrible
dreams. Bad things could not come
near Mollie, who was so sweet and
Day by day she followed her
about, at first with shy defiance. at
last with unconcealed affection and
funny motherly solicitude, and ere the
roses began to bloom there was no
crime so great in her eyes as to hurt
Iollie.
What is the matter?' asked Mollie
one morning. when she found her
prancing about the lawn in fury.
,colding like a Young yirago the gar
lener, who was marking out tennis
court.
Misses says she won't have no court
lere," said the man helplessly. touch
ng his cap, 'and the gentleman Or
Tered me to mark one"
"It is my lawn: l won't allow 1t!
He has no right to meddle. and shall
oil Aunt Clare so:" she stormed.