The Monticellonian., 1903-06-18
THE REVOLT OF HETTY
 By H. HERBERT MORTON
Copyright, 1903, by Daily Story Pub. co)
NT HY had she let him go? Why, wv N hN had she sent him from

WHY lldu SlIt StIN ItlIl IlOH ItI with hot words on both their tongues? ? Many times had she asked both these questions and many others of like pur- port in the weary days and nights since he went. The quarrel had Leen incon- equential-a mere matter of pique and pride. He had tried in his grave. man. ly. serious way to patch il up-this she had remembered many, many times and she had stubbornly rebuffed him. She loved him-had loved him before the quarrel, during its progress and ever since he had gone away. How dearly she had never known until the long, lonely months after his depar- ture.
 She had consoled herself at times with the thought that his foolish ieal- ousy had brought il on. But the com fort turned to thorns at the further reflection that he was just the least bit justified. and. after all. it was his great love for her that made him iedlous; and after he had gone and she reviewed ii all spassionately. she admitted to herself that she loved him all the more because he was jealous of her.
 But it was all ancient history now He had faded from her life-had joined the army. and was winning henors for his reckless bravery in the Philippines. while she had indeed fallen upon evil days. Her mother dead. her step | father had been named as eXecutor of the will and her guardian. and he had set his heart upon her marriage with Nathan Trumbull. for reasons not dis tantly related to his own pocketbook tpon her indignant refusal to consider the matter. she had been shown very ] pointedly and conclnsivelY that the executor and guardian had full power 10 divert the estate she had supposed was hers and which her mother intend ed should be hers. should she cross his will in this matter of marriage. She l had become very angry. and had shown | fight. but after full investigation she found that the stepfather's powers were full and legal. and if she crossed his wishes matrmonialIy she would be a dependent upon his bounty. and she knew full we'll that such dependence meant only the street for her. Utterly helpless by birth and training. she knew she was not fitted to cope with the world She knew not which way to turn or what to do. Oh. how she yearned for the manly independence. the aggressive resourcefulness of Hoyt to advise and comfort her. Oh. how she would like to creep within his strong arms and lay the burden of it all on his broad shoulders. But that was all gone now, and she must fight her own bat ties alone. There was no alternative but old Nathan or squalid existence in store or factory. From both she shrank with equal dread.
 And SO she temporized and lived on. her heart q great stone in her breast, dumbly waiting and praying for something to turn up." But nothing turned up, of course. Nothing ever does turn mp in real life 10 save discon- solate maidens, and the final stormy scene arrived. Her stepfather sum moned her one day to his library.
 Harriet" he said in those thin. dis tinct. chilling tones she knew SO well the tone that always had crushed her mother into submission. ''it is time we came 10 definite understanding As you are aware. Mr. Nathan Trumhull has done you the honor=the honor . he repeated sharply. as he observ the look of contempt upon her face "t o ask for your hand in marriage He is gentleman of wealth and standing in the community, and your marriage with him will absolutely assure your fu- ture. Your foolish sentiment and l pre- iudice has led you to treat him in a most impudent manner. He is not the kind of g man 10 he dangled at the apron strings of a capricious minx. I approve of the match thoroughly Nour decision cannot be longer delayed. expect him here this afternoon-for your final answer. My advice is most emphatic that you accept him. The de cision however. is in your OWE hands. 1 desire to say. however, that should you refuse him. l cannot further charge myself with your support; nor Will I feel justified in turning over to you any part of the estate left in my hands in trust for you when you are married in accordance with my approval. The trust is a sacred one. aOd | can only terminate it when You marry some person whom l feel competent to han die your estate"
 The girl had listened with paling face. She knew him we'll enough to know that he was in deadly earnest. and that he was cold enough 10 carry out his threat The issue she had feared for so many months and from which she had shrunk in such terror. was before her. X great wave of terror swept over her al his first words and she feared her knees would not suSta ain her But as she listened to the even. icy intonation of the thin-lipped man before her mighty flood of anger rushed through her veins. Like flash all the horrible injustice of it all came 10 her The estate which had been left by her own sturdy father in her baby hood to the wife in whom he trusted SO implicitly but who had been q s SO much putty in the hands of the grasping schemer who had married her subse- quently, was now being used 10 en- compass her lifelong misery Some
 OLD FRIENDS.