Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-05-15
(CHAPTER VII, Continued.l

Wise OeteTLuludtlOuS uuuS ~ Sho SOSs
Of so much pain and effort? Was this
the answer to all his prayer, Lead
me not into temptation" He had done
his part, for he had done all he could.
Heaven had not helped him, since here
was temptation thrust upon him when
least expected and when the way was
30 narrow he could not escape, but
must meet it face to face.
Mary soon recovered her self possess
sion-women are better skilled in this
art than men-and continued:
II am not intending to say one word
about your treatment of me that day
over in the forest, although it was very
bad and you have acted abominably
ever since. Now is not that kind In
meY And she softly laughed as she
peeped up at the poor fellow from be-
meath those sweeping lashes, with the
premeditated purpose of tantalizing
him, suppose. She was beginning to
know her power over him, and 1t was
never greater than at this moment.
Her beauty had its sweetest quality,
for the princess was sunk and the
woman was dominant, with flushed
face and flashing eyes that caught
double luster from the glowing love
that made her heart beat SO fast.
With the mood that was upon her l
wonder Brandon maintained his self
restraint even for moment He felt
that his only hope lay in silence, so he
sat beside her and said nothing. He
told me long afterward that while sit
ting there in the intervals between her
speech, the oldest, widest thoughts ran
through his brain. He wondered how
he could escape. He thought of the
window and that possibly he might
break away through it, and then he
thought of feigning illness, and hun
dred other absurd schemes, but they
all came to nothing, and he sat there
to let events take their own course, as
they seemed determined to do in spite
of him.
After a short silence Mary continued
half banteringly: ANSWER me, sir!
will have no more Of this. You snail
treat me at least with the courtesy you
would show bourgeoise girl"
"Oh, that you were only burghers
daughter"
Eyes. / know all that; but am not.
1t can't be helped, and you shall an
swer me-"
"There is no answer, dear lady.
beg you-oh, do you not see"-
Eyes, yes; but answer my question.
Am l not kind, more than you de-
serve?"
"Indeed, yes a thousand times You
have always been so kind, so gracious
and 80 condescending to me that l can
only thank you, thank you, thank you
answered Brandon almost shyly, not
daring to lift his eyes to hers.
Mary saw the manner quickly enough
what woman ever missed 1t, much
less SO keen eyed girl as she-and II
gave her confidence and brought back
the easy banter of her old time man
ner.
"How modest we have become!
Where is the boldness of which we
used to have so much? Kind? Have
1 always been so? How about the first
time l met you? Was l kind then!
And as to condescension, dont-dont
use that word between us"
mo" returned Brandon, who in ms
turn was recovering himself; no,
can't say that you were very KIND al
first. How you did fly out at me ana
surprise mel 1t was so unexpected II
almost took me off my feet" And they
both laughed in remembering the scene
of their first meeting. NO. | can't say
your kindness showed itself very
strongly in that first interview, but
1t was there nevertheless, and when
Lady Jane led me back your real ma
ture asserted itself as it always does,
and you were kind to me-kind as only
you can be-" ..
That was getting very near to the
sentimental = dangerously near, ne
thought, and he said to himself, III
this does not end quickly. shall have
to escape"
"You are easily satisfied if you call
that good" laughingly returned Mary.
1T can be ever so much better than
that if try"
"Let me see you try" said Brandon.
"Why, I'm trying now" answered
Mary, with a distracting little pout.
Don't you know genuine out and out
goodness when you see it? I'm doing
my very best now. Can't you tellT
Eyes, l think recognize it, but-but
be bad again."
"No 1 won't! will not be bad even
to please you. l have determined not
to be bad, and l will not-not even to
be good. This" placing her hand over
her heart, lis just full Of good today"
And her lips parted as she laughed at
her own pleasantly.
81 am afraid you had better be bad.
1 give you fair warming" said Brandon
huskily. He felt her eyes upon him all
the time, and his strength and good
resolves were oozing out like wine from
an ill coopered cask. After short ST.
lence Mary continued, regardless OF the
warning:
But the position is reversed with US.
At first | was unkind to you, and you
were kind to me, but now l am kind to
you, and you are unkind to me-"
81 can come back at you with your
own words" responded Brandon. "You
don't know when l am kind to you. ]
should be kinder, to myself at least,
were 1 to leave you and take myself to
the other side of the world"
"oh, that is one thing'I wanted to
ask you about. Jane tells me you are