The Opelousas courier., 1904-06-25
The Odd THING
About 1t.

q 0o VIVA H
teenth century manuscript in the win
dow seat, behind the library curtains,
The twilight and the end of the faint.
grabbed writing came together; and
then | suppose l fell asleep. | woke
at the sound of Vera Rutherford's
voice.
1.-THE odd thing about it is that
don't really dislike him at ALL"
you will tell me, next that~1n
doesn't really dislike yo6G;"stsaid Maud
Leslie, with an ~unbelieving laugh.
Il am afraid" said Vera, there is
no doubt about that" l could have
pointed out grave doubts; but l wasn't
more than half-awake. Besides, l
couldn't be quite sure that they re-
ferred to me.
did you say afraid Ve?"
"You needn't bubble over my
Words she answered impatiently.
There was a pause.
Dear old ve!" said Maud, in a
moment. Here again ought to h&Ve
pretended that l just woke up, and an
nounced myself.
II hate him!" Vera observed in
consistently,
49," said Maud, heartily, do T."
I could not well proclaim my presence
after these remarks.
"At least l think l do,Y
I'm sure I do" said Maud, positive
ly. 81 consider him horrible"
ooh, Maud. You know he isn't"
He must be, or he wouldn't be SO
rude to you"
Il provoke him, you see."
THAT Is no excuse at all. Look at
the way he ~contradicted you about
those Tuscan vases, or whatever you
call them" ,
II contradicted him first"
"Why shouldn't your"
"Because-he was right"
(Which made it all the more annoy
ing"
"Yes," said Vera, with a sigh. I
wished l had never let her have her
own way"
Never mind, dear. You refuted
him about those silly pre-something-
brother things"
moo; I didn't, really"
ooh, but you did! Papa and every
one laughed at it." Confound them!
"Ah, butt was sorry and he knew
it."
Nonsense, We"
Didn't you hear what he said to Sir
Garvin O'Brien about them afterward?
If you remember-"
Il don't! | didn't understand a word
Of their %gibberish, and didn't want
to-" Quite right, Miss Maud; women
shouldn't dabble in antiquities. Then
they wouldn't quarrel with ~antiouari-
ans.
Anyhow, it disposed of my theory
Then why didn't he say it at the
timer"
Probably he thought me beneath
argument" AS a matter of fact I had,
for once, made an effort to be mag
unanimous, and spare her feelings.
HE is a great deal too superior"
Maud. l felt myself b~lushing.
He really knows a great DEAL" sug-
Vera, timidly. I made up my
mind not to quarrel with her any
more.
"A lot of antiquated rubbish of no
use to any one," scoffed Maud. / could
feel that she was tossing her head. |
Jack calls him the 'lumberroom'!"
Jack is a young ass!
:" don't agree" said Vera, holly.
Jack is"
mo, he isn't!" He's very nearly
engaged to Maud.
"A charming and intelligent fellow,
was going to say"
Nasty little story-teller!" / thought
hey We're going to quarrel, but they
We'll, I'll admit the learning of
Mr.. Norton" said Maud when
hey had done laughing, Out"
He isn't my Mr.. Norton" Vera OBJ
Iected. There was a further pause.
Z Maud had gone I should have felt
Inclined to come out and place "Mr.
Norton at pretty Vera's disposal, but
Maud didn't go
DO you really like him, old Ve?"
The asked.
only just a little"
"Sure?"
"Yes-almost sure"
i can't 9 what you like in him."
protested Maud, impatfently2 Hes
orty, at least" ~Thfrty-seyen only