Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-03-09

MY equal" he says.
your equal and / am not. DO you
think / do not know how high Sir
Heron Letchford stands above us-we
who are creatures OF yesterday? You
admire, profess to admire my draw.
ing | ought to draw we'll taught
1t at school in Clapton." II she thought
to crush him by this avowal she IS
disappointed.
Went" he says
!. Well" she retorts, edo you think
me assistant at middle-class board
ing school IS n fit companion for you,
Sir Heron? and If you do-which you
10 not--others would not"
Sir Heron meets her gaze, half de-
fant, half indignant. without finching,
While she has been speaking, a
strange thought has flashed through
his brain. II it Is true that this girl
comes of vulgar stock, and has spent
her years In the humble position Of Il
teacher in n common boarding school,
from whence has she got this air Of
! high breeding, this consummate self.
| possession and quiet dignity and,
above all this irrepressble pride, Not
Rose Vayasour herself could look more
haughtlIy than this parvenus daugh-
ter
There Is u moments silence, In
which Sir Heron has time to realize
that he is being lectured, rebuffed, set
aside, and by n girl Of twenty. A
faint color CLOVIS behind his tan, and
the shadow Of frOwn, not of anger
but Of perpleXity, hoyers over his dark
brows
you accused me just now, by Inn
plIcation, of pride"
And you retort that !, too, am
proud. You are right"
"Too proud to receive so poor and
conventional an attention as ! have
shown this morning. not to you only
but to your sister"
yes" she says. ignoring his refer.
cnce to Carrie. II am too proud to
accept Sir Heron's acquaintance
when"
pray go on" he says, gravely.
We'll. | Will" she says. "While his
friends do not consider me worthy OF
It,"
He bites his lip and Is silent for II
moment while he inwardly curses the
laws Of caste which have permitted
her nearest noIghbor for over two
years,
Il cannot affect to misunderstood
you" he says; "but | Will not under
take to answer for others ahortcom-
ings though may have to suffer for
them"
You do not misunderstood me In
another way, hope" May says with
quick flush. II am not complain
ing"
NO" he says; 81 can see that
though my mother came on her knees
and implorod your pardon she would
not get 1t. but II am frank. you
have set mo the example. Is there
no other reason for that implacabil-
ity? May ask YOU n direct ques.
tIon?"
TO what purpose" May says.
81 will ask It. Miss Dalton, In the
whole course Of my life | have never
met with one OF your sex who has
spoken as YOU have spoken today,
Your frankncss prompts me TO go TO
the bottom of this matter. WIN You let
mo ask YOU II there Is not stronger
reason for refusing my acquaintance?
No You dislike me?"
This Is not proper"
"Do not descend from the lofty
pedestal upon which, like Truth per.
soniiled. you have been Furnishing me
have not said word In my defense
/ have borne all with the meekcst
humility lIumhly | crave an an
swcr Am | personally rcpugnant TO
you?"
NO" she says, 'hut---"
stop 10 YOU think | am about
to take advantage Of your answer"
You wrong me, If YOU had said YES
should have respectfully endeavorcd
10 ascertain the cause of your dislike
and tried to remove Il, AS It is-as
am not, IN myself, repuEnant 20 You,
will say no more. viii certainly not
take advantage of your trankncss
More hey your pardon. You are
tight, | have entrapped YOU this
morning 10 CRAFTY selfish desire to
huild into friendship an acquaintance
which has brought me-
May arises with pale face.
stop he says, II viii not offend
YOU will say no more do not
wish to lose the slight good will YOU
bear ne,
Then he turns to Carrie, who Is too
absorbed 10 pay any attention 10 the
few words here and there which the
weir allows her to hear, aud putting
his hand ON her shoulder, says gently,
NO fish yet?"
NO thought | had one but It
must have been only n weed"
Never mind | am sorry to say |
cannot persuade your sister TO remain
longer nprh0ns another time--npw