Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-02-08

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gust in their hearts.
Now" he said, turning t. her,
"the dogs have gone; they will not
come back. Let me beg of you to put
ner down" May hesitated a moment,
then, with the usual clinging and tug
ging, brought the miserable mite into
view, and slowly placed her on the
ground, from whence she darted into a
tree like a squirrel.
With a gravity that was extremely
comical, if they had but known 1t, the
two human beings stood and watched
her; then May, gathering ner skirts
together af her kind, was walking
off, but Sir Heron, moved by a spirit
of obstinacy made one more effort at
Precipitation.
The kitten is ali right, evidently"
he said. ut only you who have suf-
fered Do you still refuse to receive
my apologies"
what do you wish me TO say?"
Anything less harsh and unforgiy-
ing than that which you have said,
he replied.
"Then l am sorry--ho, I am not-I
cannot crafty you, But for me, that
little thing would have been torn to
pieces"
THAT is quite true, and I should
it and expressed my regret. Can NOR
tai man do more?" he retorted, with
! heightened color. IF / had set my
dogs at your kitten with malice pre-
tense, you could not treat me-"
at is not my kitten" came unwill-
ingly from the sullen lips.
Not yours?" said Sir Heron, inward
| ~ delighted at this reluctant prolong-
ing of tho conversation. THAT, at
least, gives me immense relief. Sure
ly you will not bear malice for so
slight a cause"
| 'Malice!" said May, unthinkingly.
Malice as it seems, if the word is
not too strong a one 20 apply il what
| | humbly venture to hope is but mo-
mentary anger FOR an unintentional
offense. At the risk of appearing pre-
sumptuously intrusive, l must once
more entreat you to accept my apol-
| ogy. If you will permit me, | will
do myself the honor of calling upon
you and Offering a more formal and
| extended apology"
/ With a swift flood of carnation
crimscning her fair face, Nay turns
| on him aggressively.
You mean that you will call upon
us; that you will close upon this as a
pretex- for patronizing us with a
visit"
she stops short, smitten to silence
by the look of surprise upon the hand
some face, and, biting her lip, looks
down upon the ground.
THAT was my meaning certainly.
Do you find fresh cause for offense in
it? Can you expect that a gentleman
should rest under the stigma of a
lady's ayowed implacability without
making an effort to remove it?"
I'LL do not expect anything. II
it will give you any satisfaction to
hear me say the meaningless nothings
with which one accepts an apology,
pray CONSIDER that they have been
said"
at would give me greater satisfac-
ton to hear you say them"
"W''y should I give you that salts
faction? We are strangers"
THAT we are strangers, l regret.
But you nave an advantage over me
! YOU know my name. while l am in
/ ignorance of yours"
Yes. know your name. You are
Sir Heron Letchford, and it is because
you are Sir Heron etchford that I re-
fuse to accept any apology from you
Good-morning."
Stay" he says. rs it possible THAI
have given you some cause of of
Tense before the miserable affair OF
this morning? Have we met before
this? do not think that is pos
sible-I should nave remembered it,
At this thinly-veiled compliment,
something that would have been a
sneer on a palmer face, distorts Mays.
I'VE have not met before, She says.
We have not?" he says, eagerly;
and yet you know my name, and evil
] htitis DOhi tuS ~ SOON-Nl4is - II
/ fair-I appeal to your sense of Justice
is it fair to treat me with such mark
cd discOurtesy?"
"Discourtesy." echoes May, in a low
p, voice.
! 'Discourtesy on some mere shadow
OF hearsay."
"Hearsay?" she lays, with scorn-
ful glance. not at him, but at the sky.
81 never heard your name till last
night"
And then heard it from some
malicious tongue. which so black
ened it taat, at your first meeting
with me, you treat me as if 1 were the
greatest scoundrel unbung"
In his conversation he takes a step
nearer ~ her and gains a full view
of her face. There Is a moments
aileace. A pause in which surely one
or both should realize the absurdity of
the situation which has resulted in
two strangers handsome man and
a ycung girl-taIking in this intimate
manner, But in truth they are so alb
sorbed, she by her wounded pride and
tne remembrance Of last hight, and he
by his desire to conquer this strange
repugnance Of a pretty girl. that con
ventionalities are forgotten and go for
nothing.
"Scoundrel," she says, blushing.