A Rebellious Heroine

man in this

man in this

but I will not

hard

st some other should prove more successful, and so deprive him of the laurels for which he had worked so hard and suffered so much. In his favor was his disposition. He was a man of great determination, and once he set about doi

so later; but the weariness with which he s

you now, and the more conscious she is of your efforts to put her on paper, the more she will rebel. In fact, her rebelliousness will become more and more a matter of whim than of principle, unless you let up on her for a little while. Half of her opposition n

Chadwick to send them the completed manuscript by that time. Besides, no heroine of mine shall ever say

t I dropped in at Harley's rooms to see how matters were progressing. As I entered I saw him at his de

e picture, "it goes at last. I guess

ved my entrance. As luck would have it, I stepped upo

by the sound. "Oh! It's you, is it?" he added, as he recogniz

ess was assumed. The color had completely left his cheeks,

, returning. "You seem to have your pe

as just finishing up that Herri

and and shaking it. "I congrat

tossed the letter block upon which he had been writing across

. Herring, Beemer, & Chadwick, in which Stuart aske

ith you, but fruitlessly, and I beg that you will relieve me of the obligation into which I entered at the signing of our contract. Of course I could send you something long enough to cover the required space-words come easy enough for that-but the result would be unsatisfactory to you and injurious

faith

rt Ha

You've finished

en direction she will go. If I could, I could arrange my scenario to suit, but as it is, I cannot go on. It may come later, but it won't come now, and I'm going to give her up, and go down to Barnegat to fish for ten days. I hate to give the book up, though," he added,

ke my advice and tackle somethi

n't. My mind is full of that woman. If I don't get rid of her I'm ruined-I'll have to get a position as a sale

u mustn't be rash. Don't send that letter yet. Wait until you've had the week at Barnegat-you'll feel better then. You can w

me what's the use. I'd mapped out a meeting between Marguerite Andrews and a certain Mr. Arthur Parker, a fellow

out upon the table

PTE

CLAR

ve no

n ambassado

ant of

olness at the MacFarland dance, had led him to believe that he was not wholly without interest to her, and her invitation that he sho

" he said to himself. "That is, again

efore, and he was not sorry to feel that that wound was cured-though

, and Parker entered, inquirin

as at home, but he also knew that it was not his place to say so until the young lady had personally assured him of the facts in so far as they related to this particu

aid, frigidly, ignorin

to propose, and was to leave engaged, and she insists upon

ing. "Why did you le

f she was going to behave that way. I couldn't foresee the incident, and before I knew it that's the way it

d to read

n spite of the fact that the coolness of her reception rather

Mrs. Willard as I came down. You don't allow your friends much leeway, Mr. Parker.

I read. "Nice sort of talk for a heroin

to get a proposal in now

per, and took it out of poor Parker. He proposes, as you will see when you come to it; but it isn'

o, as f

ton's, because his recollection of her behavior towards him at the MacFarland dance had led him to believe that he was personally distasteful to her; but as the evening at cards progressed he felt instinctively drawn towards her, and her vivacity of manner, clever

, but I found out later. I put it in, however, and let Parker draw his own conclusi

esu

wrong that morning, and that this had disturbed her equanimity, and that he was merely the victim of circumstances; and

ul day," he bega

e asked, in

I, appalled at the lengths t

ed Harley. "And so

t seemed a pity that you and I should stay in

rupted him with

walks, Mr. Parker, why don't yo

s the worst act of rebellion

Harley, in sep

ndrews," he said; and then he added, quickly, "that is, alone-I

as she rose up from her chair. "I'll be down

rews walked majestically out of

as she left him. "A minute mor

lace in that chapter, and I thought I'd worked right up to it, in spite of all

f a proposal as long as she can when she knows it is sure to come. Furthermore, it gives you a chance to describe

't you think I worked up to the p

tter to have had the butler fire him out, head over heels. He could have thr

read," sa

her return. "Possibly she loves me in spite of this frigid behavior. This m

right to disse

you kick me

elings are, her being willing to go for a walk

id Harley. "If I could get them engaged, I was satisfi

arrayed for the walk. Parker rose as

ct picture this

pliment. "Where are we scheduled to walk?-or are

. The aptness of the remark did not strike

ve in free will,

rk he could make, under the circum

ellow," said I, an

ngs we are supposed to do with

eet, and in silence walk

ker, as they turned out of the avenue to the cl

arguerite, sh

ews, the heart of man is supposed to be incomplete until he ha

Max Nordau?" interpos

you to put th

ley. "I didn't put it in. It's wh

u," said Parker, somewhat surprised at

r with Schopenha

t help him. I'd forced him in so far that I couldn't get him out. His a

an idea dawning on his mind. "That is to say, moderately fa

ething witty, although he did not know what it was, joined. In a moment the laughter subsi

you have noticed-perhaps not-tha

have noticed it, and that is why I have on two sep

ot tell you that I

essional hero, and feel under obligations to your employer to follow out his wishes to the letter. However it may be, you have twice essayed to come to the point, and I have twice tried to turn you aside. Now it is time to speak truthfully. I admire and like you very much, but I have a will of my own, am nobody's puppet, and if Stuart Harley never writes another book in his life, he shall not mar

ith all my soul,"

e minutes. But I was resolved that he should say it, and he did. That's how he came to sa

ou be m

, turning on her heel, and leaving th

's manhood would assert itself in spite of all I

you've scratched it ou

r,'" said Stuart Harley. "That's what I wrote, and I flatter myself on the realism of it

ce came

given it up," asked

were you," I added, anxious to have him renew his efforts; for an idea had just flashed across my mind, which, although it involved a br

"I won't give it up until then, but I h

letter to Messrs. Herring, Beemer, & Chadwick,