Eveline Mandeville

ceive the addresses of Willard Duffel

I do not

because of a simple whim? the mere fancy of a vain-headed, foolish and inexperienced girl?

ense' or not, is a question I shall not attempt to decide; it is sufficient for me to know that

ights, but a parent

: I have always regarded your wishes, when expressed, save in this one instance, and I

f any moment come up, upon which we happen to disagree, than my wishes are as nothing-a mere school-girl whim

but trying me; for you know I do not merit

y n

y d

are willfully

eed, would I be if I could comply with them, but I cannot. Nor should yo

cts are fairer than those of any other young man of your acquaintance? Is he not

inciple, not

rinciple? Is he not strictly

do not allude to business, but moral principle

you th

atisfied on that point as if he had told me in so many words that he had no regard for the restraints o

w if you expect to live in any of

ty of my inhabiting one of them as there is o

you mea

well met,'-no other than the stranger you yourself suspected of being a villain-and from the tenor of their remarks, they belong to some clique of rascals. I could not gather a very distinct idea as to what the organization was formed to accomplish, for I could not he

ll, because a wealthy suitor proposes for her hand, but she cannot accede to his wishes, because, we pres

lose of their interview, and left her to ponder on the subject, and, if possibl

a long interview with him in private. What was the purport of his part of the conference, and t

ght to deceive me concerni

do you

, without seeming to notice her interposition. "Well, your well-devised scheme has failed

understand

tions of your revelation to me the other day, and that was the name of your con

g soul except yourself. Now, please be equally frank, and tell who your con

ormity of his child's wickedness, if his charges against her were true; but he had se

ho is associated with you to traduce Duffel; it is no other than the one who stands between you and the man of my choice-a poor beggarly fellow, to whom you have taken a

this address; but amid them all, there was a purpose as fixed as that of her sire's to have a voice in the matter of her own dispos

ggarly dog now! I mu

ony or explanation, he im

ated upon her rights and sensibilities, and she felt the blood of indignation coursing through her veins, and mounting her temples and brow. How could she help these emotions, when she knew that injustice had been done-that she had been insulted by an implication

, the only man for whom she had ever entertained sentiments of tender regard, the only one to whose "tale of love" she had listened with quickened pulses and beating heart, the only one to whom she had plighted her faith, with whom exchanged vows of

to her chamber-window, which was in full view of the gentlemen, and placing her ear in a listening attitude, bent all

deny it, Hadley, as I have the mos

h she could not but perceive was a grave one, would cause him to commit some rash or unguarded act, the results of which, in the existing state of affairs, would be unfortunate. Hi

plot? You certainly cannot refuse so small a request, and yet of such great importance to me, as it gives me

to an unpleasant rencounter, and result in no good. Suffice it to say, he e

a serious mistake, and it would give me the greatest pleasure to convince you of the fact, would you allow

ider my daughter as a stranger, and my door as closed against you! Not a word, sir; not a word-my resolution is taken unchangeably. I

y of one who could show himself so destitute of the characteristics of a gentleman. But there was another than himself that must suffer should he go, as his feelings prompted, from the premis

drive me from your door without a hearing? You

o hold intercourse with such villains! And more than that, I will tell you, sir, that I am not to be dictated to, as

ot to become excited, but anger rose in his bosom in sp

unchastised. I demand a recantation of your unfo

Mandeville, and instantly rendered him altogether ungovernable. He raised his clen

hus at my own door! Away in a moment, or I'll

stood

; go!" and he drew b

o in conversation was to start forward in that direction; but recalling the words of the proprietor, that he was never to enter his dwelling again, Hadley paused and turned away, but loitered about the p