A Woman-Hater
and a thronging round
tes toward Ashmead. "Make haste, please," she whispered; then put on her gloves deliberately, while Ashmead
sideration, and a sort of courteous respect for the person saluted, coupled with a certain dignity, and then she looked wistfully at her a moment. I believe she would have spoken to her if she had been alone; but Miss Mait
le; and the Klosking, who was not a forward woman, did not yield to her i
izard. He joined her. "There she is
aid, gloomily, "Well, no. Half cured now. Seen the lo
ked, timidly, if they ought not to make some inqu
another table," said Vizard, ironicall
Maitland faced a glass and
rm with unusual energy, and almost dragged her aside. "The idea of sending Harrin
opening them wide.
Mr. Severne is not in this
so mysterious," faltered
least said is s
and ever so much cleverer. Tell
get home, the
the only chance now was the dining-room. "No," sai
on the players; but the ladies were taciturn, and brought him to a stand. "Ah," thoug
st her alacrity, and would, I verily believe, have shunned a te'te-'a-te'te if she could; but there was a slight paleness in Zoe's cheek, and a compression of the lips, which told her plainly that youn
don't warn an orphan girl. She flew at me like a bull-dog before your brother: she said I was twenty-five, and I only own to twenty-three. And, after all, what could I say? for I do fe
"So please speak p
ou say
r mind consequences;
n, eh? and
things. Tell me the truth, pleasant o
le bit. But there-I'm in for it. I have said too much, or too little
but was not so much sh
ut after a while she said, with som
not quite b
he prefer?" asked Z
fear her so? This is where you seem all in the dark.
Abs
rd, rather than call
so he
ling-table the moment
She came in
arge mirror in
piteously. But she recovered herself, and s
ul as men," sai
n together? He is subject to bleeding at the nose. It i
ly, "he is not subject t
ou know that? What righ
" said Fanny, a
lf unwilling. However, she looked down, and said, in a very peculiar tone, "Here is the h
ed. She did not even take up the handkerchief. "
N
been in his r
the kind!
ma
ave her half a crown to
the corner. Her woman's eye fastened instantly on these. "Silk?" said she, and held it up to the light. "No. Hair!-golden hair. It is hers!
e not blind now. You have seen more t
. She was too deeply shocked. She went, feebly, and sa
aid she, almost crying, "I never tel
egm. Her hands began to work. "What sh
cried Fanny. "After all, it is you
why?-why? What
land thinks he is after money; an
the proud beauty, and lifted
uld look things in the face. Is t
poor. Her kind of tale
But perhaps she wastes it. Sh
id Zoe, wildly; "I will
ell, unless we tell him that she h
him go. Oh, I am wretched-I am wretched!" She lifted
distress, and knelt to
ith the wind. "Dear Zoe," said she, "it is deeper than
d mystery that torment me. Oh, w
ise you; I can only tell you what I should do in your place. I should make up my mind at once
up! What
know this old sweetheart of his has won three thousand pounds at least, for I noted her winnings. Diamond cut diamond, my dear. He is concealing from y
love! I cal
you to decide, Zoe. I do wish you had never seen the man. He is n
ard on him. You
yes and fight against it. After all, you know you are mistress
, Fanny, you
I do like you, Zoe Vizard, better than any other woman in the world. That is not saying very much; my taste is for men. I think them go
irginal impulse, hid her burning face
of time, and then said
scarce audibly, "Ac
surprised at this conclusion of the struggle. She said, with a certain al
go and make an
l do your business, but it shall be in your hearing. Then you can interfere, if you
evailed on to sponge her tearful eyes and co
acking; and she had not been gone long, when Fanny
of Mr. Severne, are
tly, preparing for battle
, I am," said she; "devoted. But he has a weakne
It is his one fault. Most
e were to refuse to go with us tomorrow-
he has given me
his won such a lot of money, he will want to stop; and if he does not stop, he will go awa
? What was hi
ch was
y pou
s place. Indeed, I have a project; I want him to rusticate a few months at our place, while I set my lawyer to look into his affairs a
this. "Well!" said she, "when you gentlemen fall in love
e, and said, "Well, as to the other thing-you leave it to me. Let us understa
N
be taken to Engl
es
ful to you for your c
n, if y
nion for the rest of the tour, eh?-my d
ough a poor girl, and her little game, li
mson to see her noble brother manipulated by this
place in her mind, and pride fou
red, Zoe looked very gloomy; so Fanny asked, rather sharpl
. Oh, Fanny, I begin to
t I ought to have expected. You were there. You had only
and I am very unhappy. I am losing my self-re
ive yourself, and don't torment yourself. All your trouble, we shall le
w of matters, she kisse
ly closed her
l till past eleven o'clock, an