| Show 1 A A AF F FAIR AIR REBEL f Culms luok lucked looked t up from Crom his JUn table Ah A h h ht mid Jg Is I that you Leila Lelo 4 I fU O sl sH nit down oun till I finish these sig I i tl w siS sig- b nn natures t The Te girl bId obeyed It I was seldom her austere father desired her presence in n the tho library So she walled waited a little J nervously for or what was to come She was wa a I pretty of or 20 O. O with wih Jet- Jet I L black ack hair arid and ant dark ark violet eyes eyo eyo The face tco was wa wa oval o ana the complexion clear as ai a the cup of or a lily Illy Iy the lips ripe and bewitchingly bc cUr curved and the dainty dain at t. t t ty ears el small email smal and shape oink tinted shells Given her liberty she would have vr wr t havoc In many a breast broat brOut But tho the rules rule of her lifo had bail been strict Grer- Grer Cairns exacted an obedience so 10 reaching far ar that his had more than thon once felt tel tempted to lo rebel But Bui as 88 yet ct she sho he had not asserted herself Today Toda- might force urco her to act net AB 5 1 her father wrote he 1 watched hl his stern elern ster face The sight afforded afforded afforded af af- af- af forded her Small smal relief releC In summonIng summoning summon summon- ing her there ho he tona had hat some ome direct t and und definite purpose InI in view That the interview Inte would terI terminate ter ter- I I minate In woul for fora forn I a n command she did not a n moment doubt nut But as yet ot she he could coul not guess the nature of or that command Juel Presently the pen was wac Wl laid lall upon the I luck and tH the man leaned back In his I II 11 have ha e sent ent for you ou ho bc began an In InI I measured tones tone to acquaint you with witha a R few SetH facts In which you 0 yourself ourel are concerned Also Almo Ailo to express my wishes In lit regard resart to y mr bur acceptance of or the f arrangement made In your our behalf I With lh a few exceptions I 1 have ha hitherto found you ou amenable to r reason aton and ami to lo lotho tho time authority which Is my due It I Is not mint therefore without d l II lound Iund f to anticipate your our ready concurrence In this important matter mater that I now begin ln to lo explain nil all al that lint has been done lone I for Ol you ou b by those to whom your Inter Inter- cuts esth are a consideration of oC vital Ual mo mo- ment Ho ilo paused Leila Lella Lela watched him api ap ap- i Clearly Clearl the time subject to tobe be le discussed was one of oC some seine weight she ilie made malc no 10 answer and ant her father went on as before You are an of if f course aware tm that lint Ralph Raymond Is expected home In Ina a n da day or OV 01 tWO WO He Ie Ic has traveled tra for or some oine years lurs in all al parts o of the time world worM I cannot that I personally advocate I. I 1 say 1 I F cute cate a u sr system to so O lax la In the training raining and education of a man But Dot that thai Is S not my affair The Raymonds 1 are ar eminently respectable Their four Cour yours yours' CJ Ie residence at the time Cc Cedars n ha has been botn 0 highly agreeable to me ant and acquaintance acquaint acquaint- ance has luu ripened Into friendship on omi f- f I both bath sides That Thai friendship il it I is now no nowr r r. r our om Joint purpose to lo cement by an arrangement equally o agreeable to each t t j It I i Is In short our earnest earliest wish that Hal Ralph ph and yourself oU should be he he- he he fH paused Ills Hrs eyes 1 wei wele searching Leilas Leila's astonished face vit with witha wih vita a look looh of cold austerity He lie Raw RW Hi the he sleep deep Hush that mounted to her died cheek cheel the momentary Hash flash fash In her violet Iolet eyes eye es but but he lie forbore to comment upon them and amid once more proceeded 4 There are lun reasons for or this ar ar- ar nUI Their property adjoins ou our ourt t- t own 0 Fur For 11 years cur there has p more le less IlS active In Iii ard n 1010 or II s dispute II r regard 1 to the thc precise line of This Pius Inc dispute has haR laid lart dormant during the time j of ot tIme the friendship existing bet bei be- be hc t i tho time two to families s. s But ut ono one never IC I 1 kimos JOI 8 this will eIll wil An ailS- ailS would all p If I l ouI JI 1 I W Un nl so 1 hi You Vou aru aro ir ui solo 1010 j rna TuVe things will w l convince ou eu or the tho advisability o of lh th the top stop j A propose o. o It ItIs Itis I Is the one wish o of ot my may life 1 I know you Ou h have never suc guessed c It It But lut I 1 have havo heel secretly working to for l' l his Ihla for two years cars past 11 Mr ML Raymond lamond I Is now as anxious to tee see ee it 1 effected as I I. I Leila Lella Leia lifted her head There was wag a slight curl of the ripe lips that told all al too loo plainly what whal was wa passing within And his son i she ho with wih Ic Icy bitterness Gre Gregory or Cairns eyed ced his daughter narrowly Ralph is as us yet quite quie I Ignorant o othe of the proposed arrangement said sid quiet quietly His Ills father however pales no opposition on his part pari Leila's Leilas eyes Mashed hashed What an young man man she Bho commented driy Her father made no reply For a moment there was silence Then Leila LcM Lela leaped to h her feet her hands clenched her o eyes flushing flashing he her bosom heaving hevIng r f At la lait t she was going to rebel 4 1 And you 0 think I will wi submit t to I such an ni Inti Indignity nH f she exclaimed tr holly holy You think I am amo o 0 o be bart bar bar- t away uway in order to conclude a silly siy quibble a about bout boundaries and tie rights rIght of or property properly Do you OU deem mo sue so 6 far Car wanting in sel self respect ct that I could coull for a H moment entertain so I degrading degrading de de- de grading and impudent a proposal Her rr 1 father tather rose ose slowly from his hh 4 chair There Ther was a el eleam cam in his Ills dark lark eyes Co control control Out But lit lu- It kept pt himself well under unter Impudent ho he said menacingly g Do PO you 01 forget Coret to whom you YOl are arc I speaking Leila 4 tile the girls girl's blood was wa WO UI tin 1 V No 0 o she said sat sl at I 01 do lo not tom for 4 s get t For years your rule nas amounted amount amount- ed ee to Lo tyranny Yet I have submitted But Dut now nov you have Insulted me mae Am AmI I K t bale of or merchandise to be bought anti anil sold for COl the time profit und and gain o of others You forget that lint I 1 am a woman Worn wom wor an that an-that that a woman has her pride pride pride- pride that thai for Cor a woman to marry where she marl does docs not love Is n a siam siam no less teas vile vie than limn that of or the tie commonest creature of or the street stroet I ay Say MY again you again you have insulted InstilLed me i my lather and and have ha e left lec 1 me no alternative but to r- r rt e- e t 0 antI and refuse vile I rus so FO a proposal propos I She turned and swept toward the door Her hand was on tho the handle wh when 1 ncr her fatur father spoke You arc Julo determined he hl Ht steadily adly i f Once more she sho turned and feed faced Ceet him TIters There Ther was wal an unspoken threat In his lila dark eyes UYe that sho she could not r tall fall to see tal i 1 I nr am armi Ih she replied plc decisively The Die I WelL IK is u as preposterous rou as ft t tji p dishonoring dis dis- r I honoring honoring i 1 have havo never ne even cn seen tho to thoman whom would have me man juan you mary 1 Once Onee a and Il for or all al I will wi not do 10 It I I And AmI without another word vord wort site sho swept out of or the room Calmness came to In her later But Dul her herS S remained unshaken The die east cant Mt Come Comae what what might she slip wOuld never ne so s d degrade de he herself l. l Yet slip hj wa was mil quite Iule at r rest t. t Un It I all Khi al there was vas p a v gui UI misgiving as I to lid het IN puw power to prolong a war with will wih her Indomitable father n Reason aon 1 to seek urI sane t un where non none might follow Iw her Y Yet t whither could he she g go gu She had hat no hO 10 friend miend in iii II whom t Li tl confide none none none who whose jul Judgment ment might open ollen up before her hir Jm a aay Way ay ut of f escape front from th the persecution perse perse- pere cution she knew 1 be tc Inevitable cuton Her Int mother e wa was wa long bug since dead of ot her life had hod Tim file fil rigid discipline leant kePt her the t sweet companionS companion companion- S 1111 hll of ur ner ei t. t sex x x To ru whom then could she sho tho lurn coull There WI H no answer Her lor position polton wis rendered desperate t by tho the ominous omin wal one ous silence thai thal followed her indig- indig repudiation nf of nt the plan her father nth had proposed proponed II it I wa was wa lila Ilia calm tOmu before letor the storm Locked In hur d to and fro Co In InI yn o 1 0 room she he pac paced pact I S. I growing agitation Could CouIl shu simu holdout hold holdout out That was the time question that disturbed dis 11 her most mot Her re resolution luton was firm enough now no But in the ond end whan she he had bad bat suffered all al that Jay lay before her when her when the time Unhappiness un un- happiness of oC her lot hot had hat broken brolien her spirit and robbed her of or the will wi to rebel what rebel what th then n 1 She was tas wa only a girl girl Her father Cather was Wa n n. man of ot Iron What was vas al she to do to In this mental unrest unreel she spent spout th time thc succeeding two da days day And Ant then a sui smi- smi den Idea came to her At first It seemed seme absurd absurd almost almost shameful I In her own eyes eye CC But she was growing gowing desperate n Any refuge would be betor better bet bet- ter tel or than none S She Shu could make Inquiries And i ithe It if the plan proved cd hopeless or she he could coull abandon It I before it I was to tolate too late late She sat Mil t quite Quie still ti in the privacy of oC her luer own room and read the adver adver- fur for tho the tenth time Gentleman Genteman wishes to correspond lat lady with wih view to matrimony I Is h 32 52 years ears of or f Age e. e possess pOes a small smal Iri- Iri ill competency and occupies goo good anti and ond remunerative c mercantile position Address Sincere box 1 office o ot of Weekly eJI Argus Arcus It I was a startling idea Itea to possess pose so o retiring a a. girl as Leila Cairns Bushe Bu nut she was wa tle desperate prate Moreover r there were weme other reasons to account for Cor the theu u suggestion lice Her temperament nt was ro ro- ro mantle niantic Matrimony was to her the time crowning jO Joy of ot life JCl Love c must uc ac- ac- ac company COIal It f. f or It I became a n thing timing ab ab- ab- ab But Hut love lo e ml might ht leap into life le with will wih the time glance of or an aim al eye ec Was as It not po pos ios- sibie that this advertisement sincere as It undoubtedly was as might ht I prove pro te first link in fn ll c l chain of or romance She Sho liked hiked It I for It Its Innocence of oC al all al 1 personal onal l description ITo IIo Io had merely told his ago age and amid aul tho Ito bare facts acts of hi his worldly position This was manly and straightforward forward The more 1010 sho she thought about aboul it f the time themore themore more resolved cd she sho became to Ibid ou out more concerning this unknown wl suitor All AJ th the romance In Iii her Innocent young oun heart quickened Into H activity She Sue hat had hat read of oC some sonic who whose e lifelong happiness had sprung from Just jus I such uch an aim adver cl al WI Why might not nul a a. like rat fate come to her hem So she he argued 1 herself t turning time the mailer mater over o and over o el In Ja her hem mind info mint And Amid Alt who can blame blamo her IN She was alone and amid friendless Her Iel one une living hiving relative was her hem hC W wo Worst ret It enemy He lie wa was stron strong antI and she was wao weak She dread cd ed et the time battle that hint la lay before her To yield would be tf to enter upon a alCe alife alife I life which t to her was full tul of or shame I Sh She had Jun no knowledge ge of or the time world To Tu her impossible that a man mai should take tale the trouble to advertise al for 01 a wife whom he diLl did id not want vant I It I must At an any rate she would test the genuineness of or his random mandom of of- for fer So she wrote a n I i reply to the ad advertisement ad- ad and Sll waited for tm or further news news Sho She had c en no nu address s ant and ant had luau directed that all al letters should be besent besent besent sent to the tIme local nut But But she experienced a I thrill h ri of ot nervous ous nel dread as its It she fhe he thought of or the time possibility of or dis ls- ls er co covery What would her hor father M say nut But she banished time the thought And 11 mid midat at nt last Just nn UI answer answel came caine She he Iea read It I man ninny times hues me Then looked at ot the thc photograph pho phio- tn which accompanied it H. So Su far farall farall ar aral all al wits was satisfactory But nut the more she ilC pondered the time stronger grew STew her hel to Inquire further Into he time lIre life ln and character of oC this unknown lT J S S 5 S I ii fAt rl ft lt ew Uhl Id I c h I 1 tt won weLl oil si Mh w uld then have a refuge thO or 1 poi t th already breaking overhead o Poor Ioor Leila Lelia t Sue She did not the Iho Lela see tw one great thaw flaw In all al her reasoning Her tn Indignation l nalon hal had been aroused because It t had been beon hal proposed that she should i herself el to lo an unknown man And Ant to avoid this fate tate she he was Opening another even another even more unknown than the But she was only a it girl and amid saw sav not the subtleties of or self-deception self sel which her love 10 of ro romance romance ro- ro mance presented So she decided to travel down to the lown country town from which his letter leter had been addressed She Sho would go JO secretly and aut as secretly make mako her In In- In iu I rice Earl Early the next morning she attired herself hersel for Cor time the journey and ant quietly slipped out of or the thc house No o one Sher S saw sav her and ant sio O f went straight to lo time the sta sta- tion ton A Brief delay and she gi was off or The Time line himme lne was maui main mall one Before her her mummy many miles mIes d distant was the thc great eat metropolis way Half way Hal r thither r she thc would alight at It the station elation staton which wl was now no her hem destination The Tho train seemed to crawl ulon along and she sher r felt fell lt a 1 sudden misgiving as to the tilO outcome outcome out out- come of ot hc her joune For days traffic had almost been suspended The grip of or winter was on the lie earth carll and a deep white mass mas of oC yielding snow lay all al around Gan Gangs p of oC men muon were veme everywhere at ut work on the line lne to clear for COl the tho a causeway panting engines and their train of ot coaches conches Overhead tho the sky sly looked hooked lowering and ld heavy with snow Presently 1 It b began to lo fall fail Cal anew Silently the time great grea great white flakes Oakes dropped upon Ullon the frozen track Faster Foster alit and faster fabler they tey fell rel till tm the tIme view on either cither hand imami was wa blotted out In a n whirling spray spra o or of snow Slower and slower went th time tolling lolling train tain It I seemed a as thougla though a 11 u d dismay Ismay fate ate were wco In It I. I Leila grew sick with will wih Before and behind her hel the time road was wa being fast Cat obliterated beneath th the white while mantle of oC wInter Suppose Suppose Suppose- Suppose She Sho shivered red as a time Iho thul thought ht came t to her |
