Volume Ii Part 21 (2/2)
”I forgive your astonishment. It is really strange, but I do refuse you.”
”But why? Are you piqued with me for anything that occurred this morning? Have I offended you by anything that dropped from me in that conversation? Tell me frankly, that I may, if in my power, rectify it.”
”No; I rather felt flattered at the notion of being consulted. I thought it a great tribute to my clear-headedness and my tact.”
”Then tell me what it was.”
”You really wish it?”
”I do.”
”Insist upon it?”
”I insist upon it.”
”Well, it was this. Seeing that you were intrusting your future fortune to chance, I thought that I would do the same, and so I tossed up whether, opportunity serving, I should accept you or a certain other, and the other won!”
”May I ask for the name of my fortunate rival?”
”I don't think it is very fair, perhaps not altogether delicate of you; and the more since he has not proposed, nor possibly ever may. But no matter, you shall hear his name. It was Major McCormick.”
”McCormick! You mean this for an insult to me, Miss Dill?”
[Ill.u.s.tration: 472]
”Well, it certainly is open to that objection,” said she, with a very slight closure of her eyes, and a look of steady, resolute defiance.
”And in this way,” continued he, ”to throw ridicule over the offer I have made you?”
”Scarcely that; the proposition was in itself too ridiculous to require any such aid from me.”
For a moment Stapylton lost his self-possession, and he turned on her with a look of savage malignity.
”An insult, and an intentional insult!” said he; ”a bold thing to avow.”
”I don't think so, Major Stapylton. We have been playing a very rough game with each other, and it is not very wonderful if each of us should have to complain of hard treatment.”
”Could not so very clever a person as Miss Dill perceive that I was only jesting?” said he, with a cutting insolence in his tone.
”I a.s.sure you that I did not,” said she, calmly; ”had I known or even suspected it was a jest, I never should have been angry. That the distinguished Major Stapylton should mock and quiz--or whatever be the name for it--the doctor's daughter, however questionable the good taste, was, after all, only a pa.s.sing slight. The thought of asking her to marry him was different,--that was an outrage!”
”You shall pay for this one day, perhaps,” said he, biting his lip.
”No, Major Stapylton,” said she, laughing; ”this is not a debt of honor; you can afford to ignore it.”
”I tell you again, you shall pay for it.”
”Till then, sir!” said she, with a courtesy; and without giving him time for another word, she turned and re-entered the house.
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