WYLDER'S HAJVD
41
has got an estate and a house, and it is time he should
marry you."
Mark Wylder is here to marry my cousin, Dorcas;
and if he had no such intention, and were as free as you
are, and again to urge his foolish suit upon his knees,
Stanley, I would die rather than accept him."
"It was not always so foolish a suit, Radie," answered
her brother, his eyes once more upon the carpet. "Why
should not he do as well as another? You liked him
well enough once.'
The young lady colored rather fiercely.
"I am not a girl of seventeen now, Stanley; and —
and, besides, I hate him."
"What d—d nonsense! I really beg your pardon,
Radie, but it is precious stuff. You are quite unreason-
able; you've no cause to hate him; he dropped you be-
cause you dropped him. It was only prudent; he had
not a guinea. But now it is different, and he must mar-
ry you."
The young lady stared with a haughty amazement upon
her brother.
"I've made up my mind to speak to him; and if he
won't I promise you he shall leave the country," said the
young man gently, just lifting his yellow eyes for a second
with another unpleasant glare.
"I almost think you're mad, Stanley; and if you do
anything so insane, sure I am you'll rue it while you live;
and wherever he is I'll find him out, and acquit myself,
with the scorn I owe him, of any share in a plot so un-
speakably mean and absurd."
"Brava, brava! you're a heroime, Radie; and why
the devil," he continued, in a changed tone, "do you ap-
ply those insolent terms to what 1 purpose doing?"
"I wish I could find words strong enough to express