A Little Rebel

is like

eful and

's angry, som

s smooth and

too cal

tearful-eyed Perpetua, but a

?" sa

, and putting her forefinger against her lip. "C

s heterogeneous. Now that he is nearer to her, he can see that she has bee

o tell you-to ask you. To-Oh! you hea

tua! Look here," laying his hand nervously upon her shoulder and giving her a littl

ed that awful old woman h

hat myself, and yet-" wistfully-"I can't help i

," says th

tone, "I never forget him-never-never. Only I do want to laugh

le. The professor is una

have heard, that won't

tially. "I shall be enjoying myself, I shall be seeing things. You-

o say. I-I'm always so busy," sa

dying?" que

sor, an odd sensation growing within hi

ops, and shakes her charming head at him. "You wi

ys this, and lights up her shining eyes like a ray of

an't study

o his hand-a strange, an enigmatical, but a lovely one. "Believe me knowledge is the one good thi

ays she. "You haven'

edge as the short span of life allotted to us will allow you

s," says she; "and-you hav

ays he.

read 'Alas?' I never have anything to read here, because Aunt Jane say

aid the profe

a demurely; "I'm not. I know the same place could neve

th himself for a moment an

u know? One would think I was a dunce-that I knew nothing-whereas, I assure you," throwing out her other hand, "I know quite as much as most girls, and a great deal more than many. I daresay," putti

professor, he grows red-he draws his brows together. Truly this is a most impertinent pupil! 'Th

with as good an ai

you ignorant man! Go buy that book at once. It will do you more g

ssor, in a misty sort of way, that her l

off her finger unconsciously, as if

u think she would let you take me to the theatre some night?" She has

on. They are both speaking in whispers, and the professor is conscious of feeling a strange sort of pleasure i

me agai

econd's pause, gives way and laughs "consumedly," as they would ha

u. She brought you to your knees-you actually"-t

ou;" says the professor, f

it would have done me a world of good to hear somebody tell her his real opinion of he

l for you," says the

don't you take

Well, I shall see,

Her tone is quite ordinary; it never suggests itsel

e friends sur

a friend of Aunt Jane's, which accounts for it, I suppose. She seems kind. She said she would take me to a c

certain-and yet it was her father's wish, and who is he, the professor, that he should pretend to know how girls should be treated? What if he should make a

t Perpetua. "You know I would do what I could for you, but your

r chin, in an aggressive fashion, that creates a likeness on the spot, in spite of the youthful eyes, and

a faint struggle with his dignity, joins in

you are a hundred and

way," returns the pro

uess your age better than she can. I can see at once, that you are not a day older than poor,

beginning to feel a little forlorn. He has forgotten y

, she looks quickly at him, and perhaps something in his face strikes her, because she goes on hurriedly. "Oh! and what

ed very unhappy here," sa

. "I shan't be able to stay here. Oh! why

f "fifty" might very easily give a home to a young girl, without comment from the world. But then if an "o

ne everywhere together, you and I. I should have taken you to the theatre, to balls, to con

ul vista she has opened up to him ha

e been good to me too, and let me look in at the shop windows. I should have taken such c

too much for

. I must go

ow at its height, and some stray wave of life casting the p

in the ages when dates were unknown, a soft, eager voice calling hi

and one hand impulsively extended, sits Perpetua. Evidently the owner of the carr

am having such a lovely day. Mrs. Constans has taken me out with her,

r good news in a breath, as thoug

ooking so intensely, that he forgets to speak, and Perpetua

ing and hesitating. "Do you think that

seen her dressed like this before. She is all in black to be sure, but such black, and

ntly, the color once again dyeing her cheek. Quick tears

lways," says he slowly. His

ys she frowning. "But a conc

tle knowledge of either for years, and whose unlucky answe

prove then. But," defiantly, "I don'

suppos

y hard of you. Just because you don't care to go anywhere, you think I oughtn't to care either. T

e is perplexed-distressed-and somet

will grow like her. I hate people who lecture me, and besides, I don't see why a guardian should co

, shocked. Perpetua stares at him a moment

"Well, I don't want you to have anything to do with it. That's my affair. But, about this concert,"-she leans to

ust as one feels," says

s back haughtily, then wrath gets the better of dignity, and she bre

a

e up forever with Aunt Jane, you would debar me from everything! Oh!" h

ocked up forever with Miss Majendie is so manifestly unjust that he takes it hardly. Has he not spent all this past

t-that you are going to it-that some small pleasure has fallen into your life. Your aunt's home is an unhappy one for you, I know, but

ys she slowly. "And so-you really think-

everywhere-enjoy yourse

is hat and

tans, a pretty pale woman, rushing o

dian-Mr.

ter the professor's retreati

ughing, "when he's gone I sometimes think of him as being pr

pretty ward," says Mrs. Constans, sm

laugh sou

can laug

is a nice laugh. But he wears spectacles, you k