Jess of the Rebel Trail | Page 5

took off her hat, laid aside her wraps, and
rang for the maid. Then she drew up a chair and sat down by her
mother's side.
"My, this fire is pleasant," she remarked, as she leaned back and gazed
into the glowing coals. "I am glad after all that I came home."
"Why didn't Mr. Donaster come in, Jess? I have not seen him for some
time."
"Neither have I, mother." The girl's face flushed, and there was a
challenge in her voice.
"You haven't! Why, I thought you were with him to-night."
"Indeed I was not. You know as well as I do that I wish to have nothing
to do with that man. I have told you so over and over again."
This sudden outburst aroused the woman from her crouching position.
She sat upright, and the expression in her eyes told how deeply she was
offended.

"Now, look here, Jess," she began, "I want no more of this nonsense. I
have made up my mind that you are to marry Mr. Donaster, and marry
him you shall."
"Would you force me to marry such a man as that?" the girl asked.
"And why not?"
"Because I detest him, and hate the very sight of him."
"But he is of a fine family, and his father, Lord Donaster, is immensely
rich. Burton is his only son, and he will inherit the estate, so you will be
Lady Donaster. It is very seldom a girl meets with such an opportunity
in this province."
The girl gave her head a slight toss, and her face flushed more than
ever.
"I can hardly believe it possible that you are willing to barter your only
daughter for such baubles," she indignantly replied. "It is unnatural."
The presence of the maid with tea and toast interrupted the
conversation for a few minutes. Jess poured the tea for her mother, but
took none herself.
"Are you not going to have any tea?" her mother asked.
"No, I do not care for any now, as I had some at Mrs. Merton's."
"So that's where you were, eh? Why didn't you go to the play?"
"I didn't want to. I preferred to spend a quiet hour or two with Mrs.
Merton. She is a woman who does things of some importance instead
of spending her time upon a giddy butterfly-life. She is a regular tonic,
and always inspires me to be up and doing."
"You are silly, Jess." Her mother was visibly annoyed. "Why should
you talk about being up and doing? Haven't you everything that you
desire, with the prospect of a brilliant career before you?"

"What career?"
"As Lady Donaster, of course. To what else should I refer?"
"And you call that a career, mother? Slavery is the right word to use. I
wish to be of some benefit to the world and not to drift through life like
a wretched puppet."
"If this is what you have learned from Mrs. Merton you must not go
there any more. I have always known that she held peculiar views, but I
had no idea that she would try to unsettle the minds of young girls."
"But I am not a young girl, remember, mother. I am nearly twenty now,
and should be able to think somewhat for myself. Mrs. Merton's views
were mine even before I met her. For several years I have been
dissatisfied with a life that held out little or no promise of anything
definite. I want to make my own way in the world."
"But you have not been trained for that, so what can you expect to do?"
"I know it only too well, mother," was the bitter reply. "You brought
me up to shine in society and nothing else. But I have youth on my side,
with an abundance of health, and strength, so I am not afraid."
"This is all nonsense, Jess. You are talking like an irresponsible child.
You know not what it means to earn your own living. And think what a
disgrace it would be to have our only daughter working as a common
girl. Imagine Jess Randall as a clerk in a drygoods store or in an office.
The idea is preposterous! You must give it up at once."
"I can't see anything disgraceful about it, mother. I am sure it is far
better to earn one's own living than to be always depending upon others.
But I shall not disgrace you, so you need not worry about that."
"What do you intend to do?"
"I have several things in view, and I know that daddy will provide me
with money to carry them out."

"He will do nothing of the sort. His mind is as fully made up as mine
that you are to marry Mr.