The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-11-16

Renee's Love.
0Reneel Reneel',

and Renee CORTLAND came out from
the shadow of dropping trees, her broat
hat hanging loosely on her shoulder
where she had pushed it back from hel
face, while standing in the shadow
Margaret Gray's voice had reused the
girl from dreams of Lester Sinclair, the
handsome blue-eyed stranger visiting al
the house that nestled amid linden
trees in the hollow below, the old-fash.
Toned cottage of the Grays stood. She
had been dreaming Of his deep laugh.
ing eyes, his sunny, chestnut curls, his
gay, ~nonchalant manner, that always
changed to tenderness for her. What.
ever was the charm of Lester Sinclair's
manner, he had surely won the first
love of Renee Courtland's girlish heart.
Years before the father of Renee Court
land left her to the care of Margaret
~Gray-fair, calm Margaret Gray-who
had been his girl-loye in their early
youth, and who had never married, in
memory of that first love-dream. She
scarcely knew herself what had come
between them, only it had ended in
bitter words and still more bitter part
ing, and then, in his passion, Charles
CORTLAND had married a pretty, dark
eyed French girl-the mother of Renee.
Years after, when his wife died, he
had come to his early love and asked
her to be his wife and a mother to his
child.
But, with all her g~entleness, Margaret
Gray was prouder than many naughty
women, and she gravely answered him
NO. Gently, almost sorrowfully,
yet still it was mo"
He made no second appeal, knowing
how useless it would be.
But when, three years later, death
called himself, he left his orphaned,
p%enniless child to the care of Margaret
Gray.
The child had grown up to a dark,
slender maiden, with great gray eyes
and "A clildlike smile, to be the darling
of Margaret Gray's heart and the day
star of Victor Gray's life.
Some distance down the road Victor
Gray stood stood leaning against a tree,
his face grave and thoughtful, even be-
You'd his wont.
He was not a handsome man, this
Victor Gray.
But there was something better than
beauty in his dark, proud face, for man
hood was stamped on his broad brow.
Courage, honor and truth CLEANED in
his eyes, and, though the general ex-
preston of his face was stern, his smile
could be gentle almost as a woman's,
and this man loved pretty, childish
Renee with with all the strength of his
heart. and she-well, she loved Lester
Sinclair.
He threw away his half burned cigar
and turned toward the cottage, his
face still gravely stern.
Renee came to meet him.
"Oh, Victor, can't 1 go down to Ray
mond's this EVENING" Kathie is going
to have a croquet match. Margaret
says no, but you-oh, Victor, may l
not gop Yon might come with me,
Victor. Kathie asked you.'
He looked at the pretty, childish
face.
eyes, | will go, Renee" he said.
Two hours later Renee came down,
looking like a wild rose in her pink
muslin robes, with clustering flowers
in her breast and hair.
They were rather early in the croquet
ground, SO Kathie and Renee played a
game by themselves.
Victor Gray watched Renee with pas
sionate, plying eyes, knowing the pain
in store for her, which he had been too
cowardly, he thought bitterly, to warn
her of.
81 could not tell her." he said, land
yet 1 wish l had"
He watched her wistfully, turning
pale as he saw how her eyes wandered
to the gate.
She had thrown her hat aside and the
soft breeze lifted the short, dark curls
off her low brow and deepened the rose
tint on her checks.
He saw the red lips part in smiles
and the lovely dark eyes deepen, and
turning towards the gate he saw Lester
Sinclair coming up the pathway, a lady
leaning on his arm.
The one look at Renee's face told
Victor that she ave suspected the
truth.
Her faith, like her love, was unwaver-
ing. She believed in Lester Sinclair as
she did in her own loyal love.
The lady on his arm was a delicate
little thing, with a certain kind of
beauty, of the wax-doll order, with big
blue eyes, dainty features and cluster
ing iaxen hair.
They came forward to where Renee
stood.
"Clare," he said, ''this is the young
lady l told you of-Miss CORTLAND.
Renee+Miss CORTLAND, my b~etlotlled
wife, Miss Duvane."
"His betrothed wifel"
The words rang in Renee's ears, then
seemed to die away in a faint, moaning
sound.
Remember she was only II, and child
ish for her age.
The bright young face grew pallid as