Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-17

about from room to room, tired yet
smiling, putting the finishing touches
to preparations which had kept the
quiet old home busy for many day.
There were a dozen merry young
people promenadting the garden, in
the white glory of the night-brides-
maids and best men, as well as the two
pairs of lovers-Dolly clingiag lightly
to the strong arm of Rupert Leslie, and
Diana pacing side by side with the
man she had promised to marry-a
sutton who had fallen in love with
Dolly first, but, on being refused by
her, had turned to the elder sister, APP
parently as well satisfied widower
fifty years of age, of courtly manners
and refined habits.
He was not bad match for Diana,
her friends said; she was so quiet; the
great difference in their age would not
be so observable; and really, after the
way Rupert Leslie Tilted her for her
sister, it must be quiet a triumph for
her to make such match before his
eyes.
Oh, yes, it must be great triumph!
Doubtless Diana felt it so, as she
walked proudly and calmly by Mr..
Burleigh's side, her fair face fairer still
in the brooding whiteness of the
moon, her beautiful eyes lifted to the
shining heaven with a strange look In
them.
To many she seemed lovelier than
her more blooming sister-a lily purer
and more gracious than any rose. As
they passed and repassed each other in
the moonlight, Rupert's eyes were al
ways lifted from the piquant face of
his own partner and fixed with troubled
scrutiny on that other quieter face, but
his anxious look was never returned.
81 declare, Rupert" pouted his
bride-elect, "you seem to be walking
in your sleep. If you are going to be
silent and stupid, I'll steal Diana's
companion and let her have you! Come.
Mr.. Burleigh, let US run away and
hide"
Dropping Rupert's arm she ran up to
the other couple, with that pretty,
sparkling, half-defant way of hers.
Dolly could say all sorts of things
with safety; people only smiled at her
folly as at that of pretty child; but
Rupert's face flushed dark as she
dragged the elderly famce away from
his betrOthed.
"Turn about is fair play" he said,
soberly. Diana, will you take my
arm2"
She would not refuse it. though he
observed her hesitate. In a minute
they were walking along the graVelled
drive, on into the frost-kisse1 garden,
along the winding paths shining in the
moonlight. Finally, in that very
arbor where he had met and kissed
Dolly, Rupert suddenly stopped and
threw at his companion a look that
turned her pale cheeks even paler. A
cry of anguish, long stif1ed, uncon-
trOlable, burst from him in a few
desperate words:
''Diana, why have you treated me
so? | came back to you, after five
years. toll for us both, faithful, loving,
ardent, eager-and you froze me with
look. In one cruel moment you al
lowed me to see that your love for me
was dead. 1t is late to speak to you
now, but must ask you why you treat
ed me so crIeliy?"
at is late, as you say; and you seem
to have easily comforted yourself"
'.Ah. now you are bitteri Would
you like it better if you had crushed all
life and hope out of me? You tried
hard enough! Little Dolly liked me
and was sorry for me. | was grateful
to her-I shall try to make her happy;
but there will only be one love for me
in this world, Diana"
Rupert"
The passionate ring of pain in her
voice thrilled him with wonder.
"Dianam
lit is wicked-deceitiu
for you to say this to me nOwi Rupert,
| was within hearing of your every word
when you came back that day, met nv
sister on this very spot, mistook her for
me, kissed her for me-and then
loved her for herself!'
LAS heaYen is over US, Diana, you do
me strange injustice. | did mistake
Dolly for you and / admired her be-
cause she was like you. In my heart
| laughed at her girlish vanity and
condemned her selfshness; in five min
utes | saw that her soul was not like
her body, the image of yours; when l
found you, at last, my very heart
of the grave, noble, beautiful girl whom
l thought my own; you know how you
received me, Diana-how you shrank
from me! 1t seems SO strange to me
that you, of all women, should be cold
and worldly-for it is his money alone
for which you must be marrying this
other man."
HeStood and looked at her as if try
ing to understand and read the beauti-
full woman who had baffled him.
He looked haggard in the moonlight
--unutterbly sad and hopeless.
Her dark blue eyes searched his for
a moment, then her white face was
buried in her hands.
at is all mistake on both Sides"
she whispered. Il was too proud-too
sensitive-and Dolly was artful!
thought that you liked her best-that
| was orgotten-merged in this fresher
charm-that you would be glad to be
free. And so [ spoke; but it broke my
heart Oh, Rupert, why do | tell you
this now? 1t is too late! Oh, Dolly
cruel. cruel Dollyr'
"Oh, Dolly! cruel, cruel Dollyw
Knocked voice. but it was not Rupert's.
And then Diana raised her startled
face from her hands and looked about.
There, close beside her stood her
naughty sister, recklessly laughing.
Its the very strangest thing" she
went on, unblushingly. "Of ali coinci-
dences it is the luckiest-that Mr..
Burleigh should just have been telling
me that it was me he first and last and
only wanted. though my sister was
awfully nice and all that; and II like