Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-09-10

cold eyes upon ROnayne, who is standing
erect, handsome, but Enthusiastically mser
able.
They could hardly sell themselves for /;
/ more profitable article" says Olga, with {
fine shrug OF her soft shoulders.
$50 they think. Crgsus, we know, was
and is, aL-powerful."
''Oh, no. says Olga, with a little silvery
laugh; you forget, my dear 3 lila. Reac
it up again, and you will see that Cresu:
was once conquered by Cyrus. What be
| came of his power then"'
Her laSheS cover her eyes for a moment
and when she lifts them again they are fixeC
! on Ronayne. By some coquettish art sht
! gives him to understand in this single glance
| that he is Cyrus Lord ROssmoyne CreSus
! lie can conquer this rich lord if he will.
How idle you are, Mr.. Ronayner' shC
| says aloud. Come here directly and hell
| me. You know [ cannot do without yolu
| help" There is the most delicate emphasis
| possible upon the pronCun. Obedient to he
command, he comes, as RoSsmOyne armed
! with the cups, crosses the hall to Hernia
!; and Miss i .rz-erald.
Did your eyes speak true just now?" he
! asks, bending over her under pfetext Of
| helping her with the cups.
what is truth?" asks she, in turn, with a
swift upward glance. 'Wh0 knows aught
of her? She lies buried in deep well, does
she not? Who shall drag her fCIth?'
She smiles, yet in a somewhat constrained
fashion, that asserts i'll with the Unborn self
| possession that as rule characterzes her.
She chances at him huTriedly. How young
and handsome and earnest he looks! How
full of tendereSt entreaty! There is, too, a
touch of me ancholy in his dark eyes that
never came to the birth (she is fain to ac-
knowledge to herself with pang of re-
mOISe) until that day when first they look
! Ell on her.
| lie loves her, that she knows but Rossmoyne
loves her too: and though Ronayne's rent
roll IS by no means to be dcspised, still it
| counts but as a small one beside that of
| ROssmOyne's.
And Hernia is right! q title is of use in
the world; and nothing is so lasting or so
satisfactory as respectable book ut ones
bankers. A good match (Hermia again) is
the one thing to be desired; it covers all SINS
Advice such as this coming from Mrs Her
rick is thoroughly disinterested, as the late
lamented Mr.. HeTick having behaved to
her like brute during their mercifuliy short
married life, had died in the OdOr of sancti-
ty, leaving her complete mistress of all his
| enormous wealth, and quite free to make Il
second marriage of her O1Un choosing
With her (Olg), however, the case is
widely different; she is indeed without i'll
| cumbrances so far as children may so be
| termed, and she has sufficient means to en-
able her to get her gowns and things from
Paris, but there her independence ends.
AS she runs over all this hprredly in her
mind, the desire for riches grows upon her
ic i'm n If
iii ROSSmOyne, besides his income; and per-
haps solid sternness is preferable to any
airy gayety of manner (this with an ire
| pressible leaning toward the ''airy gayety'') {;
-and-what pity it is that RoSsmoyne
is not UIic!-
II will" says Ronayne, abiding to her
last remark, in a low but determined tone
Olga, tell me that am more to you than
R0SsmOyne."
"The boy you areW says Olga, with an
adorable smile that reaches him through the
fiickering flashes of the freight. '"Ihe
babyw lie is bending over her. and with q
light caressing touch she brushes back the
hair from his temples. ''In Il year, nay, in
month, once we are separated, you will
see some other face, newer, more desirable,
and forget you ever cared for mine.''
eff | could believe that, might find peace.
Yet, for all that peace could give me,
would not so believe it. lam yours forever,
boy though you deem me; and, yet, is one
ever boy again when one has once truly
loved"
| How often have you truly loved?" with
an attempt at lightneSs that is down-tr0d-
den by the intensity of her regard.
LAS often as | have seen you, Nay, more
than that, every moment since l first saw
hnn ,i,rbt H. vl,,%l
sent or present, [ have been yours in heart
| and soul. Oh, Olga, why will you always
press me backward? Am [ never to be
nearer to you than l am now"'
Il don't see how you could conveniently
be very much nearer" says Mrs Bohun,
with a soft laugh.
After all, l suppose 1 come under the
head of either mailman or FOOL" says Ro-
naye, sadly. you are everything to me; l
am less than nothing to YOU"
rs Lord RoSSmoyne to come under the
head of nothing? How rude!' says Olga
Il never thought of him. l was thinking
only OF how hOpelessly love YOU
Love! How should such baby as you
grasp even the mean Nc of that wOrd,' says
Olga, letting her white lids droop until their
long lasheS lie upon her cheek like shadows,
while she raises her cup with indolent care
10 her lips. do you really think you know
what it means"
Tie dret ctul joy, always that fits SO verne,
Al this meme by Love"
quotes he, very gently; after which he turns
away, and, going over to the fireplace again,
ii ngs himself down dejectedly at Monica's
feet.
Are you tired Mr.. Ronayne?' says Moni-
ca, very gently. Something in his beautiful
face tells her that matters are not going well
with him.
Tired? no." lifting his eyes to hers with
a smile that bellies his words. at is good of
you TO ask, though, L wish,' earnestly, ''you
would not call me Mr.. ROnayne.' | can't
bear it from any one l like. Desmond, tell
her to call NE Ulic.''
1t strikes both Monica and Brian as pecu-
liar that he should appeal to the latter as to
one possessed of a certain influence over the
former. 1t strikes Miss Fitzgerald i'll the
same light too, who has been listening to
his impetuOuS entreaty.
Seeing there is something wrong with him,
something that might be termed excitement
| in his manner, Desmond whispers to Monica
! to do as he desires.
''lle is unhal by about something; let him
| feel yOC. are his 1riend," he says, i'll low
| tone.
st ONE little further from the fire, Ulic,
| "a little nearer to me-" saws Monica. in 4
tone OF shy trlendiness, land think you
will be more comfortable"
| He is M re than grateful, I think, though
he says nothing, only he moves a good deal
i closer to her, and lays his head against her
| knee in brOtherly fashion,-need | say un-
rebuked?
Something in this little scene sends the
blood rushing with impatient fervor through
| Olgas veins. But that she knows Monica
well, and that the g RI is dear to her, she