Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-09-17
CHAPTER XXI.

"Why so pale and wan, fond lover?' he
says, lightly, laying his hand on Ulic's
shoulder. The latter turns to him with
bright smile that renders his handsome face
quite beautiful. Seeing its charm, Kelly
asks himself, in half-angry fashion, how
Olga can possibly hesitate for one moment
between him and RossmOyne. But they
are all alike heartless,' he decides, bitterly.
II am feeling neither pale nor wan," says
Ronayne, still smiling. ut must be the
moon, if anything. Look here, Kelly, some
thing tonight has told me that it will all
come right in the end. l shall gain her
against the heaviest odds"
''If you mean ROssmoyne, he's the heavi-
est mortal | know" says Kelly.
''Weil, he isn't suited to her, is he?' There
is a strange excitement in Ronayne's man.
ner Putting me out of the question alto
gether, don't believe he could make her
happy. If thought he could, of course l
should go away somewhere, and find con-
tentment in the thought of her; but-yOu
don't think she would do well to marry him,
do you Kelly?' He has controlled his fea-
lures to an almost marvellous calm, but the
agony of his question in his eyes cannot be
hid.
Il think the woman who could even hest
tate between you and him must be a fool,
and worse" says Kelly, whose temper is
not his own tonight. He is pedantic ass,
more in love with himself than he can ever
be with anything else. While you Look
here Ronayne; l wonder if any woman is
aUOrtI1 it."
''Oh she is" says Ronayne, with tender
conviction. II don't think she is at all like
other people; do you? There's something
Notwithstanding specjaLabout her.
Il dare say" says Kelly, gently, which is
rather good of him, considering his frame Of
mind.
you're an aWfuily kind sort of fellow,
Kelly, do you know" says ROnayne, Slip
ping his arm through his. You are the
only one l ever talk 20 about her. And
suppose l must bore you, though you don't
say 1t. It's the most generous thing know,
your sympathiZing with Inc as you do. If
you were in love yourself, could under
stand it. But you are not, you know"
-'Oh, no; of course not" says Mr.. Kelly.
rs that your guitar, Mrs. Bohun? lwISh
you would sing US something" says Miss
Browne at this moment.
Il don't sing much.-and never out Of
doors; it hurts my throat So" says Olga,
smiling at her; but if any one else will
sing, l will gladly play to them"
"AIr. ROnayne here" says
Monica, half shyIy, but very sweetly. "You
can sing, know"
Yes, come here" says Olga turning to
him, and away from Lord ROSSmOyne, who
is talking 10 her in low, short, angry tones.
But the latter, laying his hand on her arm,
half cOmpeIS her to turn to him again.
Let some one else accompany him if he
must sing" he says; amy one but YOU
mo one else can"
Il object to your doing it."
You won't when you hear him;he sings
so sweetly," with the prettiest, most eDthusi-
astic smile. You really should hear him."
You persist, then? you compel me to be-
lieve the worst, -toregard you as implicated
in that story of Kelly's"
Il compel you to nothing. And as for the
story, l thought it very amusing; didn't
you?'
'Nor' says Rossmoyne, with snbdued
fury
do you know, I often said you lacked
hUmOr"' says Mrs. BOhun, with a little airy
laugh; land now am sure of it. l thought
it intensely comic; such situation! l
should like to have seen your face when the
curtain was drawn, if yolI had been the
young man."
II must beg you to understand that such
Il am to understand, then, that you would
not 'emb-' that was what he said, wasn't
it?-a woman if you loved her?"
Not without permission, certainly" very
stiffly.
''Oh, dearr' says Olga; what a stupid
man! Well, l shouldn't think you would
do it often. And so you won dn't have liked
to be that particular young man?'
This is poser; Lord ROssmoyne parties
the thrust.
would y0u have liked to be that young
woman,-who, as it appears to me, wasn't
at all Particular" he asks, in turn.
THAT is no answer to my question:" says
Olga, who is angry with his last remark.
Are you afraid to say what you meang'
Afraid! No. To give publicity to thing
means always to vulgarize it; therefore, On
consideration, should not have cared to be
that young man."
''Ah! should have thought otherwise"
saws Olga, in an indescribable tone. "Well.