Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-03-29

| denly.
Happy Hardinge, But little girls like
| you are good to everyone, are you not:
| That is what makes you so lovely. You
could be good to even scapegrace. eh =
| a DOOR sad outcast like me-" He laughs
and leans toward her, his handsome, dis
/ sipated. abominable face close to hers.
Involuntarily she recoils.
Il hope everyone is good to you, says
| she "Why should they not be? And
Only bad people are outcasts. And bad
people," slowly, ''are not known, are
they"
''Certainly not" says he, disconnected.
| This little girl from far land is prov
ing herself too much for him. And it is
not her words that disconcert him so
much as the straight, clear, open glance
| from her thoughtful eyes.
To turn the conversation into another
| channel seems desirable to him.
Il hope you are happy here with my
sister," says he, in his anything but
everyday tone.
Quite happy, thank you. But should
have been happier still, | think, If mad
been allowed to stay with your brother. .
Sir Hastings dropped his glasses. Good
heavens, what kind of a girl is this!
ITO stay with my brother! To stay,
stammers he.
Eyes. He is your brother, isn't he?
The professor, | mean. | should quite
have enjoyed living with him, but lie
wouldn't hear of it. He-he doesn't like
me, I'm afraid?" Perpetua looks at him
anxiously. A little hope that he will
contradict Hardinge's statement ami
mates her mind. To feel herself Il bur
den to her guardian-to anyone-she,
who in the old home had been nothing
less than an idol! Surely Sir Hastings,
his own brother, will say something, will
@ClI fIN1c ..Ils
her heart.
''Who told you that?" asks Sir last
ings. did he himself? l shouldn't put
it beyond him. He is misogynst; a
mere bookworm! Of no account. Do
not waste a thought on him."
You mean"
THAT he detests the best part of life
that he has deliberately turned his back
on all that makes our existence here
worth the having. | should call him a
fool, but that one so dislikes having an
imbecile in ones family :
THE best part Of life! You say he las
turned his back on that?' She let's her
frowning, perplexed but always lovely
face to his. what is it," asks she,
that best part?''
"Womenr' returns he, slowly, un-
dauntedly, in spite of the innocence. the
serenity, that shines in the young and
exquisite face before him.
Her eyes do not fall before his. She
is plainly thinking. Yes; Mr.. Hartlinge
was right, he will never like her. She is
only stay, a hindrance to him!
II understand says she sorrowfully.
He will not care-ever shall be al
ways a trouble to him. He
why think of him? " says Sir Hast
her, fired by her beauty, that is now en-
HANGED by the regret that lies upon her
pretty lips, he determines on pushing his
cause at once. 'If he cannot appreciate
you, others cant can. t.
He pauses; for the first time in his life
on such an occasion as this, he is con-
scious Of feeling of awkwardness To
tell a woman he loves her has been the
simplest thing in the world hitherto, but
now, when at last he is in earnest
when poverty has driven him to seek mar
riage with an heiresS as a cure for all his
ills-he finds himself tongue-tied; and not
only by the Importance of the situation,
so far as money goes, but by the clear
calm, waiting eyes of Perpetual
''Yesw says she; and then, suddenly,
as if not caring for the answer she has
demanded: You mean that he You,
too, think that he dislikes me?" There
is woe in the pale, small, lovely face.
Very probably. He was always &C.
centric. Perfect nuisance at home. None
in the least, wonder if he had taken a
rooted aversion to you, and taken it badly
II too! Miss Wynteri it quite distresseS me
to think that it should be my brother, of
all men, who has failed to see your charm
"a charm that" He pauses effec-
lively, to let his really fine eyes have
some play. The conservatory is sufficient
ly dark to disguise the ravages that dis
sipation has made upon his handsome
features. He can see that Perpetua is
regarding him earnestly, and with evil
dent interest. Already he regards his
cause as won. 1t is plain that the girl is
attracted by his face, as indeed she is!
She is at this moment asking herself,
who is it he is IKE?
''You were saying?' says She dream
lily.
THAT the charm you possess, though
of no value in the eyes of your guardian,
is, to me-. indescribably attractive. In
fact-I-"
A second pauses meant to be even more
effective.
Perpetua turns her gaze more directly
| upon him. 1t occurs to her that he is
singularly dull, poor man.
go on" says she. She mods her head
at him with much encouragement.
Her encouragement falls short. Sir
Hastings, who had looked for girlish
confusion, is somewhat Disconnected by
MAY I?' says he--"You permit me
then to tell you what have so longed,
feared to disclose. I''-dramatically-
love you!"
He is standing over her, his hand on
| the back Of her chair, waiting for the
| swift blush, the tremor, the usual signs
that follow on one of his declarations.
Alas! there is no blush now, no tremor,
no sign at ALL
THAT is very good of YOU says Per
| petua, in an even tone. She moves a
little away from him, but otherwise
shows no emotion whatever ''The
more so, in that it must be so difficult
for you to love a person in fourteen
| days! All! that is kind, indeed
A curious light comes into Sir Hast
ings' eyes. This little Australian girl
is she laughing at him? But the fact is
that Perpetua is hardly thinking of him
at all, or merely as a shadow to hel
thoughts. Who is he like? That is the
burden of her inward song At this
moment she knows. She lifts her head
to see the professor standing in the cur
tanned doorway down below. All! yes
| that is it! And, indeed, the resemblance
/ between the two brothers is wonder.