Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-12-13

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away her pride and came at his call. /
She forgave him the past and met him
more than half way.
But Dudley was too much in love TO
6espise or mistrust her for this. He ap-
plied for a two months leave ana
spent every available moment OF II
with her. Mrs. Graves, in her quality
of a school chum of his mother and an
ola friend of himself, warned him.
Esther has done this same thing pc
fore. James. Take care. She is as
beautiful as Cleopatra, and there are
many who say she is as bad-at heaft.
Make love to her if you choose, Caesar,
but let your wife be woman who is
above suspicion
! Dudley never spoke to her again
| And he continued his fanatlcal cult OF
his goddess.
His leave came to an end, and ne
went back to Apache. He who had
been a light mocker and philosopher
of life saw the bottom drop out OF his
universe when he had to go from her.
| She wrote to him twice a day for
time, then once day, then once
week, and finally the mail orderly
handed him a letter from Esther that
was almost verbatim copy OF the
enc he had sent to her six years be-
fore, even to the closing phrase. In
time you will drink of the waters OF
1 Lethe and will forget me as utterly as
| r. dnco,.yYo n no fnr0rOttlO -
A light of memory broke, harsh and
crude, through the rosy clouds that
had enwrapped him. But he said to
himself that justice had been meted
out to him, stern and untempered
And he MADE no appeal.
Something more than tWelvemonth
later, Esther Gorschkov sat at dinner
beside the man with whom she was
then playing fast and loose, who would
not be warned by the fate OF the many
whose bodies were strewn upon the
shores where this Cythera had trod.
'tYou promised, you know he said
to her, that you would answer my
question tonight.
'sWhat question:
Don't banter, please. am in earn
est"
sYou appear to be. And everybody
can see it, too. Go ON and eat. and
look as though you were discussing the
dynamite gun or something.
''I will do anything you choose II
you will tell me that you will marry
me-"
ooh, is that what you mean?
couldn't remember whether it was you
Maybe it was both of you. But cant
, see why you should bother about that
sort of thing at dinner. Why don't
you wait until the dance It would
be so much better form. Fancy saying
no to a man and then putting piece
of harmless little lamb into ones
mouth"
care you going to say mo-? p
Gracious! but you are insistent
: How should I know what am going
to say? Go on and eat, and stop hang
ing on my words, or I won't answer
you at ALL It is so fearfully conspic
.uous.''
Even in his suspense, the man coult
> not but return. whence this new
found dislike of being conspicuous"
] Miss Gorschkov smiled slowly ant
started to answer, but a voice from
: across the table stopped her.
sWhat is it, Capt. Lawrence?" sh'
asked
"Have you heard of Lieut.. Dudley
death?''
"No. Is he dead?"
7 "He died at Apache a week ago
''Im so sorry; but, frankly, I don
!, think a dinner table the place 70.
funeral notices. she rebuked him
He disliked her, and she was the pur
DC Sc of his announcement. Her death
; white skin could turn no whittier, am
her smiling red lips were painted.
:, "Cold-hearted DEVIL the captain
: muttered, as she turned back to tn
man at her SIDE.
so you want me to marry you?
will. But I want you to understan
. why 1t is because I have just beef
told that the only man I have eve
9 loved or ever will love is dead. d
> you want me-knowing that?'
Even knowing that-yes."
: every WE'LL
She spoke across the table again
capt. Lawrence, do happen to kno1
. how Mr.. Dudley died? We might a
well have the coroner's verdict, sine
you have given us the other notices
"He died of drink" he told he
: mercilessly.
IT never knew that he drank
"IIe never did until he went bacl
from here a year ago. He took to i
furiously after that, and would have
been dismissed if he had not died
probably. Can you account for it?''