Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-09-26

She burned with fever of pain,
jealousy and shame, but her hands
were cold as ice.
AS she lay on the rug the memory
of bygone days came to her-dim
visions of a tiny house and shop in
crowded city where her mother
was busy all day.
She could barely remember her
father, though away in the misty
past she seemed to recall a tall,
dark man who returned but seldom
to his home and always tossed her on
his shoulder and played with her.
She knew now that he had been
a sailor and that he was dead. Then
years passed and she could see
palmer.
Her mother left the shop they
lived ina dingy, dirty ocality.
Their lives were strange. Reused at
the dead of night to admit men with
bundles and packages, she learned
to know them all, and as she bios
somed from a bud into a lovely
flower, she grew to welcome one with
a f1utter at her heart.
For George she had always smile,
and in return she got many stolen
gl:mpses of happiness.
George admired her beauty. He
loved to deck her dark locks with
glittering jewels, clothe her in silken
robes, and let her walk about the
dingy house like some beautiful star
caught in a prison.
Myra loved this man with all the
warmth and passion she inherited
from her Spanish father. Her
mother cared nothing about the in
timacy one way or another, except
that she let Myra amuse George
1t kept him in good temper, and
he was a man to be feared and
fawned to.
He was tie mcst daring of the
whole gang. A gentleman by birth,
of unexceprfr nal manners, he mingled
with the very people whose houses
he robbed.
Myra was eighteen when she first
realized what her mothers calling
was-the receiver of stolen goods! it
did net shock her.
She had no knowledge Of the sin
it washer companions had kept her
in the dark so long, merely to pre-
vent her talking; and when she knew
the truth she was Indifferent. George
was one of them, and what George
did was hallowed in her eyes.
But there came time when Myra's
dream was shattered.
George wearied Of her love; he
came less often; then he announced
that it was decided between Paul
Ross and himself that he should go
to Italy. get introduced to Roy Oar
rell, become his friend and thus
rob Darrell castle of it's world-famous
treasures.
The whole gang was ordered to the
abbey ruins.
Paul Ross knew them well. He had
lived in their mouldy vaults during
the whole time his sister was lux
urious1y lodged at Lady Darrell's
guest.
With sullen sorrow Myra went
about her work.
George went off to Italy, without
a word, and despair and grief had
eaten her heart nearly away when
the burning fire Of jealousy was added
to her burden, and transformed her
at once into a woman full Of thoughts
of vengeance.
Alice's fair loneliness was a sight
that brought the flush of agony to
her dark cheek. The knowledge that
George loved her was a very sword
thrust into her bleeding heart, and
filled her eyes with unshed tears.
"He means to take her with him!'
she thought bitterly as she lay
crouched on the rug. ''What right has
she to come and push him from me?
He did love me once, but her fair
beauty blinds him to me. What it
I"-she started, half raised herself on
her arm-"what if I separate them
forever? She sleeps-a blow with
this" touching a dagger that hung
on the wall, land all would be
ended!"
She stretched out her hand, then
let it drop heavily with shudder.
mo, no. She begged for pity. She
hates and fears him. I promised
would help her, but oh, my heart
is broken! Why does Heaven let
such suffering come? It is too much
too much!"
She burst into a heavy fit Of tears,
then buried her face in the cushions,
and, worn out with excitement and
fatigue, sobbed herself to sleep.
She was awakened early by her
mother. The faint morning light
streamed in through a slit in the
wall, but the old woman held a
candle.
'Be sharp; put on your thick coat
and hat. George is waiting"
Myra staggered to her feet; she
passed her hands over eyes swoolen
from the bitter tears she had shed.
ALI right will come" she NUT
tered. "What is the timer"
'Six and after. Sam is going to
drive ycu-look sharp"