Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-07-25
Continued.


81 am quite content" said Alice
slowly; then suddenly remembering
her duties: "But will you not sit by
the fire, Miss Ross? This chair is
most comfortable"
with thanks"
Valerie turned indifferently toward
the fire. She ignored the chair, but
stood buttoning her gloves, with one
slender foot on the fender.
"You don't seem surprised to see
me-" she observed after a moments
silence.
"Nc,' answered Alice.
She did not add that she had grown
used to Valeria's erratic visits during
the last two months, and had ceased
to wonder at them.
"Have you heard from those worthy
people. your aunt and uncle, since
they left the village?" next queried
Miss Ross ever SO lightly.
NO. said Alice again, this time
with a crimson flush upon her cheeks.
There was a something in Valerie's
tones that always made her wretched
brought her low origin in glaring
painfulness before her eyes.
''They are not considerate of their
niece's welfare observed Miss Ross.
Her gloves were buttoned; she let
her hands drop, and gazed at the
troubled young face before her in
differently.
Alice reused herself and tried to
smile.
Aunt Martha is only to .s.ad to
get rid of me. She always looked on
me as a burden, and"
And was glad to see you happily
and we'll married." finished tho other.
.sOf course that was natural, was it
not?"
Alice's face was white now; her
hands, clasped together, were cold
with the humiliation she was endur-
ing.
She knew how cruel was the wo-
man opposite, and how powerless she
was to fight her The shame which
sometimes overcame her fell on her
heart now like heavy weight.
She saw herself as Valerie thought
her-a vulgar, common girl, related to
people who were bought out of the
village, out or the home they had
lived in for years. so that their
presence should not shock the eyes
of the castle. nor recall how low its
master had sunk in mating with one
of their number
None knew-none knew-none could
ever know-what an agony OF pain
and shame lived in the young heart
of Roy Darrell's wife.
She was utterly, completely alone!
The man for whose sake she bar
tered her freedom left his home two
DAYS after the funeral Of his MUIR
dered friend
His mother still occupied her rooms
in the castle. but there was chasm
between her and her sons wife,
She treated the girl with ceremony
and courtesy. Her wishes was con-
suited in every way, but the older
woman-the proud descendant Of an
ancient race-refused to sit at the
table or be familiar with girl who
q few days before had consorted with
farm-help and 1aborers.
Occasionally the two Lady Darrells
met. and the elder woman would
always drop a deep courtesy to the
shrinking, timid form OF the younger,
but they exchanged no word.
Valerie Ross alone appeared to
notice the girl thrown so suddenly
into this strange life, but, though
to the world her overtures OF friend
ship seemed the essence of kindness
and good nature, Alice knew to the
contrary, and always suffered torture
during the visits she received from
the beautiful woman.
About month after Roys depar-
ture. news reached the castle that the
Earl of Darrell, his elder brother, a
man who had been a wanderer from
his home for many years, was dead,
leaving no heir; and Roy Darrell
succeeded to the title and the es-
tates.
The tidings were communicated to
Alice in the most ceremonious man
ner. but the fact that now she was a
countess, and, moreover, entire mis-
tress of the castle, did not appear to
touch her.
She was growing day by day more
wretched as she saw how great a
mistake it had all been and how
wretched her life must be, henceforth
passed in the gloomy solitude that
appeared to be her lot.
Valerie Ross, standing by the fire
watched her face blanch, with pain,
and the smile on her lips deepened.
1t was almost a pleasure to her to
make this young heart suffer. She
had gone through such tortures her
self when her faithless lover died
that it seemed to have killed all the
tenderness and womanliness in her.
Alice reused herself at last.
'Have you anything particular to
tell me?" she asked hurriedly, turning
TO open her book with trembling
hands.
'I bring an invitation from the
DOwager LADY, DARRELL tn Marparet