Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-07-18
CHAPTER w.

| CHAPTER w.
In a large, solitary room. sitting
| by window that took in the mag
nifcent vista of park, grounds and
woods comprising Darrell castle es-
| tate, was a young girl.
She wore dress of soft grey made
very simple, fitting her young body
to perfection with it's clinging folds
Her hair of pale gold was gathered
in a large knot at the back of her
| small, well-shaped head
Her skin was pure white, like the
lily or the naricissus in it's waxen
purity; her eyes, framed with long.
dark lashes, shone like great, 1ustrous
grey stars in their ivory setting.
She had a book open on her knee,
yet it did not seem to attract her
much; her gaze was bent out of the
window across the country scene, at
the moving trees scattering their
shrivelled brown leaves with every
passing gust.
| It was Margaret, Lady Darrell.
A sigh escaped her lips as she sat
I; silent, but she moved not. The room
seemed to strike the beholder as
gloomy and lonely; even the freight
failed to light up it's solitude.
The furniture and hangings were
rich, but their tone was sombre and
spoke of a bygone fashion. The girl
alone was young and fresh. She
locked strangely beautiful in her
dark setting.
The door opened and a maid en-
tered bearing a lamp.
What is the time, Davis?'' asked
Lady Darrell, waking from her
thoughts.
Nigh half-past five, my lady,
GLOW dark; it is almost night.
The young figure left the window.
'sWill you ring, my lady, when you
! want me?"
"Yes."
The maid went slowly from the
room, and her young mistress walked
towards the fire. Her face was sub
dued and her eyes gazed into the
glowing Goals quietly, almost sadly.
"Two MONTHS" she murmured; sit
seems two years! And I the same
flesh and blood as the girl who two
months ago was in rags and worked
on the farm like the ploughboys? 1t
seems like a dream! Perhaps I shall
wake some day and find myself back
on the farm-fnd all this gloomy
splendor melted into mist, and hear
Aunt Martha's voice scolding me as
she used to do"
She moved from the fire, and walked
up and down the room swiftly.
81 wonder if I should be happier II
I woke to find it all a dream-to be
back once more in the old life? No,
no; | could not do it. And yet'-she
stopped-"it is terribly lonely here.
All is so grand; but I grow oppressed
with it. If only his mother would
speak to me kindly! She is always
so cold and courteous. But I know
she scorns me in her heart. She
loves Valerie Ross. She should have
been his wife not farm girl, low
born, like me. Alchemy Lady
Alice,-the name condemns me. 1t
will cling to me forever. And he,
| what does he think of me now? All
danger is gone, and he only re-
members he rs tied to me forever-tied
| to a plebian, whose very presence
| drives him from his home"
She paused, her lips compressed as
| if with pain; then, with a sigh. she
drew a chair to the table and took up
a book.
She was bordering over the words
| thoughtfully, when tap came to the
| door.
"Come I'M she said absently
The door opened and a woman ad-
vanced into the room-a tall, elegant
figure in robes of trailing black satin
cut low round the snowy shoulders
On the masses Of red-brown hair
cleaned stars Of rubies and diamonds;
slender chain supported a glowing
star of the same jewels round the
swan-like throat.
It was Valerie Ross. She came in
drawing on her long tan gloves slow
". Her face was pale, but her eyes
flashed dark and glorious, and there
was a strange, half-contemptuouE
smile on her lips.
''My Lady Alice" she observed
playfu1ly, s'still buried in your books
What a store of learning will be il
that pretty golden head when YOU
lord returns!"
Alice flushed.
st was not studying. was read
ing for amusement"
Valerie walked to the window will
her swift, graceful carriage. The cur
tains were still undrawn, and out il
the darkness the trees seemed like
moving phantoms.
To be continued.