Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-11-14

her face we'll turned away, "did-did
the earl ever ask for me when I was
! ill.,"
No answer.
Alice gave a deep sigh.
Never mind, Davis; don't think of
my stupid questions. I only
She covered her face with her
lands, and someone bent over her and
took them gently away, kissing
them passionately at the same time.
Alice started, grew crimson, then
white as death.
Beside her on the ground knelt the
very man of whom she spoke-the
earl-her love-her husband.
did I ever ask for you, my dar-
ing" Roy said tenderly, a flush on
mis- handsome face, love-light in his
eyes. He still grasped her slender
hands in his. "You have not known,
you have not seen me near you night
and day. I have never left you,
Alchemy wife! I have prayed that
you might recover, if only to see you
knew me, and that you forgave me.
Before you utter another word, say
that, Alice-you forgive mel"
She drew back little.
IT have nothing to forgive you, %
she said family. "You we're right.
was then so much beneath you-a
farm girl-and I separated you from
from her."
Listen, sweet, I beg-listen. Re-
member the night before you were
torn away. Did not my eyes speak
plainly then? Could you not guess
what my heart felt? All, Alice, you
did know. Then, my darling, I knew
nothing of your birth. It was you
loved as love now. Were you forty
times farm-girl, must love you the
same. You are my very life! Say
you love mel"
Alice's heart thrilled, her hands,
held in his, trembled, her voice was
faint.
Love you'll" she murmured. ST
have loved you from the moment l
saw you-it was that love that nearly
broke my heart"
"My darling!" said the earl passion
ately, drawing her head to his shout
der, and pressing his lips TO hers.
my own-my very own wife!"
Six months passed.
Darrell castle is alive with people;
it is the homecoming of the earl and
his beautiful young countess.
Sir Humphrey Durant and the dOwa-
ger Lady Darrell stand together in
the wide entrance to welcome their
children.
Behind stretch a line of servants
Davis with her face crimson in her ex-
element at once again seeing her be-
loved mistress.
Roy had taken with them no one
who could remind his wife of what she
endured. New scenes, new faces
and new love, he determined, should
wear away all traces from her young
mind, SO Davis had been lett behind.
A group of guests were assembled,
among whom were Frank Meredith
and Godfrey Arimstead, whose friend
ship now the earl held as part of his
possessions.
A glimpse of outsiders was seen.
The tenants in the grounds set up a
cheer; it was caught up by the ser
wants, and with shouts and acclama-
tons of happiness, Alice, Countess of
Darrell, returned to her home.
When all was over, the guests gone,
and the castle silent, Alice put her
head on Roy's shoulder, and kissed his
hand, while he said tenderly:
Cali has gone off we'll, my darling,
yet without all this could you love me,
as love you, with no pomp, no grand
eur, no riches simply for myself"
II could" whispered Alice. II do.
Our life, Roy, shall, please God, be
ever happy-not by riches, titles, of
grandeur, but through simple never
dying love!"
y
And while peace and love came to
the girl who had suffered, the one who
had plotted against her honor, her
soul, lived in darkness for evermore.
For when the mangled body of
Paul was found on the ground be-
meath the balcony, from which he had
fallen, and Valerie who had recovered
from, her swoon, beheld all that re-
manned of her erring brother, the full
realization of all it meant to her-dis-
grace and ruin-was too much for her
overwrought and scheming brain.
The frail cord that held reason tn
it's throne snapped, and with pierre
ing shrek Valerie again lapsed into
insensibility.
But this time, when her eyes opened
again to the light, they bore the look
of hopeless insanity.
Visitors to the celebrated estab-
l lishment of Dr. for the mentally
afflicted, stand and gaze in piteous
admiration at the regally beautifully
woman who never speaks, but with
dead white face searches the ground
for the fallen form of her brother, and
turns with tigress force to spring on
/ the person who interrupts.
! Sometimes she is visited by a