Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-01-19

for little share of that great affec-
ton which you give to my peerless
Kate. / will deserve it. | will give you
the true, honest, frank, kindly affec-
ton of brother to a sister. Will you
accept it,"
Il am bewildered," she said What
have l done that Heaven should give
me SO much-what have l done? Only
few months since, no one loved NE;
now
You accept it them" interrupted
Lord Wynleigh. IF you want friend
you will come to me; if ever you want
help of any kind, you WI remember
that on Christmas day you promised
a stalwart brother to let him stand be-
tween you and the world"
L shall never forget" she said.
! And Lord Wynleigh left her stand
ing by the door of the conservatory
while he went in search of Katherine
/ Veronica was unutterably happy;
into her gray dull life such threads OF
gold woven that she was dazzled by
them. She had hungered and thirsted
| for love; now it was lavished upon
her. She stood on the same spot
still, unconscious of her picturesque
loneliness, watching Katherine and
her lover; and as she watched them,
strange, sweet possibilities of life
came floating to her. 1t might be in
| the golden far-off future such love as
Atoms for Katherine would fall to
her lot. Perhaps her life, too, would
| be crowned by that most pure and
| perfect gife-a noble love. If Heaven
had such happiness in store for her
Il am afraid said deep, musical
voice near her, that you will take
cold; there is quite a rush of cold air
here
Veronica looked up suddenly. A tall
stately figure stood between her and
the light; dark eyes We're looking into
her own. She saw handsome,
noble face, a proud, princely head
covered with clusters of fair hair.
It was face that from that moment
stood out clear and distinct from all
other faces. The gentleman smiled
at the half-bewildered expression of
the dark eyes
Il must introduce myself again. he
said. Sir Jasper introduced me to you
just before uInner, but T was one of
so many l cannot hope to have been
noticed. You do not remember me?'
No she replied; Sir Jasper in
troduced so many people to me at
once, and English names are hard to
remember. I should be glad if you
would tell me yours" she added, VII,
some little hesitation.
"You will say that it is a strange
one, perhaps" he said. Z am Sir Marc
Caryll.'
"sir Mark Caryll," she repeated. 81
shall remember that in connection
with the patron saint of Venice-St.
Mark"
She could not tell why, but the
name seemed to sink into the depths
of her heart like the echo of a song.
Then she looked at him, and de,
cided that, although she had seen
some noble men, he was by far the
handsomest and noblest. There was
an air of command, OF power, of
authority, about him which pleased
her. He looked like a man whose
will was strong and relentless, whose
purposes was fixed, whose Judgment
was clear and decided. Self-reliance.
courage, bravery-all those qualities |
were written on the fair, handsome |
face that had in it at times a wo-
mans sweetness and the simplicity |
of child. A swift, sudden thought |
came to her that life would be safe |
would be safe in those strong hands of |
his-honor, fair name, everything |
might be intrusted to him, and the |
trust would be kept
Sir Marc smiled at her.
Il can read your thoughts" he |
said; you have been estimating my
character. | will not ask you what |
you think Of it; / will only say I hope
your conclusions are favorable Miss |
Di Cynthia, try one dance with me. |
Christmas day is past, and an ex-
ample has been set u.s.
Veronica remembered that Christ |
mas night; it was the beginning of a
new life to her. The vague sweet |
possibilities that had thrilled her as
she watched Katherine, took shape
now-vague, beautiful shape; some
thing awoke in her heart which had
never been there before; something
SO tender, so sweet, that the girls
whole soul was moved by it. Life was
never to be the same again for her;
she had inherited something of the
quick love and quick hatred that
characterized the Brandons She had
in her more of her fathers nature than
her mothers.
Your fac is a poem,' said Sir Marc,
later on that same Christmas night
"a poem that | should never tire of
reading"