Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-08-03

so seIfshly shrunk from for so many
long years, struck him with redoubled
force. 1t seemed to him that his
passionately loved Blanca stood be-
fore him again in all the pride Of her
youth and wondrous beauty. There
the same exquisite southern face, the
dark almond eyes, the ripDling south
ern hair. But in his dead wife's face
there had been look of gentle repose.
of which he found no trace in the
| features before him He gazed upon
her until large tears rose in his eyes,
and he could see her no more. It was
as though the ghost of his youth had
arisen before him,-the beautiful past
that he had tried to bury and forget,
that one year of happiness greater
than words can tell. She stood quite
silently before him.
di is n i H. ptamofgx
will you learn to love me, Inez,"
he said, at last, forget the past? I
shrunk selfshly from opening an old
wound that time has but half healed.
Child, if you knew how I loved your
mother, you would not wonder at me-"
It was strange method Of showing
affection, she thought, never to wish to
see that mothers child; but she turned
to him and said she would try to win
his love, while she gave him hers.
You have some one else to love
ALSO" said Lord Lynne, as he touched
the bell. ask Miss Agatha to come
down." he said, to the footman who
answered the summons.
Before Inez had time to think, two
loving arms were thrown round her,
and a golden head was laid caressingly
upon her shoulder, while a gentle
voice cried, MY dear new sister,
welcome, welcome home." Then she
saw a tally graceful girl, with a fair
sweet English face, and a wealth of
ripping golden hair.
"This,' said Lord Lynne, drawing
her to him again, sis your sister
Agatha, who has been longing to see
you. | consider myself the happiest,
and ought to be the proudest father in
England, for my daughters are match
less"
When Agatha led her sister to the
ish love and vivacity surprised the
naughty Andalusian.
eff you could but know, Inez," she
said, chow happy I am! l always
longed for a sister, little dreaming that
had one like you, shut up in an old
Spanish castle. Now remember,
darling, you are papa's eldest child,
you are Miss Lynne, and mistress of
Lynnewolde; no one will love, serve,
and cherish you more than your sis
ter
Lord Lynne made all the atonement
in his power for the wrong done to his
daughter. He perfectly idolized her;
he was never weary of gazing at her
face, or listening to her rich musical
voice. He did not notice how she
avoided all reference to her Spanish
home, but Agatha did; and she Won
dered then, as she did afterwards how
it was that, when she had told all the
simple little incidents of her life to
Inez, her sister had nothing to tell
her in return,-no pretty little love
idyl, no story of a Spanish knight, no
little episode of love in any shape or
form: she only saw that when she
asked the simple question, did no
one love you, Inez?" her sisters face
grew proud and cold. If she had
known the tempest that ragged at that
moment in the young girls heart, she
would have wondered still more.
Lord Lynne lavished costly gifts
upon Inez; he spared neither time, ex-
pense, nor trouble, in gratifying her
every WISH and she loved him for his
| kindness. The life she led now was
like an enhancing dream. Wealth
luxury, magnificence surrounded her.
A thousand times she wished that the
false Italian could have known all
that he had missed in firing Of her.
She was glad that he was dead, but
she would have liked that one revenge,
that he should have known the penni-
less girl he had sighted was the
wealthiest heiress Of a rich English
lord
When her kind indulgent father
died, Inez mourned for him, but it
seemed to her then that her capacity
for love or sorrow was gone, crushed
in the weight of sorrow and shame
that oppressed her. When she met
Lord Lynne, and for the first time in
her life really loved, she understood
that what she had felt for Coun
Rinaldo was but liking springins
, from gratified vanity and a love o
romance.
THAT | could ever have been 81
mad, so foolish as to call that passinE
= fancy by the name of love!" she said
= and more than ever she hated an
: loathed the memory of the man VIII
= had deceived her.
To Be Continued.
pEvN pIC1TTRE OF MATAAFA