Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-13
Continued.

her, he could never rest out of he
sight He did all that was possible
in order to atone for his indifference
and neglect. He lavished jewels anC
money upon her; and when he made
the curious will, that some people
thought just one, he secretly hoped
that his beautiful Inez would be Lady
Lynne
''She is so dazzling, SO new, sc
piquant, so unlike other girls he
thought, that Philip will be sure to
fall in love with her, and then my
darling will be mistress of Lynne
0Wdle"
IneZ, on her part, did not evince any
very great affection either for her
father or sister. Her heart was sore
from her long neglect; she could not
forget all at once that for many a
long year she had been kept away
from her rightful home, deprived of
her share in the grandeur and mag
nifcence of the Lynnes. She had not
even been known by her rightful
name. No one had ever called her
Inez Lynne. In her grandmother's
house she had always been addressed
as the Senorita Monteleone When
she thought over these things Inez
did not feel any great affection for the
father who had neglected her, or the
sister who had taken her place. She
was quiet and passive, rarely making
any remark, when Lord Lynne car
essed her and loaded her with pres
ents; her beautiful, passionate face
light up for one she loved.
When Agatha Lynne grew more ac-
customed to the presence of her sis
ter she wondered much why she made
no mention of that past life She
never alluded to her home in And
alusia She never talked of love and
lovers as young girls do; she had no
story to tell of sweet words whispered
under the shade of the myrtle; no
story, no love secrets; and yet she was
beautiful as houri, and only twenty
two.
Agatha had related all her life's
history; it was not an eventful one.
She had had lovers, but none that she
cared much for. She liked Philip
Lynne best in the world, next to her
father She blushed as she told how
Allan Leigh, Sir Harry Leighs son,
had sent her a valentine, and Cap
tain Hope had written some verses to
her. All these little secrets, sweet
simple Agatha had confided to her sis
ter; but there was no confidence given
III return. Inez listened with a far
off dreamy look in her beautiful face,
but she said no word of herself She
had nothing to tell in return.
Did no one ever love you, Inez
asked her sister, gazing at her in won
der You are so beautiful, | should
nave thought you would have had
many lovers
The fairy prince will come some
day" said Inez, half impatiently.
Love and lovers have no great at
traction for me-
Then again simple, sweet Agatha
wondered. SO beautiful, so young,
and not even to care about love-never
to have had a lover. She could not
help thinking that there was some
thing incomprehensible in this mys-
terry. twenty-five, and never to have
had lover!
**
1t was the morning after Lord
Lynne's funeral. No one knew how
the sisters had received the news of
their fathers strange will: but Mr..
Gregson had been with them for more
than an hour, and then he left them
With a smile on his face.
1t was a beautiful, bright June
morning; all Nature was gay and
animated. A gentle breeze waited
the fragrance of the flowers and the
singing of the birds; there was no
cloud in the bright blue sky. The
chestnut trees were all in bloom: from
over the meadow there came a per-
fume of hawthorn and fresh-mown
hay: the tall trees in the park seemed
thrilling with new life. 1t was a
morning hat made every heart re-
joice; it seemed impossible to think
OF sorrow, or sadness, or death
lnez and Agatha Lynne sat in the
little room known as Lady Lynne-s
ooudoir. 1t was a charming room
and the long French windows opened
on to the garden. There was a glimpse
of landscape that looked like a vista
of fairy land; the tall, stately cedar,
the green lawn, and the dark woods
beyond. White and red roses grew
by the window, and filled the room
with their exquisite fragrance.
Agatha mad never used the apart
ment; but before Inez had been in the
house a week, Lord Lynne had it most
Sumptuously furnished and fitted I'D
for her use. 1t was a very nest of
luxury; it might have been expected
that the occupant of such a room
would be young and beautiful; it was
only meant for such. The soft thick
white carpet wherein the roses lay
so lifelike and real, that it seemed as
though they had just been dropped
there; the delicate rose silk hangings.
the few rare pictures, marble Flora
holding vase of glowing crimson
flowers, the elegant books, the pretty
lounging chairs-all were for the
young and beautiful, to whom luxury
seems by right to belong.
They were a charming picture. the
beautiful Andalusian girl and her
sweet English sister. Miss Lynne
had summoned Agatha to a council of
war, and had decided to hold it during
breakfast, so as to save time. The
pure sunbeams did not fall upon
many prettier scenes.-the fair, fresh