Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-07-24
A MID LOVE
BERTHA M. CLAY.
BERTHA d. CLAY.

ciety of charming girls. nave no de-
sire for another visit from that tenn
pestuous young person.
Lance, Lord Chandos, shuddered al
the words ga tempestuous young per-
son"-this was the heroine of his ro-
nance, his beautiful Leone, whose
voice always came to him with the
whisper of the wind and the sweet rip
pie of the falling water. "A tenn
pestuous young person., his beautiful
Leone, whose passionate kisses were
still warm on his lips, whose bitter
tears seemed wet on his face-Leone.
who was a queen by right divine.
He turned angrily away, and Lady
Lanswell, seeing that she had gone tar
enough, affected not to see his anger,
but spoke next in laughing tone OF
voice.
"You see, Lance, in my eyes you are
very eligible, indeed, and it seems to
me almost cruel to bring you into a
circle of young girls, one of whom
might admire you, while [ know that
you can never admire them. Is it not
500"
81 am not free, mother, you know as
we'll as all the world knows; still, |
repeat it that it is nc reason why you
should fill the house with dowagers and
never bring the bloom of a young face
near it,
81 will do as you wish, Lance, said
my lady, and her son smiled.
Though I consider myself, and am,
in all solemn truth, engaged, still that
does not make me a slave, mother.
am free to do as I like"
Certainly" said my lady, and for
some minutes there was silence be-
tween them.
Lord Chandos broke In.
why do you never ask Lady Frs
kline to visit you, mother? She is a
charming girl, and you like her. .
The countess looked at him straight
in the face.
Il think it more prudent not to do
so,'' she said. Lady Marion is one
of the most perfect women I know; |
know, too, that she admires you, and
as you are not free to admire her, you
are better apart.
He flung himself down on the car
pet, and laid his handsome head on his
mothers knee, looking up at her with
coaxing eyes, as he had done when he
was a boy.
docs she really admire me- mother?
This beautiful girl, who has all the
grandees in Rome at her feet-does she
really admire me?"
"I have said it, laughed my lady.
''Who told you. mother? How do
you know?'
'I shall not tell you, Lance; suf1-
cient for you to know that it is quite
true, and that I am simply acting as
prudence dictates. I should admire
you, Lance, if I were young girl my
self"
81 am very much fiattered,' he said,
slowly. Given if it be true, mother,
I do not quite see why you should
think so much prudence needful.
admire Lady Marion; why should we
not be friends?"
"Would the tempestuous young per-
son like it, Lancer" asked my lady.
And it is very painful to state that
an exceedingly strong and highly i'm
proper word came from between Lord
Chandos' closed lips.
''Do not tease me, mother. I see 10
harm in it; if I did, be quite sure
would not do it. Lady Marion and
can always be friends. [ like her
and admire her; there is certain kind
Of repose about her that I enjoy. Why
should we not be friends?"
"Be friends if you like" said Lady
Lanswel1; "but if, in the course of a
few weeks, you find that mutual admi-
ration does not answer, do not blame
me-"
From that day Lady Lanswell laid
aside all pretense at scruple, and al
lowed matters to go as they would; she
visited the young heiress constantly
and smiled when she saw that her son
was becoming, day by day, more at
tracted to her. She noticed another
thing, too, with keen pleasure, and ii
was that, although the same number
of letters came from England, rot half
so many went there.
GA step in the right direction, -
thought my lady; |'I shall succeed after
ALL"
To do Lord Chandos justice he was
quite blind to the danger that sur
rounded him. He intended to be true
to Leone-he had no other desire, nc
other wish-he had never contemplated
for one moment the act of DESERVING
her; he would have denounced any one
who even limited at such thing.
But he was young, she was beautiful
they were in sunny Italy. And he
never dreamed of loving her.
They were friends, that was all;
they were to be the exceptions to tbs
general rule-they were to be friends
without any of the elements of love Oh
Irritation marring their intercourse.
Only friends. Yet in the beginning
of May when Lady Cambrey and hel