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

great heiress, would make you low
me. l would clasp you in my arms
and kiss you until you said Yes;
but"
But what, Atom"
IF / urged you too much, and beg
ged and prayed of you as it is in my
heart to pray, you might think
cared about your fortune; but I dc
not"
II am sure you do not" she an
swered.
MY darling" he said, drawing heI
nearer to him. you trust me; you
shall see that your trust is not in
vain. viii you be my wife, Kate?"
The answer this time must have sat
titled him, for he kissed the lips on
which it trembled, murmuring words
that were sweetest music to Kathe-
rine
Il shall work for you, Kate" he
said, my Kate, the bonniest Kate in
ChriBtendom. l will not ask you to
marry me until have made a position
worthy of your fathers daughter.
have led a useless life, but it shall be
useless no more. I will work for you.
Men shall never say 7 married an
an heiress for her money. Kate, your
sweet love has made a man of me.
Tomorrow will be Christmas day, and
in the morning / shall go to your
father and tell him Will he give you
to me, Kate?"
II hope so" she replied. He would
do anything to make me happy"
That was why Sir Jasper sat on
Christmas morning as the gay bells
were ringing, with saddened eyes and
darkened face, while the great heart
Of the world beat high with joy Lord
Wynleigh had waited upon him to
make his formal request for his daugh-
ter's hand. Sir Jasper listened kindly
he had a great liking for the gallant,
handsome young lover.
What am to say to you, Wynleigh?
My daughter has many suitors. I
should like her to marry the one she
loves best"
THAT is myself, Sir Jasper" he re-
piled, proudly.
Sir Jasper smiled.
You think so? Well, there is one
remark | must make. So far as re-
CARDS worldly goods, you are not the
most eligible lover"
Never mind that, Sir Jasper" said
Lord Wynleigh. Il know it, and am
going to remedy it. Do not imagine
that | am saying to you: Give me your
daughter now at once-my hands are
empty, but she will fill them 1t is
not that. | say give me the hope of
one day calling Katherine my wife,
and / will set to work at once I will
make such a name that I shall not be
ashamed to ask her to share it. Will
you say Yes Sir Jasper"
You speak bravely. You are sure
my daughter loves your
Kate says So, the young man re-
piled, and she never speaks falsely"
Then / give my consent, said Sir
j Ar. But Katherine is too young
to marry yet, She must wait year
or two. The child is but just seven
teen. Come back in two years time
to claim her If in the mean time you
have made a position for yourself. l
do not care that you should make
money, but l do care for the other"
Il will do it, Sir Jasper" he re-
piled. and you will help me. shall
study under you-help me with your
influence. There is a borough vacant
now Help me to place my foot on
the irst round of the ladder, and |
will never cease until : reach the top"
Long after Lord Wynleigh had left
him, Sir Jasper sat silent and notion
less, listening to the sound of the joy
bells, listening TO the music and
laughter which filed the old Chico.
What was he TO do? When the san
guine young lover left him, dark and
bitter thoughts came to him. He was
an Englishman, with hatred of all
fraud and deceit What could he do?
He could never allow Lord Wynleigh
to marry Kate under the impression
that she was heiress to the grand do
main Of Queens Chace and Hurst
wood. She was not so in reality. All
his broad lands belonged by right to
his elder child the beautiful, dark
eyed Veronica. Before Lord Wynleigh
married Katherine, he must know the
truth. Sir Jasper rose from his seat.
81 am a brave and a strong man."
he said; but would rather face death
than tell my story now"
II seemed so far away to the middle
aged statesman, the story of mis- youth,
the mad love that had altered his
whole life. 1t would be PROCLAMATION to
him to hear Giulia's name mentioned
now. He could imagine the sneers,
the comments, that would follow. The
Opposition journals would be sure to
get hold of it, and hold up to public
cidicule the one treasured poem of his
heart. He could not bear it. Come
what might, he must keep his secret,
yet little longer; and in the mean
time he would have his will prepared
a will in which the truth should be
told, and Queens Chace, with all the
to his daughter Veronica. At the same
time he would put all the papers that
went to prove her identity into one
packet, and give them to her Why
because her mother was dead, should
he rob her of her birthright? What
could he do to atone to her for hel
long, cherries youth? her cold, joyless
life? He could not defraud Giulia's
child. If he could have divided the
inheritance, all would have been we'll
but that was impossible. In the Bran
don family, when there was no male