Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-08-21

pented the thoughtless words. Her
whole face seemed on fire with a
burning blush. She turned proudly
away from him.
'You have no right to ask me such
a question" she said. 'You are crue-
to me, Lord Chandos.'
The red blush died away, and The
sweet eyes filled with tears.
That was the coup de grace; perhaps
if that little incident had never hap
pened, this story had never been writ
ten: but the tears in those sweet eyes
and the culver of pain in that beauti-
full face, was more than he could bear
The next moment he was by her side
and had taken her white hands in his.
"Cruel! how could be cruel to you
Lady Marion? Nothing could be fur
Their from my thoughts. How am
cruel?"
''Never mind" she said, gently.
'But I do mind very much indeed.
What did I say that could make you
think me cruel? Will you not tell me?''
NO. she replied with dropping eyes,
''I will not tell you
"But I must know. Was it because
I asked you, If you ever loved any one
very much?' Was that cruel?"
'I cannot deny, but I will not anrm
it, she said. eve are very foolish 10
talk about such things as love and jeal-
ousy; they are much better left alone. "
There was the witchery of the hour
and the scene to excuse him; there was
the fair loneliness of her face, the love
in her eyes that lured him, the
trembling lips that seemed made to be
kissed; there was the glamor that a
young and beautiful woman always
throws over a man; there was the
music that came from the throats Of a
thousand birds, the fragrance that
came from a thousand flowers to eX-
cuse him. He lost his head, as many
a wiser man has done; his brain reeled,
his heart beat; the warm white hand
lay SO trustfngly in his own, and he
read on her fair, pure face the story of
! her love. He never knew what mad
ness possessed him; he who had called
himself the husband of another; but
he drew her face to his and kissed her
| lips, while he whispered to her how
fair and how sweet she was. The
next moment he remembered him
self, and wished the deed undone. 1t
was too late-to one like Lady Marion
kiss meant betrothal, and he knew
it. He saw tears fall from her eyes; he
kissed them away, and then she whis-
pered to him in a low, sweet voice:
Chow did you guess my secret?"
"Your secret" he repeated, and
kissed her again, because he did not
know what to say.
Eyes; how did you find out that
loved your" she asked, simply. II am
sure have always tried to hide it,.
''Your beautiful eyes told il" he
said and then a sudden shock of hor-
ror came to him. Great Heaven!
what was he doing? where was Leone?
She did not perceive it, but raised her
blushing face to his.
"Ah, welI,'' she said, sweetly, cit is
no secret since you have found it out.
have not told you falsely"
Perhaps she wondered that he
listened so calmly, that he did not
draw her with passionate words and
caresses to his heart that he did not
speak with the raptures lovers used
He looked pale and troubled, yet he
clasped her hand more closely.
''You are very good to me- he said.
IT do not deserve it, I do not merit it.
-you-shame me, Marion"
She looked at him with warm
glow of happiness on her face.
cit would not be possible to be too
good to you; but must not tell you of
all I think of you, or you will grow
vain. I think" she continued, with
smile that made her look like an
angel, ''I think now that I know how
much you Go love me I shall be the
happiest woman on the face of the
earth"
He did not remember to have Said
how much he loved her, or to have
spoken of his love at all, but evidently
she thought he had, and it came to the
same thing.
Glow pleased Lady Lanswen will
bel" said the young heiress, after a
time ''You will think me very vain
to say so, tout I believe she loves me-
"I am sure of it, who could help it?'
he said, absently
He knew that he had done wrong, he
repented it, and made one desperate
effort to save himself.
Lazy Marion" he said, hurriedly,
''let me ask you one question. You
have heard, of course, the sto"y of my
early lover
He felt the trembling of her whole
figure as she answered, in low voice:
Eyes; [ know it, and that makes me
understand jealousy. I am very weak,
know, but if you had gone to Eng
land I should have died of pain"
He kissed her again, wondering
whether for his perf1dy a bolt from