Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-05-04


moved in unison with that music
She was, as are all Spanish ladies,
graceful dancer. No haste O
wkwardness-easy, and with grace
full dignity, she seemed to make TIT
music and the motion one. Lord Lynne
had never danced with her before; i
was her unusual superiority that made
him say, THAT is the best waltz
ever had in my life. If l were {
Spanish courtier, | should say tina
every day develops new gifts ant
graces in my charming cousin"
1t was simply a pretty compliment
airy speech, such as Lord Lynne haG
often whispered to his partner. There
was nothing in it to cause her heart
to thrill and tremble and her cheeks
| to glow.
1t is pitiful to think how people can
help to delude themselves. While she
with the whole force and strength OF
| her wild South arn nature, loved him.
and walked down the room by his side
as one in dream, Lord Lynne was
saying to himself, Now | will seek
| MY udlIIuS IOulSuI, Will ask loT CO
| be my WIFE"
Then BERTHE Bohun, half timidly,
came to beg for one dance He was
| dazzled by the brightness of the face
that smiled upon him.
you are very kind" he said, as he
led her to her place in the quadrille,
Ito dance with me-
She looked at him in amazement as
she repeated, Kind; what do you
mean?"
eff | were a king with a crown, or
a general covered with orders and
medals, or a duke with the garter and
the ribbon OF ST. George" he said
aWkwardly, 81 should feel more at my
ease, and more worthy of dancing
with you"
1t was a boyish speech, but it came
from the depths CT an honest, boyish
heart, He might be young, and
awkward, but he loved this beautiful
girl with the whole strength of his
simple, candid nature.
Inez laughed merrily at his f1orid
COMPLIMENTS delicious, silvery, rip
ping laugh; but it tingled his cheeks
with shame IS he heard it.
'Ah, you are laughing at me- he
said, trying to conceal his mortifca-
ton. Il thought you would laugh if
admire you"
Il ought to be very much obliged to
YOU" she said, the smile lingering on
her lips and in her eyes.
''DO not laugh at me again, Miss
Lynne" said poor BERTHE. IF you re-
tain any recollection of my folly, will
you also remember that my life is at
your service; and if ever the time
should come in which you require a
friend, with strong will and a brave
hC" will you remember me?"
See smiled again, but in after
years those words came back to her
1t was brilliant party assembled
that evening at Lynnewolde. The
belle of the room was undoubtedly
the beautiful, dark-eyed Andalusian.
The gentlemen raved about her; the
ladies were not jealous of her-She
was too unlike them Had she been
more commonplace, she might have
stirred their envy; as it was, all
smaller feelings were merged in sur
prise. She seemed careless of the
homage so freely offered her. Inez
had but one thought, one idea, one
one hope, and that was to win the
love of the man she loved.
Agatha enjoyed the dancing; Allan
kept as much as possible by her side.
No one who saw him could doubt that
he loved this gentle girl who smiled
so kindly upon him.
The muGic of another waltz sounded
more enchanting, more delicious, than
the first, and again Lord Lynne sought
| Inez.
Once more to this wild, dreamy
music, she seemed to float as though
upon the air, with the face she loved
best on earth smiling upon her. Then,
when he released her, her heart was
full of happiness. She could not re-
main there to laugh and talk; she
did not wish to hear the sound OF
another voice while his fingered up
on her ear She wanted to be alone
for few minutes-alone with he1
happiness and her love.
She passed rapidly through the ball
room, and into the conservatory. Il
was dimly lighted; the air, loaded
with luscious perfume, made her dizzy
with it's excess Of fragrance. Out upOr
the lawn she saw the silver moon
| light and the shadow of the tree:
upon the grass. Out in the moonlight
the lilacs and roses slept, the nigh
dew lying thick upon them.
The cool, soft light looked tempting
enough after the heated room. Inc
longed to be out in it, to dream for
few minutes, among the sleeping flow
ers, of her happiness and her love
She drew her white shawl over he
, head and passed out on to the lawn
The stiffness of the night was sooth
ing after the gay music and laughter
She sat down under the great cedar
and while she lived, Inez Lynne neve
forgot the solemn beauty of tina
scene. In the distance she heard tn
faint sound of the dance music-th
, moonlight, the trees, the signing c
, the breeze, the perfume of the flower:
all told one story to the impassione
, girl-the story of her happiness an
, her love.
Beautiful as it was she did not re
main long She was engaged for til
third waltz to Lord Lynne, and sh
did not wish. to lose that. She wer
back quietly and gently into the col
! servatory. Her light footsteps mad
;, no noise.
Il Il might be a ghost. I glide so we'll