Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-20

ladies, and under her auspices they
were to make their debut in the
world of fashion
That summer, the one after the
death of the late lord, was an unusual.
ly fine one.-it was also unusually
warm; and the sisters spent but lit
tie time indoors. Reading, walking
and sketching in the shady dells OF
the provisioning to the reading OF
the worlds greatest poems, in which
| Lord Lynne took the keenest delight
He had not spoken yet He had
grown to love Agatha Lynne, calmly
| deeply, intensely. He thought of hel
as the one woman whom he should
like to have near him through life
He did not know if his love was re-
turned. Agatha was not of the dem
onstrative kind: but he intended, be-
fore he left Lynnewolde again, to ask
| her to become his wife.
| Some one else had learned to love,
beside Lord Lynne. With all the
passion and warmth of her Southern
| nature, with all the force of her
genius, with that fatal, concentrated
| fidelity that knows no change, that
counts no risk, Inez Lynne loved the
handsome debonnaire cousin who de-
voted himself to her sister.
One bright morning in August the
two sisters, with Mrs. Lynne, sat I'M
der the great cedar tree 1t was too
warm to work, to read, or to sketch.
IneZ declared that the only life en-
durable on such morning was that of
a bee. who could rest himself at his
ease in the very heart of a rose
Agatha, by way of soothing her con-
science, held some delicate piece of
work in her hand She was talking
to Mrs. Lynne, and Inez was watch
in; the shadow of the trees On the
grass.
There are two gentlemen!" cried
Agatha, suddenly Zone is Lord
Lynne; but who was that with him."
Some one who seems to know you,"
said Inez, more by way of hiding the
crimson flush upon her face than from
any need of speech.
ooh, Inez,' cried Agatha, sit is
Allan Leigh. How long has he been
home, I wonder How altered he isl"
The two gentlemen walked slowly
over the grass.
Il have brought you an OLD friend"
said Lord Lynne, with a smile, to
Agatha, "and you, Miss Lynne. a new
one"
There was little doubt that poor Allan
was an old friend for he had loved
Agatha Lynne for as many years back
as he could remember. He had loved
her without hope He knew she
would be . great heiress, while he
although he would some day be
Sir Allan Leigh, of The Chase-was
comparatively poor. He loved her,
but he never told her so. He was
too diffident, too conscious of what he
thought his own inferiority, to dream
Of asking her to be his wife. So he
worshipped her at a distance, longing
with an unutterable desire for some
thing which should place him in
better position, but the something
never came.
He had spent the last three years on
the Continent, and was so improved
by his travels, and so altered, that
Agatha hardly recognized him. He
had learned a great deal, but he had
not learned to forget her. He had
seen brilliant and beautiful women;
more charms for him than Venus her
self would have had.
The distance between them did not
seem so great now, and Allan had re-
turned to England resolved to risk
all, and WOO and endeavor to win the
girl he had loved so long.
He looked with surprise at the
beautiful girl by Agatha's side. His
father had told him that Miss Lynne
had been sent for to Lynnewolde, but
he had said nothing OF what she was
like, and Allan had pictured to HIM
self dark, foreign-looking girl, by
the side of whom his beloved would
shine like a star. He was not pre-
pared to see the loveliest and most
brilliant woman he had ever met
with.
1t was merry party that sat during
those warm, sunny hours under the
great cedars. Yet Inez smiled half
bitterly to herself as she noted that
both the gentlemen were devoted to
her sister. She wondered if they were
charmed by her childlike gaiety, by
her simple innocent sweetness, or by
the winning grace of her manner, so
kind and thoughtful She wondered
half bitterly why her own magnifi-
cent beauty had not more power, why
those cold English hearts did not
warm to her: she felt almost alone,
did this strange gifted woman. Per-
haps there was something too regal
and queenly in the style of her beauty,
for it was evident that both Philip
and Allan stood rather In awe of her.
To be Continued.