Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-10-01
CHAPTER w.

large branches Of the chestnut-tree
the perfume of the roses came to them
in faint sweet breaths; and Rupert
Dacre looked into the beautiful face Of
the girl who was to give him life or
death.
She was silent so long he grew a.
fraid.
"sybil,'' he said. gently, 'only one
little word
Il cannot say it," she cried. lido
not know
e'You do not know if you love me-"
he said, bending his dark, handsome
face over her, his eyes all afame as
hers dropped from them.
"No" she eplied, simply; you nave
taken me so completely by surprise,
do not know whether 1 love you or not.
I have never thought about being any
ones wife yet Rupert"
He smiled at her words.
.eYou do not love any one else?'' he
asked anxiously
ooh no." was the quick reply. i
have not thought much Of love"
"And you do not send me from your
he continued. 'You do not refuse to
care for me, and tell me that you will
never be my wife?"
"No," she replied, thoughtfully; i
cannot; for, you see, Rupert, [ am not
sure. Do forget it all, and let us go
down to the lake"
.'I cannot forget it, Sybil," he said,
quietly. "You do not refuse me, you
do not accept me; my darling, will you
do another thing-Will you give me
time to- try and win you?"
She made no answer, and he con-
tinued:
Let me love you, and WOO you until
these dear hands shall rest in mine,
and you say yourself you will be my
wife. I will wait long years for it,
SybiI. I will never tease or importune
you. You will try to love me? If you
succeed, ali! my darling, you shall not
repent it. If you cannot, | will resign
you, praying Heaven will bless you
wherever you go. Are you willing for
this, Sybil?"
EYES," she was willing. 81 am en-
gagged you know, Rupert" she said.
"You are free as the wind" he re-
piled. 81 will wait for you twenty
years if you like; and at the end OF
that time, if you send me from you, |
will not complain"
The great generosity of his love did
not strike her; she only trembled
sligncly at the passion in his face.
"You are cold,'' he said. "Let us go
down to the lake; I will row you a.
Cross
She rose, and for one moment they
stood side by side; he dark, handsome,
and stately, she so fair and sweet.
Sir Rupert bent over her.
''Let me kiss you, Sybil," he said
once"
He remembered how she blushed and
half turned her face away, and how he
clasped her in his arms, and pressed
on her lips warm, passionate kisses,
murmuring sweet words the while;
then put her away from him, and stood
reFerently before her.
81 do not want to go to the lake, >
said Sybil. 81 will go home. Papa
will be there. perhaps"
And, satisfied with what he had won,
Sir Rupert walked by her side, talking
to her about different things, until
Sybil ceased to tremble. and by the
time they reached home she was her
own bright self again.
So for many long months matters
stood. Sir Rupert told the squire what
had passed, the squire confded in his
head counselor, Irene, and the trio
watched anxiously for signs betokening
their darling's frame Of mind.
They watched in vain; she was but
a happy, careless child. She promised
to try to care for him, and looking
down a long vista of years she saw
some remote probability Of doing so.
No love warmed or quickened into
life Her thoughts of Sir Rupert were
something quite different to the sweet,
girlish dreams that came to her i'll
the springtime.
For some few days, remembering
those passionate kisses, she was shy
and reserved with him; but she soon
forgot them, and was her own laugh
ing, bright self again Yet her heart
was still sleeping; Sir Rupert had not
awakened it.
1t was almost pitiful to see the pass
tomato love he lavished upon her. He
did not take her in his arms again, he
did not kiss her face; but never, surely,
was love like his.
People talked about it-every one
said how devotedly attached Sir Ru-
pert was to Sybil Jocelyn-every one
wished him success and happiness;
but, among all these rumors, no one
was ever heard to say that Sybu loved
him.
He was full of hope as the long, light
summer months passed, and then
new element came into his life.
Sybil had completed her seventeenth
year, and was constantly longing for
change; birds and flowers, music and
drawing, no longer satisfied her; she
wanted something different-some-
IL I,,so