Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-01-01
CHAPTER Tx.
This Woman Shall Never Know"


Leone stood alone in her pretty
drawing-rOom, the room from which
she could see the hills and the trees,
and catch glimpses of pretty home
scenery that were unrivaled. She stood
looking at it now, her eyes fixed on
the distant hills, her heart re-echoing
the words: "In the grave alone is
peace" In her heart and mind all
was dross; she seemed to have lost the
power of thinking; she had an en-
gagement to sing in her favorite opera
on the evening previous. Hundreds had
assembled to hear her, and at the last
moment they were compelled to find a
substitute. Leone could not sing; it
was not that her voice failed her, but
to her inexpressible sorrow, when she
began to tell the woes of another her
mind wandered off into her own. In
vain she tried to collect herself, to save
herself from the terrible whirl Of her
rain. Surely I am not going mad"
She bent her head on her hands, and
sighed deeply; if she could but save
herself, if she could but tell what to
do. The night BEFORE only few hours
previous, it seemed to her her heart
and brain had been on fire, first with
jeaIosuy, then with love, then with
anger. By accident, as she was
going to her wardrobe, her hands
fell on a large, beautiful copy OF
the Bible. She opened it carelessly,
and her eyes fell on the words: For
the wicked there shall be no abiding
place, neither shall they find rest
forever"
Rest, that was what she wanted, and
if she were wicked she would not find
it for evermore. What was being
wicked? People had behaved wickedly
to her; they had taken from her the
one love that would have been the stay
of her life; they had made her most
solemn vows nothing. She had been
wickedly treated, but did it follow that
she must be wicked?
81 could never be a sinner" she
said; Il have not the nerve, have not
the strength. I could not be a sinner"
Lightly enough she turned those
pages; she saw the picture Of Ruth in
the cOrn-field-simple, loving Ruth,
whose words have stood the finest love
story ever written since she uttered
them There was another picture of
Queen Esther fainting in the awful
presence of Ahasuerus the king; an
other of the Madonna holding in her
arms a little child; another of the
Magdalen her golden hair wet with
tears; another Of a Sacred Head bent
low in the agonies of death. She look
ed long at that, for underneath it was
written, For our sins" Wickedness
meant sin. Standing there, her hand
resting on the page, all the truth SEEM
ed to come home to her. It would be
sin to cause the husband Of another
woman to love her; it would be sin
to give way to the desire of vengeance
that was burning her heart away, and
these words were so pathetic, "For our
sins" She had laid her face on that
picture of the Crucifixion, and burning
tears fell from her eyes over it.
God have mercy on me-" she had
prayed, ''and save me from myself"
Then she had slept, and here was
the morrow, a lovely summer day with
the air all fragrance, the birds all
song, and she was still doing hard bat
tie with herself, for, as she had said to
herself, hers was "a mad 1ove-a cruel
mad love-"
And as she stood watching the dis
tant hills, wondering if in the blue
sky that hung over them there was
peace, a servant once more entered the
room holding a card in her hand.
Lady Chandos," said Leone, won
deringly Ask her in here"
She looked in surprise, almost too
great for words, at the little card.
Lance's wife, who had refused to speak
to her, who had disdained to touch her
outstretched hand-Lance's wife COM
ing to speak to her.
What could it mean? Were the whole
race of the Lanswells coming to her?
The next moment a fair, sweet face
was smiling into hers, face she had
seen last darkened with anger, but
which was fair and bright now, with
the light of a holy love.
Leone looked at her in amaze. What
had happened? 1t looked as though a
new life, a new soul, had been given to
Lady Marion. And hush, she was
speaking to her in a low, sweet voice,
that thrilled through the great singer
like the softest cords from an Eolian
harp.
you are surprised to see me-" Lady
Marion was saying, ''yet have done
right in coming. All last night, while
the stars were shining, I prayed
Heaven to tell me what it was best for
me to do, and I shall always think that
the white-Winged angels, who they
say carry prayers to Heaven, sent me
TO you. refused to touch your hand
the other day. Will you give it to me
now? VIII you listen to me?'
Leones whole heart and soul had
risen in hot rebellion and fierce hate
against the Countess of LanswelI. They
went out in sweetest love and compass
sion to her fair faced rival now. The