Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-09-18
CHAPTER XII.

told them that he would cheerfully give
half his fortune to make Violet his wife.
He had asked them to help him, and had
promised them their reward. Mrs. Haye
went on a short visit to her cousin, and
was dismayed to hear from Violet that
Felix had been to see her-that he had
gone back home with the hope that all
was right.
''Why did you not tell him the truth,
yiolet?'' asked Mrs. Have. sternly. 1T
was cruel to deceive him further.
Il could not, mamma" she replied, her
eyes filled with tears. He looked so III
and unhappy l could not"
1T was cruel kindness, Violet de-
clared Mrs. Haye; but she said no more
knowing that, in her daughters place she
should have done the same thing.
1t was arranged that Sir Owen should
go down to North Alton and renew his
offer of marriage. If Violet consented,
the marriage must take place, Mrs. Haye
said, in London. If they We're married
at Lilford, Felix LonsdaIe was quite ca
pable Of going into the church and taking
the bride from the altar.
So all was arranged as she desired. Sir
Owen went to North Alton, and the beau
tiful, tickle girl who had loved Felix
Lonsdale had given up, plighted her troth
to a man she did not love-plighted il
because he was rich. He had taken with
him a magnificent diamond ring, which
was to be the pledge of their engagement;
and as he placed it on her finger, he look
cd wistfully iuto her face.
You care for me little. Kiolet, dc
you not? You are a cold bride, after all,
for man to win. If | thought you real
~ liked that lawyer better than me,
would not ask you TO marry me-upon my
soul | would not! give YOU all | have
my love and my fortune. Surely you have
a smile and a kind word TO give me in
return"
Am | not kind?" she asked, with an
exquisite smile-.a smile that pleased him.
But she said to herself that she could
not go through with this new engage
ment; that she must let the wealth, the
rank, the title pass; that she must give
all up and go back TO Felix She loved
Felix, and she did not, or would she ever,
love Sir Owen?
She had a few minutes for these reflec-
tions: and then he was telling her of the
future. of all she would enjoy-how peo-
pie would envy her, and what position
she would take in the great bright world.
She listened, for the words were pleasant,
and forgot her pain.
To Felix Lonsdale there came strange
rumors, but he would not believe any OF
them. lie had implicit faith in Violet
implicit trust. Until she told him that
she was false to him he should not be-
al 10 thaf of
One morning he received two letters.
One was from Violet, and it said:
.'Try to forgive me, Felix. have never
been worthy Of the great love you have
given me; 1 am not worthy of it now.
Try to forget me; for / have been think
ing it all over, and l can see that our
engagement must be broken. You said
you would believe it when l wrote il.
Believe it now, for | say that it must
end In the years to come we may be
friends never anything more.
VIOLET"
He read it with nnbelief. Someone had
compelled her to write it. 1t had not
been one of her own free will--of that he
was sure.
The second note was from his humble,
faithful friend, Jennie, the pretty house
maid, written with many apologies for
the liberty she had taken; but she want
ed him to know that her young lady
would be at home at The Lines that
night, on her road from North Alton to
London. Her master and mistress were
going to London with Miss Violet, she
added. and she was afraid there was
mischief on foot. 1t was her own private
hof ho.I III
Violet to marry someone else. IL he
went to The Lines late that evening she
would keep the entrance gate and the
garden gate open, and she would manage
that ne should see Miss Haye
He read both letters through. but he
did not lose his reason this time. A
calm. settled despair came to him, against
which he struggled blindly He would
not believe il unless she told him so her
self-anything was more credible than
that she shoTid have deceived him and
broken her word. When he believed
that he said TO himself the heavens
would fall Whom could she be going to
marry? How absurd! How ridiculous!
Again -he wrote home TO say that he
should not return until late; and Hates
kind eyes filed with tears as she read
thinking of how hard he was working.
and her heart misgave her that it was all
for nothing-that the prize he was labor
ing and waiting and hoping for would
never be his.
Felix went. He hated himself for GO
ing ut night, when no one could see him
for seeking a clandeStine interview with
his promised WIFE The night was dark
and the wind blew cold. 1t was after
nine when he reached the entrance gate.
He found il open, aud Jennie waiting for
him inside.
You viii not be angry with me, sir,
viii your she said. But il seemed to
me almost as though someone were being
killed. | am quite sure they have per-
susded my Young lady 20 marry someone
else. heard her crying bitterly this
evening"
DO You think shall be able to see
Miss Haye. Jennie?" he asked.
Yes, sir. | will give her a message
that in a few minutes will bring her
down here to you. She viii not be angry
with me-
In few minutes she had kept her
word. The girl Jennie delivered her mas
sage. and Violet quickly appeared at the
gate OF The Lines
Before Felix had spoken TO her, before
he had touched her hand. the moment he
had looked into her fair, dropping face
he knew that she was guilty. Something
had gone from il that he was never TO see
again: something was there which was
never more to leave il. She gazed at him
and gave little low cry: then. standing
before him. she buried her face in her
hands. He went up 10 her slowly. He
took her hands from her face and arised
il to his own. Then the lovely eyes clos
ed; they could not meet his. He dropped
her hands.
'.You are gnilty, Violet, Great heaven.
you have BETRAYED me. You meant what
you wrote to-day"
There was something so quiet in his de-
spsir thar Violet imagined his tone to be
one almost OF Indifference. and the
thought gave her courage. Ii he had
shown any sign ~ great pain she F-eald
have been frightened.
Il could not help it. she replied. do
not be angry with me. Felix. | know it
is the poorest OF excuses but It IS true:
cannot help il. Ii was OF no use going