Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-09-11
suaded her. She loves me-and I trus.
NJ

CHAPTER NJ.
Felix sent his clerk to Vale House with
note saying that the family were not
to be alarmed if he did not return that
evening, as he had some important bust
ness to transact in a town some miles
distant.
North Alton was forty miles from Lii
ford. Felix knew that the name of Mrs.
Hayes cousin was Miss Western. He
had often heard Violet laugh about her
mothers cousin, who was an old maid.
He said to himself that he would go to
North Alton by the night train: then he
could see Violet in the morning, and be
at home again in the evening.
When he stood before Violet she ut
tered a cry of sorrow and dismay. He
had left the hotel TO go to her aunt's
house, and met her just as, dressed for a
walk, she was leaving the little front
garden. She gave little cry and stood,
silent and shame-stricken, before him.
He saw the sorrow, but not the shame,
and the sorrow misled him. The dread
full livid pallor, the stony mask fell from
his face, as a snow-wreath melts in the
warm light of the sun.
MY darling" he cried II knew it was
false-I knew that you had not said it!
Oh, thank heaven, thank heaven" He
leaned, pale and breathless, against the
trunk of an elm tree. 81 believe In you,
my darling. l knew that you had not
sanctioned it; you could not-you hold my
life in your hands. And yet why did you
come here? Why did you not write to
me? Speak to me, Violet, for by the
heaven above me I swear that am going
madp'
She was frightened, scared, at the wild
eyes, the hoarse vote, the face so full of
pain She dared not have said to him:
Il have made my choice, Felix, between
love and gold; have chosen gold" She
held out her hands to him, but started at
| the touch of his--they burned her like
| fire.
you are mailing yourself i'll, Felix
| she said.
'Ill!' he repeated-and his laugh was
| more terrible TO her than any words.
How would you feel, Violet, had any
one tried to tear the living, breathing
heart from your body? oh, my darling,
tell me it is rot true-tell me so, for
heavens sakei Say that it is false-that
they persuaded you, urged you, wrote
| WtlHOulf your kHOWleuSe. SPEAK 10 Iuc
quickly, for / am going madp'
! She was only a woman-at the very
| best a weak one-and she loved even
after the weak fashion in which some
women love. She could not endure the
sight of his pain. She dared not tell him
| the truth; she did what weak women So
! often do-she temporized.
! Il thought it best, Felix, toto give
| you some years free that you might work
| the better / should not like to be bur-
| den to you"
| He drew deep breath, like one reliev-
| ed from an intolerable load, from an un-
bearable pain.
SIS that all? Oh, my darling. my gen.
erous, noble Violet is that all? / will
not reproach you. But why have you
given me this fright? L have been almost
| dead. / am fifty years older with these
hours of horrible pain. Why did you not
| tell me what you dreaded? There is
| nothing to fear, Violet You shall have
| home as beautiful as love can make it.
You shall have a life so easy and so free
from care that when it ends you will look
back in wonder to see how it has pass
| ed"
|
him and say, Il love you, but l love
riches better-I have chosen them instead
| Of YOU" She had not the courage to say
| it in that hour. She was frightened even
to remember it.
you are strangely silent, Violet" he
| said Have / frightened you?"
mo-" she replied; ''but you have star
tied me. You look so ILL., Felix, and SO
| unlike your own self"
mo wonder, my darling" he returned
"But / will not startle you againI will
remember how sensitive you are"
Felix she said, ''you should not love
| me so much, dear You know what
have always told you about idols of clay
Il cannot help it; my mission in life
is to love you"
| Il cannot ask you to come in and see
me-" she said. Miss Western does not
like gentlemen; she never receives Wis
| itors.'
Il must not stay longer" he said. 81
shall go back home different man. II
| is terrible thing to know that ones fate
| lies altogether in the hands of a single
| creature; but when they are such true,
sweet hands as yours, Violet, there is
nothing to fear. l will go back now to
| my work, which is sweetened by my love.
/ shall so home happy because / trust in
you and believe in you. shall never
believe that you have changed to me I'M
| til you tell me so yourself. Good-by,
| darling; good-by."
Go be continued)