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


Squire Jocelyn had not been willing
at first that his daughter should attend
Lady Marches picnic. Sir Rupert had
also received an invitation, and he re-
peated to the squire some little on dts
he had heard as to Ca. tain Ayrton 5
character, which did not please the
good old man.
Handsome is he and professed
lady killer-fond of play? All! then
my girls shall not go to the picnic, or
visit Ling until he has left it. CO.
quette is bad enough; but male fiirt-
bah!' cried the squire.
But Sybil was so anxious to go, she
llonged so much for the gayety, he
could not withstand her pleading face.
He said, at last. that if Sir Rupert
would escort them, they might accept
the invitation; and in after years he
wished he had died before saying it.
It was not so easy to persuade Sir
Rupert With the gentle, unerring in
stinct of love, he saw it was the young
soldier that attracted Sybil, and not
Birley Woods
never pardoned himself for it.
Sybil was very happy all that day:
the name of Lyster Ayrton had some
strange charm for her; she repeated it
over and over again. Seeing Violet
alone on the terrace, she joined her.
"Where did you meet Captain Ayr
; toni" she asked. How I envy you,
Violet! You go everywhere
"I met him in London" was the
quiet reply, three years ago. Captain
Ayrton was one of the most popular
young men in town."
She did not add that he was no
longer so, or tell the reason why his
: popularity had declined. He was only
met in very third-rate society now.
81 have never seen real, living
military man." said Sybil. What is
your friend like. Violet?"
''He is no friend of mine" replied
Miss Ruthers-" merely very distant
acquaintance He is very handsome
: man, with a gay debonair manner;
every one is charmed with him.
Does he wear gold lace and a droop-
ing plume?" asked innocent Sybil.
9 Something like it," replied Violet,
r with smile; then she could not be in
/ duced to say any more.
Il In the depths of her heart she de-
voutly hoped Sybil and Captain Ayrton
: might like each other; but neither by
word or deed would she further any
: such project. So Sybil spent the re-
mainder of the day in picturing to her
: self handsome knight in the most
: picturesque costume-and this ideal
creation she called Captain Lyster
| Ayrton.
The sun shone warm and bright on
) the fatal day when the squires darling
| went out to meet her fate. She had
: dressed herself in fairest array. Sir
Rupert's eyes followed her wondering
) ly. To him she was like a delicate,
dainty, fairy vision. He saw only the
lovely face flushed with excitement;
what seemed to him clouds of white
) lace falling round the slender, graceful
figure; a coQuettish little hat on the
queenly head, and a white feather
dropping over the golden hair. He
understood nothing of the details of
her dress-the effect he saw was some
thing marvellous.
Violet Ruthers was superb in a tot
let of pink silk and white lace, but Sir
4 Rupert never appeared to notice her.
They started in high spirits; they
were to drive over to Ling, and with
the rest of the party proceed to Birley
Woods.
i There was not cloud in the sum-
mer sky, and Sybil Jocelyn looked hap
pier than she had ever done in her
life before. She leaned back in the
luxurious carriage the squire had pur-
chased expressly for her. Sir Rupert
rode by her side, summing himself in
her gay smiles. No warming came 10
her on the breath of the summer wind
no foreshadowing of the dark cloud
that was hereafter to hide the beauty
of earth and heaven from her.
Lady Marche was unfeignedly glad
to see them; the sQuire's reluctance to
let his child go much among strangers
was we'll known. She was pleased and
ftattered, and welcomed them &C
cordingly.
Ah0y LOu1u a. ldI sc party dSS0mDl0u,
the guests were waiting for carriages,
and were dispersed over the gardens.
/ Sybil JOcelyn's heart beat as, at the
end of a shady path, standing under the
branches of a poisoning lime-tree.
she saw the CLEAN of golden lace in
the sun. Looking, she saw a tall,
handsome man in a military uniform
"a man with fair hair, and fair, Sax
Oh face, bright blue eyes, full of light
and smiles; his mouth was hidden by
the dropping of light mustache
AS he stood there, he looked bright and
gllttering, fair, handsome, and ANNA
ted-a different man to any she had
ever seen-more lively, more animated,
with gayer smiles.
To be continued.