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

hands. Will you listen to me?"
The dark, beautiful head of the gifted
singer was bent for few moments
over the golden head of her rival.
Then Leone raised her eyes to Marion's
! face.
"You are trembling" she said; ''you
shall speak to me as you will, but you
shall speak . me here"
Some warm, loving irresistible i'm
pulse came to her. She could not hate
or hurt this fair, gentle lady whom the
countess had put in her place, and
whom her husband did not love. A
great impulse of pity came over her, a
sweet and generous compassion filled
her heart.
"You shall speak to me here" she
repeated, clasping her arms round the
trembling figure and laying the golden
head on her breast. She kissed the
fair, sad face with passion of love.
There" she said, Lady Marion, if I
had wronged you even in the least, |
should not dare do that. Now tell me
what you have come to say. Do not
tremble So" and the tender arms
frightened their clasp. edo not be
afraid to speak to me"
II am not afraid, for Heaven sent
me-" said Lady Marion. 81 know that
you will tell me the truth. I am as
have been very unhappy over you,
Madame Vanira, for my husband seems
to have cared more for you than for
me-"
"Has your husband ever told you
anything about me?" asked Leone,
gently
And the answer was:
mo, nothing, except that, like every
one else, he admired you very much"
Nothing more?" asked Leone
mo, nothing more"
''Then," said Leone to herself, ''the
secret that he has kept I will keep,
and this fair, tender woman shall
never know that once believed my
self his wife"
Lady Marion wondered why she bent
down and kissed her with all the fer
vor of self-sacri1ce.
II have been very unhappy" con-
tinued Lady Marion. II loved and ad-
mired you. I never had the faintest
suspicion in my mind against you,
until some one came to tell me that
you and my husband had spent day
on the river together. know it was
true, but he would not explain it."
Let me explain it," said Leone,
sadly. "I trust you as you trust me.
| have had a great sorrow in my life;
greater-oh, Heaven!-than ever fell
to the lot of woman. And one day
when I saw your husband, the bitter
ness of it was lying heavily on me. I
said something to him that led him to
understand how dull and unhappy
felt. Lady Chandos, he took me on
the river that he might give me one
happy day, nothing more Do you
grudge it to me, dear? All, if I could
give you the happiness Of those few
! feeting hours I would
And again her warm, loving lips
touched the white brow.
II understand" said Lady Marion.
you have done? Does he care for you.
madame? You will tell me the truth,
/ know"
And the fair face looked wistfully
in her own.
Leone was silent for a few minutes.
She could not look in those clear eyes
and speak falsely.
EYES," she answered, slowly; II
| think Lord Chandos cares very much
for me-"
| Lady Marion looked very much re-
lieved. There could surely be no harm
in their friendship if she could speak
of it SO openly.
"And you, madame-oh, tell me
truly-do you love him? Tell me
truly; it seems that all my life hangs
on your word"
Again the beautiful face dropped 81
lently before the fair one.
"It would be so easy for me to tell
you falsehood," said Leone, while
a great crimson flush burned her face,
"but I will not. Yes, II love him.
Pity me, you who love him so we1H
yourself; he belongs to you, while I
-ah, pity me because I love him.
And Larry Marion, whose heart was
touched by the pitiful words, looked
up and kissed her.
Il cannot hate you since you love
him." she said. "He is mine, but my
heart aches for you. Now let me tell
you what I have come to say. You are
good and noble as I felt you were I
have come to ask a grace from you,
and it is easier now that I know you
love him. How strange it seems.
should have thought that hearing you
say you that loved my husband would
have filed my heart with hot anger,
but it does not. In some strange way
I love you for it,
IF you love him, madame, his in
terests must be dear to you
'"They are dear to me-" she whis-
pered. "How strange" repeated Lady
Marion, chat while the world is full
of men you and should love the same