Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-10-15
Continued.

Continued.
81 cannot take No for an answer"
whispered a persuasive voice. LET
me have one briht hour to dream Of
The music of dreamy German waltz
stole softly upon them-music full of
hope and vague longing, sweet and
soft.
He drew her gently toward the circle
Of dancers; before she knew where she
was, his arm was round her, and they
had gone together, it seemed to her,
into fairy-land.
She was young and impressionable.
The man dancing with her knew, per-
haps better than any other man, how
to fatter without startling, and it was
pleasant, she said to herself-pleasant
to feel the strong clasp of the arm, to
see the fair, handsome face bending
over her, to see the dreamy blue eyes
seek hers so full of love, to hear a
gently whispered word that no one else
heard-so pleasant, that the girl would
have danced on and forgotten every
thing else.
81 wish this waltz would never end, >
she said, cor that life were all like it. =
But it did end at last, and he took
Sybil to Lady Marche. Neither Of
them cared to see Sir Rupert Just then
he, because he dreaded a rival; she
because she felt she had passed out Of
his world
The rest Of the evening was like a
long, happy dream to her. She re-
membered nothing clearly except that
she had danced again with Lyster Ayr
ton, and that the clasp of his hand
was still warm upon hers, his words
still making delicious music in her
heart. She never saw Sir Rupert's
grave face, or Irene's wondering eyes
or VioIet's keen scrutiny
She remembered that when the car
riages were ordered at last, he had
brought her cloak and helped to wrap
1t round her white shoulders; that he
held out his hand to bid her good
night, and kept hers in his warm
clasp; that, just as she was going, he
asked her for the rose that she had
worn all the evening, and that when
she gave it to him, he kissed it with a
passion that almost crushed the flower.
'%This has been the happiest day of
my life" he whispered as she went
down the hall steps
Then she seemed to go out into utter
cold and darkness. Sir Rupert gently
and gravely placed her in the carriage.
Irene and Violet talked about the pic
mic and the dance, and then lay back
to dream.
The fair, foolish child, with beating
heart, dreaming of every word he had
said at the brook-side, of every whisper
during the dance, and wondering what
it was that had filled her life with
such sweet yet unutterable pain
They were all very gentle to her.
The sqri1e was sitting up for them
and he took Sybil in his arms, wonder
ing what had flushed her face with
such new and tender beauty,
HAS it been a happy day." he asked
and Sybil laid her golden head upon
his shoulder.
'"Too happy to speak of, she said,
and sighed from the very fullness Of
her content.
He thought she was too tired to talk
or laugh, and babe her goodnight
with words that fell like a benediction
upon her.
And then in Irene's gentle face he
saw a shade Of care. When their dar-
ling had left them, and the sound Of
her footsteps had died away, Miss
JocelyG said:
81 am sorry we went, papa. Captain
Ayrton was there, and he seemed to
admire Sybil so much"
81 dare say" replied the squire, rub
bling his hands "If I were a young
man I should admire her myself.
There is no one like her, Irene"
mo" said Miss Jocelyn; but, papa,
u do not like Captain Ayrton. He is
very handsome and brilliant; he has
most winning, graceful manners. do
not trust him"
what has that TO do with Sybil?"
cried the squire. "You women are
always full Of ideas No one wants
to trust him-Sybil least of all. All
her trust is in Sir Rupert"
81 hope So" said Irene, obviously.
4'Why of course it isl cried the
squire again.
''Now Irene, my dear, be sensible,
as you always are Do not put fool
ish ideas into the child's mind If the
Young man calls, let him see me- Pay
him all attention necessary when he
does call: and see, do not mention his
name to Sybil, or you will put foolish
ideas into her mind
CHAPTER VII.