Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-07-23
CHAPTER XXXVI.

word from him. All, tell me, if yor
ever loved him, is he living or dead?
He is dead" replied Lola, in low
voice
Dead" repeated Gertrude, with
burst of bitter tears; dead! All, ther
I shall never see him! Oh, my dear
dear father, 1 have longed for you,
have worked for you, and | have lovec
YOU: yet l shall never see you! But
better a thousand times dead than liv,
ing as they believed! Tell me one
thing more. Did he go away with
your
NO" she answered, che did not.
She paused, startled even in her own
pain by the cry which broke from
Gertrude's lips.
81 knew it, knew it! All! my
darling, if I. could but see you, hear
you, tell you how much and how
dearly l love you, and how 1 have al
ways believed you Innocent" Then,
turning to Lola, she added, more
earnestly, Heaven bless you for tell
ing me even so much!"
1t was the first time for so many
years that any one had prayed Heaven
to bless her, the first voice for so
many years that had spoken kindly to
her. that Lola was completely over
come.
Gertrude's excitement had almost
reached fever-heat. "How could they
say it of him?" she cried. How did
they dare?"
Lola, bending over her, said
'It was I who caused them to say it
for a purpose of my own
For some time the young girls wild,
incoherent cries for her dead father
continued; then she sprang suddenly
from her knees and looked at Lola.
eff he never went away with you,
and if he is dead, tell me how and
where he died. After being so good
to me, you will not refuse me this?"
There was a struggle in the heart of
the miserable woman; and then she
answered, slowly
ASK Lady Fielden to come here. and
I will tell you ALL
Lord FieIden followed his mother
into the room with Gertrude.
"You are too clever a woman not to
guess that whatever you have to tell
is life or death to me for Miss Allan
more's sake he said to Lola.
For Miss Allanmore's sake?" Lola
asked, looking at the noble face with a
wild longing that it were possible to
undo the past
Yes" he replied What touches
her is life or death to me-"
She was deeply moved. She re-
membered having seen the expression
of Lord Fielden's eyes in those of the
men who had loved her, but never,
alas, in the eyes of the man she loved!
81 have something to tell YOU" she
said-"that which have long kept
secret, and which reveal now for her
sake-only for hers, for she is the
only being who has touched my heart
for years-this girl who is Sir Karl's
daughter"
She resumed her seat in the low
rocking-chair carefully keeping the
lace on Gertrude's dress clasped in her
hands. Lord Fielden placed chair
for his mother, and stood behind it.
Your eyes and your voice to me,
child" went on Lola, ARE like those
of one come back from the dead
The dead" cried Lady Fielden.
"Sir Karl is dead then? Oh, Dolores,
Dolores!"
Yes, he is dead" said Lola, slowly.
You must not think that l am a re-
pentant sinner, nor that, if my life
could begin again, should act differ
emily. l am proud, after my own
fashion, of what I did Few women
would have had the strength of mind
to act as did, to keep the silence that
I kept. have had my revenge!"
A touch from Gertrude's hand con-
trolled her She avoided looking at
the pure, sweet face as she spoke; but
her eyes were fixed on Lady Fielden
1T will be no news to you," she
said, that Dolores robbed me of the
only love OF my life, Sir Karl-that
she came between us and stole my
lifes happiness away 1t is no secret
either that I swore to have vengeance.
l ought, perhaps, to feel ashamed of
myself: but l do not. l loved Sir
Karl with all the strength that your
weaker natures do not even unaer-
stand. I may have been blinded by
my affection; but 1 certainly thought
that I saw in him some sign that he
loved me. 1t all ended when Dolores
became a widow, and he married her.
1t was then that my blind, mad, furi-
out hate against her began, and !
resolved upon revenging myself, cost
whatsoever it might. | loved Sir
Karl so well that, if he had asked my
life, I would have given it to him
without a sigh. From the day of the
marriage I was like one mad. I had
sworn to her and to him that would