Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-02-12
CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI
In less than two days the news of
Dolores engagement was spread all
over the country. 1t gave general sat
isfaction, for every one liked and es-
teemed Lord Rhysworth; and of Do
lores Cliefden the whole country was
proud She was lone of them;" she
was beautiful and high-bred. One and
all rejOiced in the good fortune that
had befa1len her True, few simple
hearted women who had married for
love themselves, and believed there was
nothing like love, and thought the diff
ference of age too great, said amongst
themselves that Dolores was young
enough to be Lord Rhysworth's daugh-
ter, and that it was pity he was so
old, and wondered, as they kissed the
rosy cheeks of their children whether
Dolores loved Lord Rhysworth. They
were only few happily married wo
men who thought this. The girls en-
We'd her. there was hardly one in the
country who would not have changed
places with her.
Lola smiled when she heard the
news
'|That is just what I thought" she
said; "and I am sure that the day on
which I went over to White Cliffe was
the day on which the offer was made.
Dolores had something on her mind,
[ know, and it was this. It will be
strange if she is Lady Rhysworth and
I am Lady Allanmore We shall be
greater rivals than ever, then"
Sir Karl was one of the first to hear
the rumor confirmed He had ridden
into Deeping to attend some meeting
held on county business, and there
found every one discussing the coming
alliance. AS he was riding away, he
met Lord Rhysworth, and, after few
words of greeting, he said nobly:
81 wonder if I may congratulate
you, Lord Rhysworth?" There was a
curious look on the young mans face
and paling of the lips and deepening of
the lines about his mouth, which did
not strike Lord Rhysworth. You
have carried off the greatest prize of
the country" said Sir Karl, eff it be
true that you are going to marry Miss
Cliefden"
He was profoundly touched when
Lord RhysWorth raised his hat as
though he would do all the honor to
the name
II hope" said his lordship, with the
blessing of Heaven, that I am going to
marry Miss Cliefden. I speak to you
more frankly, Sir Karl, than [ should
to any one else. [ am the happiest
man in the world, and I hope to make
my dear wife the happiest woman"
Il trust that every desire Of your
heart may be realized" responded Sir
Karl, and he meant it. Shall [ pre-
sumo if I ask when the wedding is to
be?" he added
Before the winter sets in-in six
weeks time from now, if we can per-
suade the dressmakers to make so
much haste,' said Lord Rhysworth;
and with every expression of kindly
feeling and courtesy, they parted, Sir
Karl restless and unhappy, Lord Rhys-
worth without shadow on his face,
Sir Karl did not care to go home.
How empty and solitary that great
mansion of his seemed now! How he
had longed for the time when a
woman's fair face should brighten it.
But he could never picture any face
|
"What is so wretched" he said to
himself, ''as a large house where you
can hear only the voices and footsteps
of servants
He could not go home in his present
state of mind; and he dared not go to
White Cliffe. He would go to Beau
lieu; there was always a welcome
there for him. He would go and
spend few hours with Lola; she was
never dull; she was always in high
spirits with an inexhaustible fund of
witty, piQuant stories with which to
amuse him.
So Sir Karl rode over to Beaulieu,
and found the beautiful, viyacious
French girl at home. He felt that he
must talk about the subject that filled
his thoughts.
Il have just seen Lord Rhysworth, -
he said, 'and that rumor you told me
about is quite true.
"Of course it is, Sir Karl. If it had
not BEEN she returned II should not
have told you"
To Be Continued.
Riou, the famous illustrator, who
illustrated manv of Jules VarnA's