Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-04-11
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forced upon her this splendor, luxury
and modification.
He threw his arm around her; bui
the dainty, loving face no longer
flushed and frightened for him
There was a wistful, set expression
that touched him.
Il always find you thinking, Violet, -
he said. Il am sure, from your eyes
that your thoughts are not pleasant
] ones"
They are not" she confessed,
sadly.
Violet" cried Lord RIVERS, "do yo,:
know that I have a horrible fear that
you are not quite happy in the mids--
Of these surroundings, that you are
even beginning to love me less?"
1t was so exactly the truth, and she
was so little prepared for it. that for
a few moments she stood quite still.
not knowing what to say
my darling" he continued, with a
voice full Of pain, do you remember
the days when wooed you? Do you
remember how you used to come 10
me with your eyes full of love and
your sweet hands outstretched?"
She raised her eyes to his face;
they were full of perplexity.
"You do not seem to me to be the
same man. she replied. THE artist
l met at ST. Byno's and the lord of
this great castle have different in
dividuality," she added, with sudden
| passion in her voice.
He recoiled from the words.
They are not the same" she cried
| feel in my heart they are not; feel
as though I could appeal to him
against you"
"Yet what wrong have done 20
you?" he asked.
Every wrong" she answered
You have taken me from my own
sphere of life, you have placed ne IN
the midst of luxury and splendor, you
have brought me where | would not
have gone myself"
you would adorn any sphere.
Violet, he said. earnestly
your mother does not think So
she said. you have brought me tC a
place where l shall never be at home,
you have placed me with people shall
never like, and then you ask wnat
wrong you have done me. 1t seems
to me that my young lover of st.
Byno's would have done none of these
things
Darling, I am as much your lover
now as I was at st. Byno's- nay,
more. Here comes Monica with her
dogs. Violet, have only time to say
a few words more. Have patience
two or three days longer, and then
you shall never have another regret.
You shall be happy, my darling Give
me one kiss before Monica comes
There was little warmth in the
kiss; but Monica smiled when sn >
saw the salute. She loved her beauti-
full, high-spirited sister-in-law, AMI
wished that everything was. couleur
de rose for her.
'I'homme propose, mails Dieu dts
pose" While Lord RIVERS was Think
ing how he could best bring The
tangled knot Of his difficulties into
one strand, the cloud was dark 3nink;
over Ryvers6ale.
The greatest events in life often
spring from slight causes, an awkward
footman brought about the chief
incident in the life of Violet, Lady
RIVERS. 2
It was an evening in the first week
in November, and the dowager Lady
RIVERS had been considerably ruffled
during the day; nothing had gone
right with her, a hundred little trifies
light as air had disturbed and annoyed
her. she was not in the most amiable
of moods. \ footman, passing near
her with a glass of wine on a small
silver salver, stumbled, and the wine
was spilled over the dress of purple
velvet that her ladyship wore. That
was the climax of her anger, end the
consequence of it fell on the IN
fortunate foOtman. He was COO
clumsy, she declared, to remain in her
service, and was accordingly dis
missed at once. One of the duties Of
the footman had been to take the
letters to the dowager On the mo n
ing after his arrival he, being new 10
his duties, made what turned out to
be a terrible mistake of the dowager
Lady RIVERS. There were but two,
both addressed The Lady RIVERS,
Ryversdale Castle, Kent" Violet lid
not doubt for moment but that they
were hers, although she wondered
who her correspondents could be.
The first envelope she opened con-
tanned a circular from the famous
Madame Elise, which Violet read with
| some curiosity. Then she took up the
second letter, and looked at it with
some interest. Who would be likely
| to write to her? The envelope was
large, thick, and blue; there was . no
crest or monogram. Although she
wondered much from whom it came.
Violet sat for some minutes with it
unopened n her hand. She could not
tell afterward whether it was some
| foreboding of coming evil that lad
made her defer breaking the seal.
| When at length she did so, she read
the letter slowly; but she was long N
understanding it perfectly
/. "Lincoln's Inn, London, Nov. Sd.
! Dear Madam,-In accordance with
your wish. we have made every pos
sible inquiry with regard to the .-ir-
cumstances attending your sons mar
riage. Mr.. Macivors has himself
been down to st. Byno's to investigate
the matter nerSnnally He hos az