Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-09-30
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| W lIl0 AC'oC "AAA''
ing fortune by such step. There
were always plenty Of plain-looking
girls with fortunes on hand. he told
himself; when he had enjoyed few
years of bachelor existence, he would
| begin to look round for a wife. In tue
meantime he had met Gladys
Rane, and as far as it was possible
for one so careless and selfish,
had fallen in love with her. Al
first, when he heard that she was the
niece, and, in fact, the adopted daugc-
ter of the rich Lady Kinloch, he
thought the course of his love would
be smooth enough, and congratulated
himself that he would be able to mar
ry the woman he loved and secure O.
fortune at the same time. But the
! first hint of his attachment which he
gave to Lady Kinloch was received II
such fashion that he saw at once
how utterly hopeless it was for him TO
expect to replace his fortune by an al
lance with Gladys Rane. Her lady,
ship told him quite plainly that the
man who wasted two fortunes and
was on the lookout for third, was not
the kind Of husband she desired for
her niece, and that if Gladys Rane
made up her mind to marry such a
man, she would never inherit shilling,
from her. She spoke SO plainly and 50
earnestly, that he saw there was no
| likelihood of her ever altering her de-
cision, and from that moment all idea
/; of marriage with Gladys Rane died IL
his heart. He had not the moral cour-
age to give her up, to tell her the truth
and leave her; still less had he the
courage to marry her without money
He told her part of what her aunt had
said to him, and left her to guess the
rest.
Had he gone away at once, leaving
| to her the certain knowledge that
there could never be any further que $
! ton of love and marriage between
them, it would have been, kinder to
her, and more straightforward on his
part But, instead Of taking that
| course, he continued to linger near
her, making fierce love to her at times,
. anu always 1dIuCuL1llS IuC pOfCl W C1ltiC
separated them. Yet the word "p1v-
erty was absurd as applied to his own
case He had luxuriously furnish I'd
suit Of rooms in London, he rode his
own thoroughbred, he frequented the
highest society, he was a member of
the leading clubs, he spent what some
/ people would consider a small fortune
on flowers and opera-boxes he gam
i bled and betted,
The question of marriage with
Gladys was banished, SO far as it con
cerned him, but he never lost an oppor-
tunity of seeking her, society and Ia
menting the barrier between them. He
was not true enough to feel grieved
that she loved him. but seemed only 10
delight in the conquest he had made.
All evidence of pain that he read On
the girls face was regarded by him As
tribute to his power. Yet in his sell
fish way he loved her
This morning when he heard thai
Lady Kinloch was away from home, he
fastened to Loeb House. and found
Gladys there and alone. She looked
so charming and he read such love for
himself in her eyes, that it was almost
more than he could do to restrain him
self from asking her there and then to
be his wife; but the conversation in
terested him, and he wished to see
this Lady Rooden whose beauty was
as fascinating as her fortune.
If all that Gladys told him were true,
he could do nothing better than win
her for himself Not that he
should ever love her-so long as the
world held Gladys Rane, he should
care most for her; but. if he could WOO
and win the mistress of Rood Abbey,
he could afterWard fashion his future
as pleased him best. He need never
let Gladys Rane pass out of his life.
he could retain his friendship for he.
as he left her. He had not seen Lady
Rooden but he felt that it would not
be an impossible task to win her
for he was not ignorant Of the many
advantages in his favor He was
handcOme with the gay debonair bear
ing that women love, he had laughing
blue eyes, lips always ready to smile,
a frank fair face that at first sight
charmed every one. Only keen read
ers of character detected how much OF
cruelty and selhshness lay beneath the
mask of the handsome features He
had the manner which most women
-suaye, caressing, graceful. The
slightest word he uttered had a charm
which few could resist; yet the same
melodious voice could be coarse and
almost brutal when he chose.
He had the art which some people
exercise to perfection. When he Was
talking, he gave the person with whom
/ the conversation was held the idea
that his whole being was for the time
engrossed in his companion If he
paid compliments to a pretty womal,
she seemed, while present, to be the
one object for which he existed. If he
| arolInd with . scholar his whole SOll