Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-11

few days, and then, despite the shrugs
of Rollit's elderly shoulders, Charlie
went into Polly's room, and was
shocked by her appearance, since, for
the first time, her lips had lost their
pretty pink and she looked CHASTITY in
the darkened room with a green
shaded lamp. If he had been fine
observer he might have been puzzled
by her smile when he told her OF
something that he proposed to do. AS
a matter of fact, he noticed nothing
A few days later, with the authority
OF a special license, Polly became
Duchess of Westminster, the two wit
nesses to the marriage being Rollit
and the doctor When the ceremony
was over the young man impulsively
bent down and kissed the dull lips Of
his pallid bride, although she made eff
forts to turn away her head. A mo
ment later ROllit and the doctor were
busy getting him out of the house,
assuring him that the excitement was
too much for the girl.
y
road not half SO happy as bride
groom ought to be. He felt glad and
sorry-glad that he had done what
ne thought the right thing, sorry be-
cause he had done what he knew was
the wrong thing. His heart and hand
had been true to Poll" but he had
broken his promise to the family. At
one moment he was cOmfOrted by the
thought that Polly would die in day
Or two, and consequently no trouble
would come from his chivalrous full
fillment of an old promise; at another
moment the idea of losing Polly
brought tears to his eyes and chok-
ing sensation into his throat. AS he
walked along he took cigarette out
Of his cigarette case and put it be-
tween his lips, but drew it out, with
the idea of using cigarette-holder
just given him by a friend He hap
pened to look at the end of the cigar
rette and noticed that it seemed dirty;
then he observed that his lips felt
rather sticky. He put his handkerchief
to his mouth and wiped it, glanced at
the handkerchief, and saw patch of
kind Of brown grease.
A strange idea leapt into his mind,
followed by recollection Of the fact
that he had noted with surprise when
he put the ring on Polly's finger that
here and was plump and firm. He
walked back hastily, with no definite
thought in his head. When he came
to the road leading past the long
garden at the back of Polly's villa he
turned down it hastily instead of go
ing on to the street which led to the
open, and walked quickly through it
and up the thirty yards of pathway
No sooner had he reached the point
where the path ran to the left than
he heard a sound of laughter, and saw
through the French window of the
garden-room that merry party was
taking place. He ran across the lawn
and for moment was unobserved.
There was Polly, looking the picture
of health, sitting on the corner of q
table in dressing gown; near her
was Rollit, next to whom sat the doc.
tor, minus spectacles and beard-the
Duke recognized him at once as a
burlesque actor; into the bargain
were two chorus girls from a variety
theater. He burst into the room
violently, and, with the utmost
vehemence and scorn, asked: Don't
you think l might have been invited
to my own wedding breakfast?"
The chorus girls shrieked, the
sham doctor swore, Rollit quailed, but
Polly stood up to him.
"It's legal enough, my Lord, for the
law is such fool as not to dissolve a
marriage even if there is trickery in
it, and it serves you right; and yet
Charlie" and her voice softened, 81
never meant you to find out that ii
was a trick. Get out of here, all OF
you!" she said fiercely to the jewellers
and they skunk away.
The Duke stood silent. Charlie,
was always fond of you, and l am. We
are now man and wife, Duke and
Duchess; let's make the best of it
Come let's be friends" and she took
hold of his hands and lifted up her
face towards him. The young man
roughly flung away her hands, and
looking at her sternly, said:
Maybe the law will not set me free
so you will have the title of Duchess
if title pleases you; but we never meet
again" And as he passed out of the
room he heard her shouting: "Come
back, girls! A toast to the Dukes
departure!"