Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-01-23

and will, your uncle thinks, he able to
control Gabriel without his being aware
of it."
Il am very thankful he is gone. was
thinking last night that unless some one
went with me, | shouldn't dare % 80 out
of sight Of the house.
Alice now mentioned to her aunt what
she had overheard while sitting at her
chamber window. Search was immedi-
| ately made for the will, the paper they
opposed to be referred to. Mrs. Wal
we.th thought that she could at once lay
her hand upon it. where her husband
kept such papers. 1t was not in the place
where they expected but they imagined
that Mr., Walwor'h had taken the pre-
caution to remove it to a small drawer
which they found locked. and The key
gone. 1t vas decided to remove the desk
! re Mrs. Walwo9tiis bedroom
| The sun was something like three hours
| past the meridian, and Alice, with her
/ eyes fixed on a page Of a book, wa sit
/ ting in the shade of the old maple. She
/ did not hear the light footsteps stealing
up behind her. and when an arm was
| suddenly thrown round her neck, she
/ started 10 her feet.
| Mildred" said Alice, you did wrong
| to brighten me So
/ Il was far from intending il, but
/ ought to have considered that you hadn't
/ yet had time to recover from the terrible
| shock you received yesterday The grim
Gabriel has always realized my idea OF
! an ogre and | almost begin 70 think that
| he is one"
| They wandered away slowly in a direc-
/ ton where they could keep in the shade
Of the trees
"Harleigh has left us since l was here
I last said Mildred
Yes" replied Alice, in an absent man
ner, for Hareigh's name brought 10 mind
what he had said TO her respecting Mil
| dred.
Mildred seated herself on the roots Of
an OAK, which were covered with veIret
moss. and drew Alice down by her side.
And this" said she. taking hold of
the ribbon encireiing Alice's neck, and
suddenly drawing the get1 attached to it
from its hiding place, is HarIeigh's
gift"
Il never said that it was
There was no need. l knew. though
gem Of great price, that it wasn't for
its intrinsic value that you treasured it
so sacredly How very beautiful. Allow
me 10 remove it from your neck single
minute. so that l can the better examine
it."
Mildred did not wait for the permis-
sion to be given, but uuclasping, held it
so that it caught the fash Of sunbeam
which kndled into life its varied and in
tensely brilliant hues. The next moment.
she removed it into the shade, when its
yiyid colors at once faded into cold, ashen
gray.
"Mutable as mans affection. said Mil
dred 1T makes me sad 70 look at it.
| believe, Alice, we're in your place,
| should hesitate to wear it. But must
restore his love token. Even il il be an
i'll omen, you will persist in wearing it,
l aupPosc'
II don't see why it should be an i'll
omen" replied Alice, as she put the rib
bon round her neck and clasped it,
Mildred took hold Of the clasp for a
moment. as il to examine it. When she
removed her hand. it was touched togeth-
er so slightly that the least motion would
cause it to fall apart. Mildred rose at
the same time that Alice did, and the
next moment she had the satisfaction OF
seeing the gem lying on the ground. Alice
passed on, aud Mildred, under pretense
of gathering some vioiets fingered n little
behind which gave her an opportunity to
put the opal in her pocket.
Zone Aice' a'h Iooh so grave, SAID
Miufed' at tue same ume Offering her
some Oh her Nio'ets- am, own, some
times Il little super~titious, but l should
not try to excite a similar feeling in 9TH
/ ers. Forget what have said. And yet
And yet what; said Alice, fading
she hesitated.
Well. then-but | won't repeat what
I've heard; tbs vile SANDER
IF against Harielgh. | can better bcar
to hear 1t, II It be false, than il ii were
true.
1T is possible thar yoH have heard Har-
leigh mention the Lady Hester bcigh-
ton y
Il have frequently.
But not that she is ready to heStow
her hand on him for tbs asking
Il never G.d.
''Sor that an earI's corouet win grace
his hrows il he should ask her haudt"
How can that be-
simply because it is promised him az
Lazy Hcster's suit. There is no time
now 10 enter into al explanation Of the
affair. II is enough 10 Know that there
can be no doubt OF its truth Rut when
people presume to 50 further, and say
that, for the sake Of the cor-euys he will
not hesitate to marry he Lady. I can
only say that if like tne they had seen
NE E. Ii lTsa,tt