Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-09-29
CHAPTER XIV.

=
at is such great rtty," he would
say, that you should be hampered
with this horrible marriage. What is
he like, this worthy young tradesman
who is content to leave one Of the
lcveliest women in England, While
he looks after his money in American
'sYou do not know why he went
away" she said.
He laughed witho an air OF great
amusement
"U9on my word, Ianthe," he said, Il
believe that you sent him away your
self because you were ashamed OF
him"
''I am not ashamed Of him-he is
the noblest man have ever met"
mot now, perhaps; but ne would
never stay away all this time unless
YOU had ordered it. What is he do
ing? My leave. of absence will have
expired before he returns, so shall
not see him
"He will not lose much by that" re-
torted Lady Ianthe "You will-tor you
might take a lesson in good manners
from him with great advantage"
81 shall begin to think that have
been mistaken, and that you are in
love with our good friend after all"
Should not wife be in love with
her husband?" she asked.
81 suppose So. but rumor says he
failed to win your love-"
''Then rumor speaks falsely" she
said, angrily.
And then she thought bitterly OF
what she had exposed him to-of the
sneers and taunts and ridicule-this
chivaIrous man who had laid his heart
at her feet.
But the time was coming when even
the mocking laughter of Wyndham
Care should be hushed, and he would
speak of Herman without sheer.
1t was summer time, and letter
came from New York, written by a
strangers hand, telling how Herman
Care lay sick unto DEATH and that
there was little or no hope for him.
He had wished that his friends should
know. Not that he intended or de
sired to disturb them; they were not
to make any attempt to see him or
send to hint would be useless, for it
would be too late. He had purposely
refrained from sending his address, SO
that they might make no vain search
for him. Even Wyndham's sneers
we're hushed as he heard that letter
read.
There was inclosed note for Lady
Ianthe She took it to her own room
she could not open it before others
When she had broken the seal to her
great surprise there fell from the note
a faded spray of lemon-plant And
then she read:
'Ianthe, my darling wife-l dare to
write to tell you once more what is
passing in my heart, for believe that
My. prayers are heard, and that | am
dying at last, Oh, Ianthe, once, only
once more let me tell you how I love
you! [ have been wandering now fol
several years, yet my heart beats al
the memory Of your face, at the
thought of you at the sound of your
name, with love as wild and as fierce
as ever. For at times utter your
name aloud Oh, my darling wife
you will never know how 1 have
loved you!
Looking back, see that | was pre-
sumptuous. Believe me, | loved yor
so much that / was blind to every
thing except the one wild hope of win
ming you. thought you would forge
caste prejudices-that time would
soften them-that my great devotion
would win your affection. Now I see
that that hope was all in vainAutterly
vain; the distance between us was
too great to be bridged over-yol
could not care for me, Ianthe. L
was all my fault. I reproach myself
most bitterly that I did not accede tt
your reqUest-that I did not like {
generous man, help Lord Care, anC
refrain from making your love the re
ward. I was selfish to do it; I can see
it now. I repent with a bitter re
pentance. A woman's love should
never be made a reward for service
rendered. Ianthe, it was my great
love that made me so selfish. Viii
you forgive me! I wish I had acted
differently. I should at least have haC
your esteem-now I have nothing.
81 have been very unhappy during
these three years-unhappy because
saw that my folly had darkened youl
life. Oh my wife, pray to Heaven
that you may be happy yet-that wher
I am gone you may meet with some one
whom yoUcan love-some one who will
make you happy. I pray that you may
retain but one memory, and that may
be of my great love. Forget all else
forget that I failed in generosity, forget
that I was presumptuous-forg
everything except that I loved you
truly
'Ianthe, I have been happy once
since our fatal marriage-on1y once
and then I lay, tired and sleeping, in
my favorite room I thought that you
stood by me. You bent over me