Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-06-16
CHARTER wi.

lake at BrantOme Park"
The words seemed to fly from one
to fly from one to another-the very
air seemed to catch them and carry
them along.
One of the keepers, on going be-
tween four and five in the morning
to look after some waterfowl fancied
he saw something strange on the lake
"a light paper parcel floating as Cue
wind blew. He took a long pole and
drew it toward him, and on opening
it, found that it contained a skein of
fine blue sewing-silk, such as ladies
use in embroidery. Further down,
near the fountain, something else was
stirring in the water. This too he
drew out, and found it to be lady's
handkerchief of fine lace, with
deIicately embroidered monogram, the
letters of which were &c. R."
In one moment he understood. He
had heard of the missing lady as he
walked from his home to the park.
He had met two of the Culdale men
servants searching, and the three had
stopped and talked together for some
time. At first they spoke seriously,
and wondered what accident had be-
fallen her; but, after a.. time, one OF
the men remarked cerelessly that it
was a case of "Jock o. Hazeldean"-
that the missing lady was a most
beautiful woman, and there was no
doubt a lover in the case. They hau
parted with a laugh. the servants
going back to Culdale, and the keeper,
John Thorne, going on to BrantOme.
The man stood dazed and bewildered
as he held the handkerchief in his
hand.
"She is here!" he declared. She
has not gone with lover, or lost her
way. She is drowned in this lake.
May Heaven forgive our light words"
It was but lie work of a moment
to get into the boat moored close by
and row across the water to the
fountain, and but little time elapsed
before his suspicion was confirmed
that the missing young lady lay at the
bottom of the lake.
ThOrne FASTENED toward Culdale,
and when half way there, he met
Lord Culdale, with two or three
gentlemen, and told them the terrible
news.
His lordship looked at the handker-
chief, with it's finely embroidered
monogram of &c. r."
GLADYS Rane!" he gasped. But
how, in the name of Heaven, could she
have fallen into the lake at Bran
tome?"
They fastened to the lake, and soon
raised the body, and laid it reverent-
ly on the stone terrace. The face
was calm, even smiling. Perhaps,
Heaven was good!-her last Thoughts
had been pleasant ones. The .ex-
quisite features and the ripping
black hair were almost as they hao
last seen them. They were strong
men; but, as they looked on the Teir
dead woman, tears filled their eyes.
A hat that Lord Culdale recognized
as Miss Rane's lay on the steps, just
where it had fallen from her hands
Something very thin and light chung
around her. It was like a gOssamer
web, and, in raising her, one of the
men tore it hastily and flung it upon
the bank, where it lay unnoticed.
The alarm had been given at Bran
tome now, and the servants came
motion, Angela asked the housekeeper
what it meant, and the answer almost
summed her.
There has been terrible accident
Miss Charles" replied Mrs. Bowen.
Zone Of the ladies who had been stop
ping at Culdale has been found
drowned in our lake,"
GA lady from Culdale?" Angela
questioned; and then Mrs Bowen told
Ser the whole story as she had heard
it from the servants--how one of the
visitors at Culd&e, a very beautiful.
lady, had been missing since yester-
day afternoon, and had been founu
drowned in Brantome lake.
What was the lady's name?"
Angela asked in voice quite unlike
her own.
The housekeeper replied that she
was not quite sure-it was either
Dane" or "Rane;" but she knew that
London beauty.
Il am going down to the lake, Miss
Charles" she added; come with
me-" and Angela went.
She was bewildered and incredulous.
1t could not be Gladys Rane, she tried
to convince herself She had been
with her on the evening before, and
had left her we'll and strong. What
should bring her to Brantome? What
had led to her death? How we'll she
remembered her sitting under the
shade Of the trees! AS she thought
of their meeting, the dark lovely face
seemed to rise again before her.
Surely Gladys Rane, with whom she
had spoken so lately, was not the girl
who had been found drowned.
Angela had never felt any respect
for Miss Rane; but she would have