Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-04-09
CHAPTER yII.-fContinued.l

| hduBe DuuDaFs pefliudeiohsls. ~ WI
me, dear, or | shah be puzzling my brains
all night to remember"
mo. no. says Beryl, hurriedly. What
does 1t matter? Let me forget | was
ever 50 foolish"
HAS your opinion changed so entire
| IL, then?'' asks Mrs. Dunbar, in some
| surprise.
YES" she answers, very low; 'he has
been such a good friend to me--so
thoughtful, so patient, so true. IL hate
myself when l think how once misjudg-
ed him"
A vague uneasiness comes into Madge
Dunbar's eyes. She had not expected to
see her friend 50 moved by her testing
| words. Knowing Beryl as she knows her
| knowing, too, the emptiness Of her life,
| the utter W ut Of sympathy between her
| husband ana herself-she feels sense
| Of disquietude at these warm words Of
| praise for another man.
! He is certainly very nice" she says,
| thoughtfully Il wonder why he hasn't
married"
Il asked him once says Beryl, with
a curious, faint thrill at her heart as the
| magic lantern slide of memory showed
her that pale, sweet twilight when she
and Ivor had paced TO and fro under the
| trees, aud he had answered her question
with SO sad and hopeless a voice.
"And what did he say r. asks Madge,
with her eyes still on Beryls face.
HE had once cared for a woman very
| dearly, but she--died."
There are plenty of others" says
| Madge, somewhat scornfully; Il thought
men were never faithful to shadows"
Il told him So" answers BeryI softly,
''but he said he conld not care for the
others. Il is a pity; he would make
such a good husband"
'Oh. he viii marry some day" says
Madge lightly: he must, of course.
There is the Court, you know, to be kept
in the family. He will bury his romance.
and turn out a quiet, well-regulated Brit
ISL paterfamilias--se If he doesn't"
Il hope he will be happy" Beryl an-
swers. looking straight into the fire with
eyes that have grown strangely wistfll
beneath their dusky lashes.
why should he not?' asks Madge
brusquely. Don't run away with the
idea, my love, that men care more for
romance than reality. Prose is a much
more comfortable and reliable thing than
poetry, just as solid food is infinitely bet
ter for the palate than olives and sweet
meats Romance should be taken as a
sort Of grace before meat we know it's
necessary, but we feel very glad when
it's oyes-~men especially
Are you growing cyniealT' asks Beryl
with a faint smile. 1T doesn't seem TO
suit YOU You were romantic once, you
know. when you fell in love with Cosmo."
II dare say" laughs Mrs. Dunbar,
| lightly; that, too, is q necessary evil.
Everyone falls in love and we are oil
gods aud goddesses. and angels and he
roes, to each other. until marriage comes
| to put US right and show us We are only
very moral after ALL But, as | said be-
| fore, it Is more comfortable stage to
arrive at just as the plain food is the
most wholesome. though it may not look
50 nice"
Il have had no romance in my life,
| says BeryI somewhat sadly, so | ought
to be- happy and comfortable enough.
| was very happy once she adds her
/ lips quiyering. and a lnomentary dimness
shutting out the dancing fire flames from
her gaze. Il suppose one can live on
memory, though. Does that come with
in your definition OF plain food, Madge:'
My dearest cries Mrs Dunbar,
throwing herself on her knees beside the
slender figure, whose sorrowfIi face is
suddenly hidden from her eyes pardon
| me if hurt you. Indeed. did not mean
TO waken the old pain. Will nothing com
! fort you or make it Oh. lei
Nothing" sobs Beryl, as her head
drops on her friends shoulder in sudden
abandonment Of the grief that over
wheIms her. Il can't forget, and / can't
be happy. ana ! see nothing to look for
ward to in the futurc-it is all SO hope
less aud dcsolate and dark"
Two hours later. when Beryl Marsden
swept snto the dining room-a queeuly
figure in black velvet, win diamond
stars in her rich hair, Made looked at
her. and watched her meetiug with Ivor
Grant with irrepressble curiosity.
But they were. to all outward seem
ing. only two weli-bred, handsome peo-
pie, pleased at meeting eaca other un-
| expeetedly,
What curiosity, howevg~ leep or fear
filled, conlG pierce into the mans heart
or hear its wild and painful tl,robs as the
| well-remembered music of tie voice he
loved fell upon his ears; or who could
read that fair, sad woman's face and
know its soft content came from that in.
ward inexplicable feeling of perfect rest
fulness aud JOY, that only one presence
in this world had ever had power tl
bring?
Oh, blind human eyes, that look upor
the surface of all life, and think your
selves so wise. happy is it for you tha
you see not into The depths below tha
you cannot read the woe ana strife. tn,
passion and despair, that stride into you
midst, and play their part on to the bit
ter end,
Captain Grant. viii you kindly tax
Mrs. Marsden in to linnerg'
In silence Ivor gives his arm. in 81
lence Beryl takes il. How can she tel
that he is saying 70 himself with the yer.
pathos Of desperation
Il have avoided her summed her, re
fused even 20 spend Christmas AT III
p Court, because | was SO sure she woul
be there. and now-I End her at my side
Heaven help me, what use to struggle
it is fatew
CHAPTER VIII.
Vaux Abbey was charming place +;
stay at
Everyone lid just as he OF she like,
b and that delicious sense OF liberty an
{ good-humor peryaded the cstablishmci
h which is essentially necessary to the 81
joymcnt of country hoase The part
assembled was a very pleasant on
There were some pretty and delightf
Il Ia, "a