Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-06-29

A Broken Wedding Ring
Continued.
By Bertha II. Clay.

9EsAA MAAaA1WH AAA1 mus W1A@ aA1 81 =
their even-sOng, the low chanting of
the waves sounded musical in the dis
lance. / could not rest. rose,
dressed myself, and stole quietly down
the stairs and out into the garden and
round among the trees, where
should be hidden from sight, and
could enjoy the sweet evening air at
my will. was very weak. very Ill.
The fresh-scented air, for which / had
IOnged so intensely, sent me TO sleep.
I DO not know how long I slept there;
but wnen awoke the moon was shin
ing. and heard the sound of a
woman's voice sObbing in great dis
tress. raised my head, and saw a
scene that has haunted me until the
memory OF Il has driven me 10 write
this. did net listen purpOsely but /
could not get away; IL was 20 me as
though I were present at a death-bed.
The sObs were Hettie's and she was
bidding farewell to your lover, Leah
Basil Carlton. She loved him-ah,
me. how we'll, And he spoke up like
the honest. frank, noble young fellow
he Is. He told her how he had dTifted
uncOnsciOusly into love for her, that
he was bound in honor to marry some
one else, and therefore he must go.
Leah. give heed to my words.
10 not know why Sir Basil asked you
% marry him. I am sure that il was
not because he loved you. ! am sure,
too, that he acted in all loyalty. He
came down TO SOuthwoOd and saw
your sister quite accidentally; he fell
IN love with her without knowing il.
Hettie loves him with her whole
heart. and viii love no one else while
she lives. They parted in sorrow and
tears, both loyal, both honest, both
true. Whether they will meet again
know not-I leave that with you.
The doctor has told me today that
have not many weeks TO live, and that
nothing can change my fate. Leah,
1 cursed you: do this which l ask,
and that curse viii fan harmless to
the ground. When am dying, ] shall
send for you. and may be able to tell
you this. When / am dead, ask Sir
Arthur Hatton to take Hettie home;
il viii be safer, far better for her:
can see Il now. And. Leah, II you
would te truly noble, truly generous,
4 you would make a glorious atone
ment for your selfish choice, II you
would rise far above the level Of
ordinary womanhoOd. If you would
change a curse into a blessing, IL
you would do that which will bring
music, and beauty, and brightness
into two lives. give up your lover 10
Hettie. and let her wed him.
DO not think am heartless: but,
when look at Hettie, when l think Of
her devotion and love. when / think of
her tenderness, and remember that
those ere qualities YOU can live with
out, urge upon you TO resign your
lover, and let him marry Hettie.
''f-and my heart does not de-
ceive me as to what you will do-if
you decide upon this, you must act
wisely; for. IL either OF them suspect,
the suspecting one viii not accept the
sacrifice, however much you may de-
sire 70 make Il. Your desire in this
world is to shine: you prefer bril-
fancy to love. Love counted as moth
ing 10 you when a stranger offered
you wealth. Hettie would shun the
brilliant glare Of your life, and would
care only for love. You will wonder,
Leah, when you have read this,
whether have written II from
motives Of love or hate. From love,
] always thought you had something OF
the heroine in your nature-now 1
sive you a chance Of revealing IL. II
may map out your life. should say.
Marry for wealth and position. where
your beauty and grace will be ap-
preciated, where your pride will be
looked on as an additional ornament
no not even seek the sweeter. softer
consultations OF life; they will be OF no
use 70 you
She had reached the end OF the
iette~. but her senses were confused.
Her brain was daZed: she could not
think or realize her position. Her
whole soul was STEPPED i'm the horror
OF jull despair. Slowly she again
turned 10 the letter and re-read il
line by line, word by word. The fire.
light, with its. red. Pickering fame.
tel on the white pages as she did so,
and on the desOlate face Of Oencne.
II was her sentence of death: IL was
the warrant that cut her or from an
that was bright and beautiful in life.
The two whom she had loved and
trusted had betrayed her. Granted
that Basil's betrayal had been IN
cCuscious-that he had fallen in love
without knowing it-he should have
told her. He should have trusted her,
and have let her decide.
Il should have given him his free
DOM" she said. with a great fearless
sob. I should have set him free"
And Hettie. the fair young sister
whom she had nursed back from the
very arms Of death? All, well. she
could not say that Hettie had be
trayed her. for she had learned 10 love
him without the faintest suspicion as
TO who he was: but. when she saw