Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-04-13

" covered Win name.
Look" cried Hettie-"how beauti-
full" For with the roselights came
shadows of the richest purple. The
sun seemed TO sink into the water:
the day was dead.
Sir Basil turned to her, wondering
in his own misery at the light on her
fair face.
Il came to tell you something, Miss
Raw" he said Il know it will in
terest you. / am going away"
He purposely avoided looking at
her. If he had seen the sudden
change in her face, the deep anguish,
he would not have gone at all. She
made him no answer, for the simple
reason that her lips had suddenly
grown mute.
at have business that compels me
to leave" he said, land l come to
say good-by tonight"
The western wind seemed to grow
chill Hettie's heart was heavy with
pain and fear. He had been so much
TO her. and her life was so cherries.
She thought of her sick father and
her hard work, of her joyless, love
less life that he had so suddenly
frightened. She thought of the
happiness that had been hers so
short a time, and then, with pas
sionate burst of tears, she cried,-
do not go away"
Il must" he said, briefly. There
is no choice left TO me. | must go"
He saw the fair head bent until it
rested on the ivy-leayes. He was
only human, and he could bear no
more. He drew closer to her.
"Hettie," he said-'let me call you
Hettie for the first and last time
tell me, why do you shed these tears?
Are they for me?'
Il am sorry you are going" she
sobbed.
Are you really so grieved as
this?" he asked. "Oh, Hettie, can il
be true? What am l to you? Why
should you carer"
1T is quite true that you are moth
ing to me, but you have been kind
to me, and my life is so lonely"
His heart beat fast with the great
ness of his temptation. IL was
stirred to its very depths by her fair
loneliness, her love, and her bitter
tears. He constrained himself with a
desperate efrort-"Death before dis
honor!" Great drops stood upon his
brow, and his limbs trembled. The
mad thought come into his mind: il
but for once he might take her in his
arms, kiss her face, and die!
Il am glad TO have been able in
some small way to comfort you,
Hettie," he said; but the restraint he
placed upon him was so great that
his voice sounded stern and even
harsh.
Perhaps" she said, looking up at
him through her tears, you will
come again; you have been interested
i'm my poor father. You have enjoyed
your visits to our home. You seem
TO have no enforced occupation, and
TO be able to please yourself. You
will come again?"
HE could hear how her breath
caught at every word. There was
nothing for it but to tell her the
truth, and then she would see that
he must 60 The autumn wilma
moaned; all the light had gone with
the sun; gray shade had crept over
the sea; the waves rose and fell with
mournful wall which was the fore
runner of a storm.
"Hettie, / will tell you the truth"
he said. Strange that there should
be a scene like this between us-who
were strangers some weeks since
and you do not even know my name"
NO" she said; / have never hearo
il. My father always calls you Glen.
1t is singular, Tut in that first hour
that we talked together l felt as
though | had known and trusted you
all my life"
81 need never tell you my name,
Hettie. We must part tonight, and
we must never meet again. Do not
cry, dear. II is harder for me than
for you"
She chung to his arm, still weeping.
He felt the quick beating of hei
heart, and he stopped yet another
minute before he said the fatal words
which must part them for ever. He
felt in that moment that, if this grief
of hers were caused by him, he de
served any punishment.
"Hettie, listen to me, dear. How
we have drifted into this matters but
little, whether / have been blind or
careless matters less; the fault must
Re mine. | ought to have resisted
the first temptation. After l had
seen you that first time in church,
ought never to have seen you again.
My sense, my honor, my conscience,
tell me So"
''But why?" she cried, in amaze
ment. Il do not understand you.
Tell me why"
Because l am engaged to be mar
ried, because l am bound by the most
solemn pledge: and. because of this
promise, I must 60"
why" she said, in faint, low
h.