Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-04-06
By Bertha III. Clay.

bound in honor TO Leah, he should
have been more careful about Hettie.
he knew now that he had loved Hettie
at first sight; he ought not TO have
yielded TO the temptation of seeing her
a second time. When he found that
morning. noon, and night the fair face
with its halo of golden hair haunted
him, he should have known the
reason.
He stood face TO face with this one
fact at last-that wealth, title, fame,
q andeur, nothing that earth could
give him was of any value unless with
it he had the love of Hettie Ray. He
was in despair.
Who Is 1t that directs this power
we call lover" he asked himself. why
can not love the woman I must mar
~? Why can / not marry the woman
/ lover"
Looking forward through the posi-
BILE years of a long life, he saw no
CLEAN of brightness; there could be
no happiness in a future unshared by
Hettie Ray. He was not the first man
who had stood confused and embar-
rased on the threshold of life-nOt the
first 10 go through that terrible strug-
gle between duty and inclination from
which no man perhaps, altogether
escapes. What would he have said or
thought had he known that the two
girls between whom ne was so curl
ously placed were sisters? He thought
himself already the sport of fate. Ii
ne had known the truth, he would
have believed himself cursed by fate.
He began to wonder what Hettie's
feelings weie-if she cared for him;
and then his conscience reproached
him. He knew she did; he had read
her love in her eyes on that night wnen
everything was changed between
them. If he were but free! 1t seemed
almost unmanly, but he could not help
the bitter sob which rose 10 his lips.
He knew that the present state OF
things must end. that he must make
up his mind with respects TO some
immediate course of action. He must
not play with FIRE, he must not daily
with temptation. he must decide az
once which way NOhOF lay.
That same evening. after dinner. the
duchess proposed that they should
spend an hour in the picture-gallery.
which ran half round the house and
was one of the most magnificent parts
Of il. The Dene collection of pictures
was considered one of the finest in
England. Portraits of the Rosedenes
of many generations hung there with
pictures by the old masters and by
modern artists. White marble statues
and jardinie.es with costly flowers
filed the numerous recesses; while
comfortable seats were interspersed
here and there.
The duchess sat in a lounging chair
of crimson velvet, watching the pretty
g.oups scattered about; but there
were two among the guests upon
whom her eyes chiefly rested. One
was a tall, graceful girl draped in
palest amber, half covered with black
lace; diamonds shone on her dark
head. on her white breast, and on hec
beautiful arms She carried a fan
glittering with jewels and made of
pale amber plums; her dress was cut
afte- the fashion of an old Venetian
picture. and with the diamonds at her
breast were some scarlet passion
flowers. She formed a perfect picture;
and so many of the gentlemen pres
ent seemed to think. for they haunted
her like shadows. Shadows, too, they
wee TO her. for she saw only Sir
Basil: her eyes never fingered with
interest on any one else. She had been
walking up and down what was called
the south gallery with Sir Basil, and
the duchess saw with annoyance that
while Leah's whole soul shone in her
eyes and trembled on her lips, he was
distant and preoccupied.
THE man who has won the love of
such a woman ought to be proud o.
her" she thought: but If wee to
express my ideas on the subject,
should say that he looks most decid-
edly bored"
II was true. All the brilliancy OF
Leah's beauty, her grace, her wit, the
touch of genius which made her diff
ferent from others the ve.y lavish
ness of the love she gave him, tired
him. He knew that the position was
pitiful. that it was cruel; but he could
not help it. As he walked by her SIDE,
the shining amber robes and the light
of her diamonds contrasted unfavor-
ably with the pale blue dress and
sweet face of the girl whom he loved
so dearly.
Basil" she said, Il am sure you
are not listening to me; your thoughts
are elsewhere. Do you know what
Lady Fanny Curtiss said about you
today?"
Lady Fanny is so very uncompli-
mentary. hardly care to inquire,
laughed Sir Basil.
she said that you looked like one
of the Gunpowder-Plot band-that you
wanted only a slouched hat, a large
cloak. and a lantern to make you
perfect cohspirator."
What called forth Lady Fanny's
IL H.