Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-12-19

if she means to engrave every line on
her heart, then she thrust the letter
in her bosom and came back to the
fire.
Stephen turned and with a low cry
of alarm at sight of her altered face,
moved toward her; but she put up her
hand to keep him back.
Altered Not only in face but in
bravery. A minute ago she had been
q gentle-hearted, suffering, tortured
girl, now she was an injured, deserted
woman.
Thanks she said, and the words
fell like ice from her lips. you spoke
of an explanation. Will you tell me
all you know, Stephen"
"Pray-not now,' he murmured. "To-
morrow"
But she stopped him with a smile,
awful to see in it's utter despair and
unnatural calmness.
'Now, please"
TT it is too easy of explanation"
said Stephen hoarsely. "He was tempt
ed and he has fallen. He has bartered
his honor for gold. Ask me no more"
Una drew long breath
ct is needless she said "You mean
that he has left me, because am poor,
for Lady Earlsley, who can make him
rich"
Stephen turned away and sighed
heavily.
Una looked at him for moment,
then sat down at the tea-table.
"You will have some tea?" she said
calmly.
Stephen started and looked at her.
She had taken up the cream ever
with an unfaltering hand. Great
Heaven! could it be possible that she
love Jack after all! A wild feeling
of exultation rose within his heart.
THANK Heaven!" he murmured,
you can meet such treachery as it de-
serves-with scorn and contempt"
She looked up at him with a strange
out tea-cup. But as he came near
her, the cup dropped from her hand
with crash, and she fell back like one
stricken unto death.
That same evening, Lady Bell stood
in the drawing-room of Earls Court.
She was richly dressed, more richly
than was usual with her; upon her
white neck and arms sparkled the
diamond set which she wore only on
the most ecial occasions. The room
was full. Four or five of the country
families had been dining with her, and
the buzz of conversation and sound of
music rose and fell together con-
fusedly.
Surrounded, as usual, by a little
circle OF courtiers, she reigned, by the
right of her beauty her birth, and her
wealth, a queen of society.
Brilliant and witty she, so to speak,
kept her devoted adherents at bay,
her beautiful face lit up with the smile
which so many found SO falsely fasci-
mating, her eyes shining like the gems
in her hair. Never had she appeared
so beautiful, so irresistible.
Regarding her even most critically
enc would have assented to the propo-
sition that certainly if any woman in
the world was happy that night it was
Lady Isabel Earlsley.
And yet beneath all her brilliance
Lady Bell was hiding an aching heart.
Half the country was there at her feet,
and only one of all her invited guests
absent, and he poor, tireless, ne-er-
do-well But Lady Bell would will
ingly, joyfully have exchanged them
all for that one man, for that scape-
grace with the bold, handsome face
and frank, fearless eyes.
Since midday she had been expect
ing him. Like Una, her eyes had wan
dered to the clock, and she had told
the minutes over; but he had not come,
and now, with that false gayety Of
despair, she was striving, fighting hard
to forget him.
But her eyes and ears refused to
obey her will, and were still watch
ing and waiting, and suddenly her