Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-02-04

brain. Now II was smothered in the
whitening embers."
Cynthia had leaned her elbow on her
knee, her head on her hand. and was
looking into the glowing fire with
great, burning, feverish eyes. She
started when her companion spoke to
her.
"You must surely have come to some
decision by this time, dear. Do you
6hink she Is really Laurence Lisle?"
Yes" she answered deliberately. II
dot
III Is kismet!' my lady murmured.
at is Gods wilt" Cynthia respond
ed. reverently.
do you mean that?" she cried, with
more emotion than the speech In the
question appeared to warrant. do
you really believe that the fact OF her
coming to Blackcastle Is to be o n
sidered as an act OF providence? Re
member, I speak. supposing she Is
whom she says she is-Laurence
| Lisle."
Il don't see what very great differ
ence that makes. 1t seems no strang-
err 10 me that she should be at Black
castle than /. We, neither of US, have
really claim here"
"You havel" Lady Darlington inter-
posed, quickly. "You are the child Of
my oldest. dearest friend!"
The girl gave a swift, upward glance.
"And she" In O lone OF grave, sig
nifcant reproach, was to have been
you sons wife!"
'For a few moments utter silence
| reigned.
what I meant" Cynthia resumed,
"was to deny that 1t was an idle fate,
and that alone, which grasps the
threads of many lives, and weavcs
| them In the selfsame strand"
"And when I said 1t was destiny, .
meant All, you will not understand,
Cynthial" she cried suddenly. Il VIII
tell you'll will tell you now, that
which | promised TO repeat one week
from Christmas Eve. 1t is a long
| story-a strange story-a sad story!
will make it brief, and clear, and
light az may be-"
Cynthia slipped from her low seat
to the SOFT rug, ard half-kneeling half
| sitting, leaned against her companion.
She clasped her slight olive hands In
idie fashion, and resting her arms on
ny lady's lap, lowered her head upon
them.
"Well. dear, to 60 way back over
years and years and years, to the time
when l was a girl! l am an Italian,
and | come OF a race known. and hon.
ored throughout Italy-a race fierce,
wealthy, powerful. proud OF Its ancient
glory, proud Of Its stainless e~scutcheon,
| proud of its dauntless men, It's noble
| women. And at the age OF sixteen |
was left orphaned, the last OF the
| grand old name. l. a mere child, left
maintain that old pride OF lineage, to
maintain that boosted. storied honor.
I'VE were in Venice just then. and
there we remained, with me the WON
an who had nursed me when a child,
! new my duenna. One year-two, slip
| ped by, and I began to think the world
Was not such a bad place to live In.
after all. began to cast aside my
scmber garments, to dress gaily, to go
out a good deal.
II was young. you must remember.
OF ~irreproachable ancestry, with the
boarded wealth Of centuries under my
foolish hands. So they made much of
me-the great people Of Venice.
II had been brought up In a seclu-
sion SO complete as to be almost I'M
prisonment, and this strange sense of
freedom, this new revelation Of life,
held for me q charm irresistibly beau
tifui.
"It was then, while I was still rev.
cling my sweet independence. and
flushed with all the glowing Joy Of
ycuth--it was just then | met the man
who changed the current OF my life
forever-Ciiye Darlington!
IL remember so well lam I wearying
yet, dear?--old memories are SO
strong to-night) the first time we met.
1t was a summer evening. and | was
out with a merry party on the Grand
canal; and our gondola, bright with
dainty dresses, and r~ich-leaved flowers
and colored lights, represented, In its
gay freight, the young nobility and
grace Of Venice.
"A white moon qui,ered slowly up
the blue Venetian sky: and we drifted
or. with song and laughter, under the
grim and royal homes Of the Foscari
and the Cavalli, past the stately cam
penile OF ST. Marks. past the palace Of
Tie Doges.
Suddenly a gondola flashed out
from beneath the Rialto bridge and
sped by US. One Of our number rec
ognized a friend in the boat which had
Just passed ours. and he hailed him.
The gondoliers drew their crafts to-
gtther. The occupants Of the gon-
dole hailed proved to be q party Of
young English tourists. Mutual intro
| auctions followed.
IAN old Italian lady-my chaperone
for the time b~elng--turned to me.
".Let me present to YOU she said.
Sir Give Carringtonl'
HE stood up and bowed low. He
was about thirty then-a TAN. broad
s~houldered. handsome young English
man.
Il noticed the quick fash OF admirar
tion which lit his blue eyes a. be nav
| mo was fair IN look ~ - -