Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-05-09
CHAPTER WI.

Smile az the claims OF long descent;
H0we'er il be, it seems to me,
It's only noble 70 be good;
Kind hearts are more than cOrOnets,
And simple faith than Norman
blood"
Twelve O'clOck-the hour strikes
tro1a ~bcrnlaigh church tower; the
we've servNgs seem TO cleaye the sun
dt air. warm with sunshine, odOrous
with the breath of flowers. The rosy
children have gone home from school;
the room is empty now, the windows
open. The sound of merry voices
comes from the far distance-laughter
and song-tiny childish trebles In
highest glee.
The pale. sad gOverness, with trem-
bling limbs and quivering lips has
gone out again into the garden. The
cottage seems small and narrow; she
can not breathe there. Only under the
vast expanse Of the summer sky can
coming today. There is no time for
she find rest. Her nerves. so severely
tried. are all on the stretch now.
Master Rupert is coming today with
rules" How little the proud, state
~ woman who had uttered those words
knew TO whom they were addressed.
And this Master Rupert, the heir of
the Selwyns. the future lord of this
broad domain. was her own son, the
gOlden-haired babe whose head had
lain on her breast, whose sweet eyes
had known her before they recognized
any ether. whose little fingers had wan
dered so lovingly over her face and
neck. whose silver-sweet voice had
called her mamma" and brought tears
of unutterable happiness in her eyes.
The same COY who. on the banks of the
Arno had lavished loving caresses up
on her. who had wOrshiped her despite
the sneers Of Beatrice Leigh. The
same child by whose little white bed
she had knelt on the night Of her fatal
flight from home. He whom for long
years she had believed she should
never see again until he stood among
the angels OF God.
And now she was 10 lock upon his
face again; 20 hear him speak, to see
the eyes and the lips that had been
said TO resemble her own. When his
eyes looked into hers. would there be
any recognition in them? Would the
NOudrOus mOther-love she bore him
that mighty. tender passion-awake
any emotion i'm him when she gaZed
upon him2 Had he dreamed Of her
since he believed her dead. and would
the dream beray her? What would
he be like. this brave young son Of
hersg How well she remembered
the gallant face and figure. so like 10
that OF the old cavalier. Rupert
Selwyn- How well she remembered
the day he lay a tiny nesting babe in
her arms. and the first great pain had
smOte her because she was lOt allow
ed TO give him her fathers EGme.
Pity her; the gentle loving mother,
whose whole heart yearns with hun
cry desperate love for the child who
believes her dead. Did ever summer
sun shine on one so sad, so desolate,
so utterly alone? There among the
ereen trees rose the proud towers Of
the grand old homes he had aban-
dOned: there in that lCrdly castle lived
the husband she had loved. yet had
left. There reigned the woman whose
petty prosecutions. whose taunts and
sneers had driven her forth TO die.
There. too. lived the child for whom her
heart yearned so wildly. What had
she doue2-what had she done? It
was too late now. She must live and
bear IL. remembering it was by her
own act e was done. Well might
burning tears rise TO her aching eyes
while she cried 70 Heaven for mercy,
when her most fatal error mad in one
sense closed the gates OF mercy upon
her.
He was coming tOday-but when
would he come? Would it be in this
warm. fragrant nOCntide; I'm the sultry
afternoon; OF in the evening cleaning?
Surprising il 10 be soon. he must not
find her i'm that fever OF despair. So
she bathed her face I'm cool water. and
went TO the gate that led into the high
road.
Picture a long. winding road, Dor
dered ON either side by tall trees, with
0verhanging branches, the hedges
brilliant with wild rose and woodbine.
with climbing fox-glove and strawberry
blossom. the thick. leafy branches
meeting in some places. twining their
giant arms so as 10 form a shady arch,
the sunlight falling through and casting
quaint, graceful shadows on the
ground. Then through the sunlit
foliage. under the moving boughs Of
the tail trees. a handsome youth, with
eager eyes and clustering hair. rides
slowly along. looking sometimes at the
sky above him. and sometimes at the
blooming flowers. A gallant, princely
boy. with the face Of a cavalier. and
the frank. grand smile Of a crowned
king.
As he comes riding over the shadows
under the trees. the watcher by the