Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-03-28
CHAPTER XXI.
"A rumor spreads,


Two days after the funeral that had
aroused the attention of all Florence,
Horace Temple arrived at the Villa.
Never once since his daughter left
him had he been invited 70 see her.
Lord Vivian had spoken several times
of asking him to the Castle, but Lady
Violante never seconded his wish. She
shrank with sensitive dread from see
ing her father exposed to the quiet
sarcasms of Beatrice Leigh. His
life had passed so quietly, divided be-
tween his literary studies anu his law
book, he knew even less than she did
Of etiquette and ceremony. She pic
tured him TO herself in the staterooms,
shy, reserved, and miserable. All,
no! by no word or wish of hers should
the gentle, kindly, scholarly man be
exposed to all that she had suffered
She was sensitively afraid, too, that he
should see she was but a cipher in her
new and magnificent home. For those
reasons Horace Temple had never
been to Selwyn Castle. He spent a
few weeks with Lord Vivian and Lady
Violante in London when Mrs. Selwyn
and Miss Leigh were away. Once
too. his daughter had been to visit
him, taking with her the heir of the
Selwyns, little Rupert. And Horace
Temple. while he saw the magnifi-
'cence of her surroundings, the luxury
i'm which she lived, looked into her
beautiful face, noted its weary de-
preston, and said to himself that all
was not well.
He never saw Ler again. Lord
Vivian wrote to him at once, but by
some accident The leIlcr was delayed;
and when he reached Florence the
grave had closed over the fair head.
They will never forget the sorrow
of that solitary man; ii gave to him
dignity and self-possession that was
not his by nature. No fear of Beatrice
Leigh's sarcasms and Mrs. Selwyn's
sights now.
They laid due homage to the simple.
truthful character. to the grief that
seemed boundless. In vain they pressed
him. after that long journey, to remain
for a day or two in Florence.
No persuasions could change his
resolution. He said TO himself that
the home from which his daughter had
fed should not shelter him.
Il should like TO see Violante's
grave he said 10 Lord Vivian. And
the master of Selwyn Castle. feeling
humbled. he hardly knew why, in the
presence OF he man who had trusted
him with his greatest treasure, took
him there.
The sun was shining brightly, and
the warm sunlit atr was odcrous with
the perfume OF almond and orange
blossoms: the joyous music of the
singing birds rose shrill. clear, and
sweet to the blue skies; such morning
as makes mems hearts glad with
sense of infinite delight. They pass
ed the calm. deep river, and came to
the sunny cemtery, where the dead
sleep. lulled by Natures own music.
The grave where they had laid her
was under the shade of tall tree
with crimson flowers. The grass had
not grown over 1.-THE soil was fresh
ly turned They stood side by side
the husband and father-too deeply
moved fer words.
Heaven knows" said Horace
Temple. at last, II little dreamed of
such an ending as this to my darlings
bright life"
Nor l." said Lord Vivian. Believe
me, would cheerfully have given my
life for hers"
LAS this may be the last time We
meet" said Mr.. Temple, let me ask
you for the truth. I do not yet under
stand what drove my daughter from
home to her death"
Lord Vivian raised his haggard face,
and the morning sun, shining on it,
showed the deep lines that care and
sorrow had craven there.
she was not happy" he replied,
but, as | am true man, can hardly