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

hanging about the old man till he has
got as hysterical as girl. What do
you think could be wrong? Every
thing was as correct as it could be
family lawyer, who made out the will,
and all the rest of it,
"Then you think the squire was
wandering in his mind at last?"
That's it" said Jack. HE want
ed to provide for me-to leave me
something, and he fancied he'd done
it, It's often the case, isn't it?"
1--WE met with such cases." said
Leonard.
anything to drink?'' he asked, abrupt
ly, as it he wanted to change the sub
ject.
There's some whiskey-"
Jack mixed himself tumbler and
sat on the edge Of the table, and
Leonard Dagle leaned back and
watched him.
There's something else, jack" he
said, "Out with it; what is it?'
What a fellow you are, Len. You
are like one of those mesmeric men;
there's no keeping anything from you.
Well, I've had an adventure"
"Ah adventure?"
eyes, I'm half under the impression
that it's nothing but a dream. Len,
I've seen the most beautiful-the most
Len do you believe in witches? Not
the old sort, but the young ones
sirens, didn't they call them; who
used to haunt the woods and forests
and tempt travellers into quagmires
and bitches. The innocent-looking
kind of sirens, you know. Well, I've
seen one!"
Jack, you've been drinking; put
that glass down."
"Have I? Then I haven't. Look
here" and he told the story of his
wanderings in Warden, and all it had
led up to.
'How's that for an adventure?' he
said, when he had finished.
1T would do for a medieval ro-
nance. And she has gone, you say?"
"Clean gone," said Jack, with sigh
and long pull at the tumbler. Gone
like "a dream, you know. How is
that for an adventure? You don't be-
lieve in them, though
Leonard Daglc looked up, and there
was a strange, half-shy expression in
his face.
"You are right, Jack. l didn't till
the day before yesterday"
"The day before yesterday? What
do xO,,
"Simply that I, too, have had an
adventure"
"Seems to me that we're like those
confounded nuisances who used to
meet on a coach and tell stories to
amuse themselves. Go on; it's your
turn now"
Mines soon told. After you start
ed for Hurst Leigh I got a letter from
man at Wermesley-''
"Wermesley!" exclaimed Jack.
why"
Eyes, it is on the same line. He
wanted me to go down to look over
some deeds, and I went. l took
return ticket and got into the last
train When I got into the carriage
I went first on the strength Of the
business saw a young lady-mind,
young lady-seated in a corner. 1t
struck me as rather odd that young
girl should be travelling alone at this
time of night, and I shifted about un-
til could get good look at her. Jack,
you're not the only man that has seen
beautiful girl within that last week"
Beautiful, eh?" cried Jack, inter
ested.
Beautiful in my eyes. The sort of
face that Cleopatra might have had
when she was that girls age. I never
saw such eyes, and l had plenty of op-
portunity of seeing them, for she
seemed quite unconscious of my pres
ence. Jack, I'm a shy man, and I'm
often sorry for it, but I was never
sorrier than I was then, for I'd have
given anything to have been able to
speak to her and hear her speak.
There she sat, looking like a picture,
quite motionless, with her eyes fixed
on the flare of the lamp; and there
sat and couldn't pluck up courage to
say a word. At last we got to London;
they came for the tickets, and she
couldn't find hers. I went down on
my hands and knees, and at last
found the ticket under the seat.
looked at it as I gave it to the porter;
and where do you think it was from?"
Jack shook his head. He didn't
think it much of an adventure after
Una and Warden Forest
you'll never guess. What do you
say to Hurst Leigh"
Hurst Leigh! Why, who was she?
Somebody I know, perhaps"
81 found my tongue at last, and said,
you have had long journey. Husrt
Leigh is a beautiful place. And what
do you think she said?'
Jack shook his head.
"She said, don't know. I have
never been there before today That's