Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-04-24

MOtiOnloSS and silent crushed ana
heartwrung, May sits like statue.
Lady Letchford waits, and looks at
her. and signs and is about to murmu1
a kind word of consolation ano
gratitude but some imp will not per
nit her to let well enough alone, but
impels her to add. as she thinks, the
top stone of the edifice.
my DEAR" she says, Il shall always
feel grateful to you for listening to
me so patiently, and sacrificing your
self to my sons welfare. l am very
grateful very grateful, indeed. l can't
utter the usual commonplace truisms
about speedy forgetfulness, but you
will let me say that 1 hope, that con-
fidently believe, this-this little in
cident in yor life will soon pass away.
You have known each other so short a
time that it is impossible the feeling
that has sprung up can have a very
strong root. And do hope you will
forgive me. l think I ought to tell
you that l have not spoken of my
sons future on mere speculation.
Until you came across his path I hao
strong hopes-and these hopes will
now fiourish-that | shall see him
married to young lady whose post
ton in life will be of the greatest as
sistance to him. / am sure if you
knew more of my young relative, Miss
Vavasour, you would like and esteem
her."
The young girl she is torturing SO
complacently sits writing under her
hand, still SILENT but the eyes, which
she cannot see, have grown harder
and fiercer and the lips, tightly shut
together, are white and quivering.
.But we must not be selfish" goes
on the proud, patronizing voice; I'VE
must not forget the services you have
rendered us. I trust that though any
tie of relationship between us is i'm
possible, we shall be friends, great
friends. And, who knows, we may be
fortunate enough to find more suit
able and happier match for you than
my son could possibly have prov"
She gets no further for with a sud,
denness that causes her ladyship to
finish up as if she had trodden on a
chance nail, May rises to her full
height, and with crimson face and
flashing eyes, with her soft, witching
beauty transformed into the loneliness
of Medea, confronts her.
"Stop!" she says, not loudly, but
low and pantingly, with her small
hand pressed to her heaving bosom.
stop! You shall not-you shall not
say another word. How dare you in
suit me? Was it not enough that you
had gained your end, that you had
robbed me of the only great happiness
l have ever known? was it not enough
that you should humiliate me in the
dust before your proud, miserable,
worldly plots and schemes? was it not
enough that l was in the dust under
your feet? No: You could not be
content, you must-you must trample
on mel"
Painting, she is perforce compelled
to pause for breath, but she will not
let the white and trembling woman
speak yet.
NO." she says; 81 have listened to
you, I have listend patiently to every
listen to me. You came to plead for
your sons happiness; you say that /
shall ruin him and make him miser-
able. What have you ever done to
make him happy? Was he happy be-
fore we've met? I would believe
his word againsC yours. And now,
not content with dividing US, you in
suit me by thrusting another girl In
my face. am to give him up to Miss
Rose Vavasour. I will not do it
will not do it. You say you love nim.
You forget, when you heaped insult
upon insult on rae, that it was pos
sible l, too, loved him. do love him.
and I will not give him up. No!
would have done it for his sake and l
might have done it even for yours,
but''-and a CLEAN of honest scorn
flashes, like lightning, in the bright
hazel eyes-"not for Miss vava-
sour's!"
For moment her 1adyship is too
overwhelmed to retort. With her
mouth wide open-like the most
vulgar of mortals-she stares In
speeches. establishment at the pas,
sionate Outburst, then she arouses her
numbed faculties, and her thin face
grows hard and set, her eyes flash,
not warmly as do Mays. but like colo
steel and she speaks:
$50, this is your decision, you will
not give him up as you so ap>
propriately term it. You have en-,
shared a good parti, and you mean to
keep it. We'll, l can scarcely be
justified in expressing surprise, much
less disappointment I might have
known that the interview would end in
this way. You will not give him up
You intend to be mistress of the
Void, in the fact of the world and his
mother. Take care. You have not
yet gained your end. / would advise
you to hasten the conclusion. Per-