Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-04

| wise; but she isn't. AS she says,
simply does not understand or real
ize.
I'm sorry" she says; "but 1 don't
think it is true
"You think they are all SO fond and
proud of me?" he laughs, with a
faint tinge of bitterness. well, then,
I've other cousins"
"Mr. Temple?" she says.
eyes, Mr.-Mr. Temple" he NUT
ters.
"And what will he say?" she asks,
with smile.
"He? Oh" He stops. Yes,
what will the duke say when he hears
that Leslie has made love-" as he
will put it, to the supposed duke ?
Look here, dearest" he says after a
pause, "why should you or l. care a
brass farthing what anyone thinks or
says? the only one I care about is
your father"
All, papai" she murmurs, and she
pictures to herself Mr. Isles amaze
ment and distress at wha he would
regard as a fuss" and disturbance OF
his placid artistic" life.
! Are you afraid, Leslie?" Yorke
asks.
"I-I don't know. L am all in all to
him, and I do not know what he will
say. He will not be pleased mean
he will see more plainly than do that
I am not fit to be your wife; that
am not suitable for duchess, and he
will say it is so sudden, and it is, is it
not? If he had had little more
time toto get used to it"
LET us give him time" he says.
81 was going to him now straight
away to ask him to give you to me;
but if you think it is better-if you
wish it, it shall be exactly as you
think and wish, dearest. I will wait
Tor little while, until he knows me
better and has got used to me. I
suppose it would startle and upset
him if I were to go now?"
ooh, yes, yes!" she says. "You do
not know how nervous he is and how
easily upset.
81 think I can guess" he responds,
thoughcfully.
AS he has said, it was his intention
to go straight to Mr.. Lisle and tell
him; to go straight to the duke and
announce his engagement; but if Les
lie wishes the announcement delayed,
will it not be as well-wiil it not be
better that he should clear up sun
dry matters in London before the
world hears of his betrothal. Be
out confessing that he has been mas
querading as the duke, and explain
ing way? Before he can do that he
must get the duke to release him
from his foolish greement-which,
foolish as it is, still binds him.
'fWhat shall we do, dearest?" he
asks, looking down at her.
Let us wait, she murmurs. LET
us wait for day or two till my IA
Their knows you better and-and you
have had time to think whether it is
we'll that you should stoop so low"
Her voice dies away. The mere
thought Of losing him is an agony.
eyes," he says, almost solemnly,
eve will wait; but not for that rea-
son, Leslie. I don't want to think
about anything of the kind. As to
stooping-well, you will learn some
day how I love you and how infinitely
above me you are. God grant you
will never repent having stopped to
NE, dearest! Yes, we will wait AT
ter all, it may seem sudden to them,
and we will give them a little time
ito get used to it.
"And meanwhile" she says, with
a smile which is half a sigh OF regret.
IT will try and realize that am to be
a great lady 1t will seem rather
hard at first. There ought to be a
school at which one could learn how
| to behave. They used to teach the
girls how to enter a room and bow
and courtesy so that they might not
disgrace their belongings"
He holds her at arms'length and
laughs at her, his eyes alight with
alteration and love and worship.
1--WE Seen you walk down the street
and across the beach, Leslie!" he
says. "You don't want any lessons in
department. I'm thinking you'll give
some of 'em points and beat them
! easily. Don't you ever look in the
glass? Don't you know you are the
| loveliest, sweetest woman a man ever
went mad over?"
! "Oh! hush, hush!" she says, put
| ting her finger lightly on his lip and
hiding her crimson face against his
breast. you must be blind! But, oh,
stay so, dearest and never never see
me as I really ami"
CHAPTER XII.