Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-11-27

He pulls his hat straight and draws
himself together, so to speak; then ne
| bends down and takes her hand-the
hand that lies on the lap OF the pretty
morning frock like a white flower.
She does not draw it away now; and
as he holds it. the passion which
raises men to level with the gods
| takes possession OF him.
LESLIE he says, hoarsely, Il can't
let you go! | love you too muchi Looh
at me-speak to me! Unless you hate
me, | must stay and try and make
! you love me! [ can't lose you. You
are the only woman l have ever seen
or known that l wanted badly, and |
do want you. l can't live without
you. I can't leave you, knowing that
il may never see you again. can't!
Look up, dearest-dearest-
dearest! Tell me-tell me straight,
once and for ALL will never come
back and worry you-once and for all;
will you try and love me?'
He takes her other hand-he has
got both now-and lifts actually
lifts her from the tree.
She does not resist him, but let's
her hands tremblingly remain willing
prisoners, and when her face is on a
level with his she raises her eyes and
looks at him.
There must be something in the
dark-gray eyes, something under the
shadow of the black ashes, which con-
tains a potent magic; for at the sight
of it his heart leaps and the blood
rushes to his face, then leaves 1t pale
with an intensity OF supreme emotion
an incredible joy, an amazed delight
"Iesle!'' breaks from him
..Leslie!"
Her eyes meet his steadily yet
shyly, overbrimming with the secret
which maiden keeps-hugs closely
while she cana secret which she is
loath to part with, but which the
loved ones eyes read so quickly.
Leslie, do you-ah! dearest, dear
est, do you love mel"
She tries to Withstand him, to draw
away from him even now; but his pas
sion is too much for her, and the next
instant she is folded in his arms, and
her head lies on his breast.
Sing on, happy thrush! but no
music even your velvet throat can
make shall compare with the music
ringing through these two happy
hearts-a music which shall not die,
though the same hearts may be torn
apart and wrung with anguish
music which for joy or pain, veal or
woe. shall echo through their lives
! till death comes with it's great silence!
But it is of life and love and joy, and
not death or parting, that. the are
thinking now.
He draws her arm within his, as Il
she had belonged to him for years
or. rather, as if he wanted to assure
himself that she belonged to him-and
they pace slowly along the meadow in
the shadow of the trees. Her hat
swings in her hand; her eyes lift,
heavy with love. to his face as ne
bends down to her, his own eloquent
with that devotion and alteration
which fills his heart to overlooking.
And yet, through all the storm OF
passion that stirs in his heart. he has
sense enough to realize how beautiful
she is; how lightly and gracefully she
walks by his side; how perfect
pose of the slender neck, the half
averted face.
This flower that he has found and
plucked to wear in his heart is no
common weed, but a rare bosom OF
which an emperor might be proud.
And she-well, she scarcely realizes
yet what this is that has happened TO
her. She only knows that supreme
happiness novel joy so intense as
to be almost pains thrilling through
her; that at one moment she feels in,
clined to cry, and the next to laugh.
He is hers! she is to be his wife-h1s
wife Oh, what singular dream!
Shall she wake soon-wake to find
that he is gone. and that all that is
now happening is but fantasy-a
vision that will fade and leave her
desolate?
She starts presently and looks up at
him.
Papa! He-he will miss me-won~
der where I have gone," she says.
"How long have we been here?" And
she looks around as if she expected
to see the shades of night falling.
He laughs softly-the laugh of a
man SO completely happy that time
has ceased to be of any consequence.
II don't know. What does it mat
ter? Your father will know you are
all right. He will think you have
gone to the beach-that you are play
ing with the children. How fond you
are of children, dearest!'
eyes, yes" she murmurs.
Il have never seen any one go On
with them the way you do. No won,
der they love you; but l suppose
everything and every one does BY