Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-05-15
CHAPTER XVII.

Notwithstanding the excitement OF
the incident in the fair, Sir Heron is
mindful of his promise, and the
Dutchman is allowed to 'eat the
ground as sporting men say.
The sun has scarcely touched the
! tops of the Void elms as the dog-cart
| bowls along the high road to Gresham
| house.
Apparently May has forgotten her
| fright, though her face is still rather
pale, and there is an expression in he1
eyes that is strangely like a faint re,
FICTION OF the look in those OF the
haunted man.
Her hand is still hidden in the pro-
tecting one of Sir Heron, and almost
lnconsciously she has nestled closer
! q Is his side: Not unconsciously as fal
as he is concerned, for the contact OF
her warm arm thrills through him,
Carrie as long since relapsed into
that contented silence which a long
drive after an exciting day usually
produces. - -
So far as she is concerned, the two
OV6IS mISuL UG dlOuS.
Heron glances around occasionally,
and throws her word, and get word
in return, but by bending towards her
he can whisper in Mays ear without
fear of being overheard
Are you happy, my darling?" he
says
The little hand within his hand
closes over his fingers eloquently
Quite happy?"
quite" she breathes.
He looks thoughtfully at the beautl
full face.
II wonder" he says, eff it is possible
for woman to be as happy as man?
| doubt it. don't think it. | don't think
they can be either SO intensely wretch
ed or SO intensely happy. There is
always some make-weight, something
to console them it they are unhappy,
something to detract from their per
feet happiness. l wonder if you could
possibly be as happy as am tonight?"
She looks up at him, only for mo
ment; her eyes cannot meet the pas
sionate love which burns in his.
Are you happy?'' she says.
Happier than / ever thought it pos
sible for me to be, happier than | de-
serve even to be-" he answers, fervent-
ly. May, used to laugh at love-?
Think Of it! used to say that there
was no such thing as love, that it was
all fiction of loving and being loved;
that no two persons could really love
each other with perfect, equal love!
That if a man loved a woman with all
his heart and soul-as l love you, my
darling, she would naturally repay hts
worship with GOODNESS or that she
would prove false. That is the creed
of most of the men of the day. What
a shallow creed it is! I used to thinh
that love, perfect and equal, without
reserve or concealment on one side or
the other, was impossible" and he
laughs.
She looks at him, her eyes drinking
in the beauty of his face, made noble
not by his high birth and patrician
breeding, but by his love which she
she!-had awakened.
"Ah," and he signs. ''To think that
l have lived all these years with that
belief in my heart!--to think that L
should have wasted SO much OF my
life! Bah! it will not bear thinking
Of" an involuntarily his face fiushes
deep red as scenes of the wild past
arise accusingly before him.
"Concealment," he says, mus1ngly;
eyes, there must be some conceal
ment on my part. l could not wish
that the veil should be drawn aside,
and that you should see the follies OF
an ill-spent life. Life! 1t was not life
i did not live until I met you, my
darliLg!"
ooh, mono! do not say that" she
whispers, humbly.