The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-01-20
II love YOU" 49,.
Marguerite looked at him mourn.

ton. True, love you, too, but only
as brother, infinitely dear, devoted
friend and comrade. l have never
thought that some day you might be
something more.'
! He gazed at her rapturously.
Il suppose so, but now that yo,l
know my dearest wish is to be united
to you, do not deprive me of all hope
until you are certain that you cannot
! respond to my love-"
Have you spoken to my father?''
asked the young girl.
eyes, and he approves my wishes.
He will be happy, he said, in a union
which will bring me nearer to him.
But that must not influence you, Mar
guerite. Wait until your heart speaks.
Perhaps it will not remain insensible
to the language of mine."
II will give you my answer in a
month"; replied Marguerite de Ker-
| gariel, who had become grave and
thoughtful.
A week passed; Marguerite was Sc
cretly watching Georges and beginning
to become accustomed to the thought
of a marriage with him. She knew
that he was kind and loving, and he
seemed more attentive now that she
looked rat him more closely and with
different eyes. Surprised by charms
of mind and person which she had not
noticed before, her heart was gradually
opening to love.
Georges OWNED the change, and his
JOY was reflected in his face.
But one evening M. de Kergariel
disturbed his peace of mind.
The two men were pacing up and
down the terrace. 1t was a cloudless
night, and fresh breeze, blowing from
the sea, brought the salt breath of the
| waves.
II received a letter this morning
from my old friend, Nine. de Millery,"
said M. de Kergariel. "You know her;
she is distant relative.
"She is coming to spend q few days
here, and will arrive tomorrow. She
adds that she will be accompanied by
a young man VIII was a ward of her
husband, to whom she is much at
tached.
''I1e has no property, but she will
leave him her whole fortune, and be-
lieves that he would be an ideal hus-
band for Marguerite. What do you
say?"
II say" replied Georges vehemently,
that these are very useless complica-
tons, and l hope, uncle, that you will
avoid them. You need only tell Nine.
de Millery that she is wasting her time
by trying to marry off Marguerite,
since you have the man whom you de-
sire for her,
Impossible. I don't wish to vex
Nine. de Millery. She would never for
| give me if your marriage did not take
| place. I could write only in case
| Marguerite accepted you. Then I
! could announce my daughters ap-
! proching marriage and all would be
| settled.''
Marguerite requested months de-
! lay, uncle"
'Try to obtain her answer sooner"
"She would have reason to be sur
| prised at my urgency, and should not
| like to tell her the cause"
"Then you must understand that,
! under these circumstances, l cannot
| refuse to receive Nine de Millery and
| her friend. If Marguerite will not mar
ry you, she must make another choice.
| Come, my dear Georges, courage:
J m m
Georges made no reply. A dull sense
of anger oppressed him. He feared the
stranger.
The morning of the following day
Nine. de Millery reached the chateau
accompanied by Raoul de Villiers, the
young man mentioned in her letter.
She also brought her maid and de-
testable pug dog named Coquette, from
which she never. separated.
She was a woman of 60, extremely
kind, but SO excessively vivacious that
she seemed to fill the quiet dwelling
with noise and hustle A great beauty
in her youth, she was now almost
hideous, owing to her efforts to con-
ceal, by art dyes, 1.-The irreparable dam
age of the years.
M. de Kergariel, who had known her
in her prime and even at one time in
his life had been somewhat captivated
by her, was full of indulgence for all
the whims which, after all, scarcely
disguised the genuine goodness of his
old friends heart
Raoul de Villiers, whom she treated
like a spoiled child, had a very fine
figure and a most pleasing face. Tall
and fair, with blue eyes, whose ex-
preston was sometimes laughing
sometimes cold and keen, he made a
deep impression upon Marguerite. Blu,
he had shallow heart, and the young
girls principal charm in his eyes was
the amount of her dowry.
Georges and he instantly hated each
other.
There was an actual duel of SHARP
words between the two young men
whenever they were alone.
| Marguerite still hesitated.
Raoul perhaps pleased her more thar
Georges. He shared her tastes, hal