Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-01-29


now I understand! Oh, yes! l know
why you wanted to die"
Yes was the bitter response;
that's where we women are such
fools. We care; men don't. You
think of your husband, or sweetheart,
or whoever he is, will break his heart
for the loss of you!" She laughed
mockingly. Not he They don't
break their hearts so easily! He'll
get over it and marry another woman
almost before you're-cold in your
grave, l was going to say"
Leslie shrunk back from her as
far as she could, and put her hands to
her ears.
ooh, hush, hush" she painted. 1T
| IS not true! 1t is wicked and false!
I'll not listen to you Oh, forgive
me-" she broke off, her Indignation
and horror softened by the misery
in the white face and dark eyes star
ing so hopelessly at the angry sea.
How you must have suffered-how
you must have loved him, to be so
wretched so indifferentI"
ooh, yes / loved him. loved him
well, as much as you love the man you
are thinking Of"
when did he leave you? Why? Tell
me-" said Leslie, suddenly. LET us
talk-try to forget that it is coming
nearer and nearer, and that we have
but a few more minutes"
Yes, we haven't long," was the
response I've been watching that
rock there, almost in a line with us.
You could see the top a moment ago;
it's covered now When did he leave
me? Only few nights ago. Why:
The old story. He got tired of me, l
suppose; anyhow, he met some one
else
<'And-and-you were to have been
his wife?" breathed Leslie, pitingly.
And you love him? Oh! how could
he be so cruel, so heartless?"
why, men are all like that-all OF
them"
NC, no; not all! they are not all SO
base, so Vile
You think so? You wait Perhaps
your turn will come. But l forgot,
she laughed again. your man won't
have the chance to leave you-There
I beg your pardon!" for Leslie had
shrunk away from her. Don't mind
me, or what I say; I'm half out OF
my mind, I've had no sleep since
since he left me, and I've come long
Tourney and eaten nothing. Yes,
I'm half mad I was a fool to follow
him. l ought to have stayed at
home. But I've got my punishment
"Ycu came after him? He is here
them" asked Leslie in plying Whis-
per. watching the waves as she spoke
Eyes" said the other, with a sigh
Eyes, and I've seen him. I meant to
speak to him; TOTO try and get him
back; but my heart failed me, and
crept out here to be alone. 1t wasn't
only to see him that l came. l wanted
to see her"
"Her?" repeated Leslie, half alb
sently.
"Yes; the woman that stole MIN
from me. But it doesn't matter now
Nothing matters to us two, does it?
How much longer?"
The question drove Leslie almost
frantic with the agony, the anguish
of despair 1t was all very well for
this poor creature-abandoned, de
serted and unhappy. Her lover, her
Yorke. was going to make her his
oh
hours-he would be waiting for her
Yorke. Yorke! her heart called tC
him: and, though the name did not
leave her lips, the voice within hef
seemed to give her courage-to I'LL
her with a fierce, almost savage de-
termination to live
She looked up at the cliff with
straining eyes. 1t was almost per
pendicular and smooth just above
them. but a little farther along there
were a few scrubby bushes projecting
from the surface It was just pos
sible, if they could reach these, that
lthev might, at least, gain some lew
inches of foothold. Just possible.
though the mere thought of the at
tempt made her tremble.
What are you staring up there
for?" asked her companion. You
couldn't climb it if you tried"
NO" painted Leslie; "but we VIII
try"
The other shock her head; but
Leslie seized her by the hand.
Come" she gasped, hoarsely'
Better to try and fail than stand here
70 wait for death. can not wall
Come. hold my hand tightly. We Will
escape OF die together"
AS if she had caught something OF
Ies1ie's desire of life the other grip
ped Leslie's hand.
Come on, then, though you'd have
more chance alone
No. no: together or not at all!
For a moment or two it seemed as Il
| they would be carried off their feet, as
if they had rushed into the arms OF the
death from which they had been
shrinking: but they were both young
and strong. and they accomplished TO-
gether that which would have been
impossible if they had been separate.
Gasping for breath, half blinded oy
LhC