Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-05-07


GIRL said Lucy, in confidential
whisper, which seemed to make
them more intimate They are all
good, and so we are both as happy as
we can be-"
81 mean my fellow-teacher; my prin-
cipal," said Lucy.
81 am very glad you are so happy.
Do you know, had been on the point
of visiting your school,
"You?" said Lucy, opening her eyes
with surprise.
YES" he said ct belongs to a
lady who is a friend of mine. She is
kind enough to let me see to some OF
Rer business matters"
"The kindness seems to be on the
ether side"
Well" he said, "let us say we are
both kind. l was going to explain
that she had asked me to do some
thing in connection with the school. l
forget what it was now"
Perhaps it was the roof" said
Lucy, eagerly. ct is rather bad in
one or two places, and the other
morning two or three spots or water
came through. Oh, hope 1t was the
roof"
ct must have been," he said, with
due gravity; "and 1 will see that it is
put right at once. Is there anything
else that wants doing, Miss-Miss
Lucy, l think you said your name
wasp
Yes, Lucy SOmes,' she said, think
ing hard, and trying to remember if
there was anything else wrong at her
beloved school. MOO, l don't think
there is anything else the matter, ex-
septing the roof"
Perhaps | had better come and
see for myself" he said, in a matter
Ot-fact way.
Are you-an architect" Lucy in
quired.
mo; l am nothing nearly so clever.
/ am an ordinary business man, very
hard worked, and very glad to run
away from the city and into the fresh
air"
'Ah, yes; how you must enjoy it,"
Sdlu Lucy, VIII q pchC1CI4S AlCIAS
sigh, ito get away from the crowd,
and the heat, and the smoke"
SO they talked, and as Ralph Dun
combe listened to the sweet young
voice it seemed to him as if there was
a power in it to soothe his weary,
restless spirit; and when Lucy sud-
denly exclaimed, as If she were quite
surprised that they should have
reached the spot so soon, why, here
is the corner!" he pulled tire horse
up wit evident reluctance.
TN drive you around to the school,"
ne said; but Lucy declined, and so
earnestly that he could not persist.
He lifted them down, and cut short
Lucy's blushing thanks.
1T is I who ought to be, and am
very much obliged to you, Miss
Somes," he said, 'fOr you have made
one part of my lonely drive very
pleasant. l hope you won't be any
worse for your wetting."
"Oh, but 1 am as dry as a bone
and so is Jenny" said Lucy, blushing
still more. Good bye-and you will
not forget the roof"
mo, no but I must come and see it
myself"
For the first time in his life Ralph
Duncombe found himself thinking
tenderly and wistfully of some other
woman than Leslie Lisle.
When Saturday came around again,
he remembered that he must go
down to White Place to see Lady
Eleanor. He had the horse harnessed,
and drove along the road, light now
with the autumn sunshine, and every
inch of the way he thought of Lucy.
Wen, in the afternoon, he reached the
sorner were he had set her and Jenny
down, he pulled up, stared straight in
front of him for a moment, then sud-
denly turned the corner and drove to
the school, and his heart beat as it
had not beaten since he said goodbye
to Leslie as he saw Lucy's girlish
figure in the garden. She wore
plain cotton frock; big sun-hat,
much battered and sunburned, was on
her head. and the prettiest and most
useless of rakes in her hand. She
almost dropped this apology for a tool
when she saw him, and the color ran
up her cheeks as he came to the gate.
You have come to see the roof?'
she said.
Yes, I have come to see the roof
he said.
He had forgotten all about it; but
he could scarcely say he had come to
see her.
Il am so sorry" said Lucy; but
my friend, the principal, you know-is
out She does not often leave the
huse and garden, even for an hour,
excepting to go to church; but 1 per
suaded her to go down to the village
this afternoon. 1 am so very sorry:"
so am I. May I come in?"
"0h vac rlpaSoi" Said nov srpu+