Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-01-15
'. LeSIie'S LL-L
0 Loyalty ; :;:"::
Continued.

He had pondered over what ne
should get, and had at first naturally
thought Of ring; but he had re-
membered that she could not wear it
without attracting notice and Ques-
lions, and had decided on locket.
The man showed him some, and
Yorke selected plain one with an
initial Il" prittily worked in base
relief.
While he was paying for it, the shop
man, who knew him quite well,
brought forward a tray of diamond
ornaments.
"The newest designs, my lord" he
said.
Yorke shook his head, but even as
he did so, Ffnetta flashed across his
mind. He looked at the bundle or
notes; he had plenty of money; she
had behaved remarkably we'll; she de-
served a present, parting gl-,. He
would give her one.
He knew Finettas passion for
diamonds, and comforted himself with
the refectiOn-a sorry One-that they
would console her for the loss of him.
He was not long in choOsing-not
half so long as he had been in select
ing 4eslie's locket-and purchased
pendent. It cost him a hundred ana
thirty pounds.
Shall send them, my lord?' asked
the man.
No." said Yorke. III take EN-.
Put them up simply in a box. I'm
going to send them through the post.
The man inclosed them in couple
of wooden boxes and bowed LORD
Auchester out.
Orke went home, end straight to a
drawer in which he kept odd things,
and, after some amount of rummag ine
found a carte de visite portrait of him
self. --e sat down, lighted a cigar,
and, as neatly as he could, cut out the
head of the portrait and fitted it in the
lOcket, wrote on slip of paper, From
YOrke," and laid them aside. Then he
took a sheet of paper and dashed off,
in the charming scrawl which boys
acquire at Eaton--and never lose-the
following note:
Dear Fin,-Will you accept the en-
closed and wear it for the sender's
sake, and in remembrance of the
many delightful times we have spent
together? I though of you nearly all
the way home last night-it was aw-
fully lakeland shall never forget how
good you have always been to me.
Think of me sometimes when you wear
this trihe, and don't think too I'm.
kindly. Yours, Yorke."
1t was foolish note, but he would
be a wise man who could write a
prudent one under such circumstances.
Of course a wise one wouldn't have
written at all; but Yorke was not
famous for prudence.
He laid the not beside the beautiful |
diamond pendent, wrapped, like the |
locket, in tissue paper, and was put |
ting them in their respective boxes |
when Fleming came in.
Lord Vinson, my lord" he sad.
"Oh, ask Lord Vinson to wait a
moment. There's a midday post for
the country. isn't there?"
Yes, my lord" said Fleming. Can
I help your lordship?" for Yorke was
hunting about for a string and sealing
wax.
Moves. Here, wrap these boxes
up in the thickish paper and seal the
string. Mind. this, No. ], goes in this
box, and that, No. 2, in that box.
Understand"
Yes, my lord" said ieming; and no !
doubt, he thought he did but when he
brought them back from the side
table at which he had been packing
them, and Lord Yorke asked him
which was No. 1, Fleming, the usually
careful and correct, handed him No. 2.
And so it happened that, when, a
few minutes later, Fleming walked
off with them to the postofice, the |
locket with the portrait, but with
Finetta's letter, was directed to Fin
eta, and the diamond pendant to |
Leslie.
CHAPTER XVII.
To Leslie the days seemed to go by |
like a dream during Yorks's absence. |
She thought of him every hour, but |
she had scarcely yet realized all that |
had happened to her.
If Francis Lisle had not been utterly
unlike the ordinary run of parents he |
could not have failed to see the change !
that had come over her; but he was
too absorbed in his painting to notice |
the difference and, indeed. if Leslie |
had appeared at breakfast in domino
and mask, or sat during the meal with ;
an umbrella up, he would very likely
have failed m see ANYTHING exfraOr-
binary in the occurrence, and It rather
suited him than otherwise that Leslie
should sit beside him perfectly silent,
with her hands folded in her lap, eyes
fixed on vacancy, and a dreamy smile
on her lips.
But if Francis Isle was blind, the
duke was not His keen eyes noted