Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-04-22

One evening he was pacing UP and
down the beach, thinking. He had
strange thoughts for company nova
days. His moods were as contradic-
tory as the winds that shifted half
a dozen times a day He was an
enigma to himself
Suddenly he felt the presence OF
another Without looking about, he
knew that Sybil Leith was near him.
What brought you here?" he cried,
presently, wheeling about to face
her.
Il came because | couldn't help
coming" she answered. Il saw you
coming this way, and felt compelled
to follow"
Compelled to follow, The thought
was one that gratified the mans pride,
| because it told of the extent of his
influence over her. He was her mas
ter. And how much the mastery of
such woman meant. The thought
sent the blood tingling to his finger
tips.
A swift thought of Griffith Deane,
as he had seen him last, trying to
| stupefy the ache of his heart in bout
of drunken revelry, came to him, and
| his face hardened under it.
Answer me one question, and an
swer it honestly, if you can" he cried,
! in almost brutal harshness. You
love me-isn't that 500"
| She lifted her eyes to his face with
a look in them that he had never
seen there before. The hand that she
pressed against her breast as if to
still the tumult of the heart beneath
! shook like a leaf in the wind. She
seemed trying to speak, but no words
came. But in her face, and in every
gesture he thought he read admission
of the truth She did love him!
81 am glad of it," he cried, and his
voice had hard, cruel ring in it.
Now you will know what men have
felt when you won their love for the
sport of it-what poor Griffith Deane
felt when you lured him on to de-
struction, and laughed at him for the
pain it gave him to find out the
truth"
Don't you love me?" she cried.
Have you deceived me, lied to me?
o, the shame of it! And you mani"
Her voice had a ring of scorn in it.
Then the momentary anger died out
of her face, and she covered abiectly
before him Have pity, have pityi'
she cried. IF men will love me, can
| help it?"
Have you ever tried to keep them
from it?" he asked. ANY woman
can make a man understand how far
it is safe to go, if she will. Do you
know the pleasure it gives me to
know that I can make you suffer as
your victims have suffered?"
She sank upon the sands, and COW
cred her face with her hands. He
turned to go. He dared not trust him
self to stay.
20 be merciful!" she cried. Hate
the woman I was, but have little
pity for the woman l am. Kiss me
once Just once!-before you 60
Leave me the memory of that one
kiss to keep for all time to conie.
may live to be old-so old"
He paused a moment, wavering.
The thought came to him that the
woman he had waged warfare against
was dead. This was another woman.
And she loved him!
20 come back" she cried. Come
back long enough to tell me that you
have a little pity for me. viii not
the thought of what have lost, in los
ing you, be punishment enough to sat
isfy you? Come backbone back"
In that moment there came to Main
waring thought of the future.
Through all eternity he would hear
that cry ringing in his ears if he re-
fused to heed it. He dared not face
such a hell as that would he. And
she loved him!
He strobe to her side, remembering
now only that love was sweet. He
bent down to her and cried as he did
so:
Il have come back! 1 thought l
was master, but l was wrong. Love
is, Sybil; l am ready to forget every
thing but this-I love you! / would
give up heaven for you. My darling,
my darling!"
Then she lifted her face from her
hands and looked at him. And in her
| eyes was such look of wicked tri-
umph as he had never imagined it
possible for a woman to show. 1t
was like the smile of a serpent.
you love me, do you?" she cried.
Il thank you for the greatest pleasure
| of my life in that confession. Know
this, John Mainwaring-yo have been
dupe in spite of your strong mind
and powerful will. l nave made your
heart my plaything. have forced you
| to confess yourself vanquished. o, it
has been rare SPORT"
And again that heartless laugh rang
across the sands. To John Mainwar-
| ing it was the knell of death to hope,
but love, though wounded unto DEATH
could not die. That was the bitterest
thought of all in the hour of his
utter defeat