Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-11-02


OF Westshire, three Palliser bows. enioy-
ing Their holidays from Eton, Lord Fair
oanK himself, and two maiden ladies who
were Diana's cousins.
Diana showed special favor to Sybil
bringing her forward on every occasion
and the girl was delighted.
But the baroness waited until tba eve
OF hugh,s arrival to speak of what was
IN her heart, for she did not want her
words TO have time to lose their effect.
Ihey We're bidding each other good
night IN the hail. There had been a
beautiful sunset. and most of the guests
mad sauntered through the grounds in
twos and threes. Miss Ashworth was
not among them; she had retired early.
The baroness was for the moment talk
ing to someone, and Sybil, waiting to say
goodnight, was playing with the white
Persian cat through the spindled balus-
trade Of the oak staircase.
Presently the girl ran up the first shall
low steps and held the scarf over the rail
trailing down into the hall. The sight az
the talr young face maddened Diana
when she reflected that Hugh found it
fair too.
Sybil," she said, moving forward with
slnuous grace, may come to your room
tonlghtE | don't seem to have had any
opportunity of talking to you for DAYS.
we will dismiss our maids early"
Syol laughed merrily.
\ Drnsh my own hair. baroness" she
said. Clarke is only for Cousin Anne"
Then | viii brush my own too to-
night. Wen have a hair brushing tete a.
tete"
Oh that viii be splendid" said the
young girl enthusiastically.
When Sybil reached her own room she
DOTTED her white evening dress and donned
pretty dressing gown of the Dalesf
olue' then, taking out the pins from her
halr' let 1t fall in ripping clouds down
to her waist.
1t was moonlight, and she did not draw
the blinds, but stood for a time looking
out through the mullioned windows at
the silvered landscape.
tomorrow Mr. Chantley would be here
Just a few short hours and she would
see him. She had seen him three times
during the past few weeks, once at the
theater, and twice at the earl's court ex.
hlbition. She felt he was not Indifferent
to her, she could not help feeling it, his
lace, his voice, his words all told the
same story. She recalled an interrupted
conversation, the very last time they had
met, and hurried sentence in a low
eager voice-"When we meet at Palliser
Hall | have something to ask you"
PerEap~-the thought was too daring:
she turned away from the window and
heg1n to pace the room.
The ceiling was low, and heavy oaken
beams supported It On one of these was
carved "Alys," with date "1565.. AS
the girl passed up and down. she wove a
romance about Alys. Had this been her
rooms Did she too look out in the moon
light and dream golcen dreams? Did she
ever long for the morrow that was to
bring face she loved? Was she beauti
fulf Perhaps in the misty mirrors in
the recesses of the deep fireplace her
form had been reflected.
SybiPs first question when the baron
ess tapped at the door, was of Alys.
baroness, do you know who Alys was
the Aiys whose name is carved on the
beam here 2"
Eyes poor girl, sit down and I'll tell
you about her"
Dawson, Diana's maid, brought in a
tray wit some chocolate and a plate of
biscuits.
"Sybil dear, ] thought you would like
some chocolate. With half-past 7 dinner
get quite hungry by half past liz.
Thank You, so 90 l. That will be
nice"
Now" said Diana, 81 must tell YOU
about Alys.7 As she spoke she leaned
back in her chair
ooh, please, do!n said Sybil, eager for
romance.
"This house, as you know. was built
in the reign of Elizabeth, and Alys was
it."
"Was she beautifulT''
The baroness knew nothing of any
Alys, and was inventing this story for a
too credulous ear, the more easily ito
point a moral afterwards. The heroine
might as well be beautiful as not.
Eyes" she said thoughtfufly, "she was
very beautiful. Her father wished her
to marry the middle aged Earl of Holder
nesse, but she had already fallen deeply
in love with her cousin, Sir Humphrey
MERTON, of MERTON Priory-you renem-
Der, we passed it driving yesterday"
yes" said Sybil breathlessly, %and
which did she marryH"
wait The cousins met by night and
she told him she must do her fathers
bidding"
"She should not have done it, said
Sybil, mot for fifty fathers"
"You must remember that pressure
was brought to bear on her, terrible
pressure What was one weak girl
against fathers iron will"
Then she married himf"
Eyes. The servfA was over, the ring
was on her finger, the bride went away
ostensibly to change her dress, for they
were to drive to the ear's castle forty
miles away. Her maid thought she was
still lingering with the guests, and the
bridegroom imagined that she was with
the maid preparing for departure"
"She had gone to meet her lover for
the last time" said Sybil in low tone.
yes, you have guessed rightly. They
mt in the wood, and in despair they
drowned themselves in the little stream
that runs through it.
ooh, dear. oh, dear" said Sybil, look
ing up at the name, carved deep on the
beam, what sad story"
ffSvo,, .,,ax xxaIl eovv oh daarV and vo4