Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-12-23

Babb. He saw our dear, sweet Eve
daily, and love for her swelled in his
heart; he formed the strongest reso
iutions, and plated them with the
toughest considerations, and stamped
and wedged them in with vigorous eff
rose and burst over it and carried all
away
Mr.. Jordan was touched by the al
fusion to his dead or lost wife, but not
in the manner Barbara intended
I have heard continued Barbara
that Ewes mother was brought to
this house very i'll, and that you cared
for her till she was recovered. Was ii
in this room? Was it in this bed?'
She heard low moan, and saw the
white hands raised in depreciation, or
in prayer.
Then you sat here and watched
her; and when she was in fever you
suffered; when her breath came sc
faint that you thought she was dying
your very soul stood on tiptoe, agon
lied. When her eyes opened with
reason in them, your heart leaped
When she slept, you sat here with
your eyes on her face and could not
withdraw them. Perhaps you took
her hand in the night, when she was
vexed with horrible dreams, and the
pulse of your heart sent its waves
OF Lot IN Or frn1,hI0d
heart. and little by little cooled that
fire, and brought peace to that unrest
Papa, I dare say that somehow thus
it came about that Eve got interested
in Mr. Jasper and grew to love him.
I often let her take my place when he
was ill. You must excuse dearest
Eve. It was my fault. / should have
been more cautious. But l thought no.
thing of it then. knew nothing of
how love is sown, and throws up its
leaves, and spreads and fills the
whole heart with tangle of roots
In this last half hour Barbara had
drawn nearer to her father than in
all her previous life. For once she
had entered into his thoughts, reused
old recollections, both sweet and bit
ter-inexpressibly sweet, unutterably
bitter-and his heart was full of tears.
Was Ewes mother as beautiful as
our darling?'
o yes, Barbara His voice shook,
and he raised his white hands to
cover his eyes, Even more beautiful
And you loved her with all your
hearth
L have never ceased to love her. 1t
is that, Barbara, which'-he put his
hands to his head and she understood
him-which disturbed his brain.
But he said, suddenly as waking
from dream, Barbara, how do you
know all this? Who told your
She did not answer him, but she
rose, knelt on the stool, put her arms
round his neck, and kissed him. Her
cheeks were wet.
You are crying Barbara
4 am thinking of your sorrows,
dear papa
She was still knee1ing on one knee
with her arms round her father. Poor
papa! l want to know really what
became of Ewes mother
The door was thrown open.
Yes; that is what have come to
ask, said Jasper, entering the room
holding a wax candle in each hand
He had intercepted the maid, Jane
with the candles, taken them from
her, and as she opened the door. en-
tered, to hear Barbara's question. The
girl turned, dropped one arm, but
chung with the other to her father
who had just placed one of his hands
on her head. Her eyes, from having
been so long in the dark, were very
large. She was pale, and her cheeks
glistened with tears.
She was too aStoniShed to recover
herself at once, dazzled by the strong
light; she could not see Jasper, but
she knew his voice.
He put the andlesticks-they were
Of silver-on the table, shut the door
behind him, and standing before Mr.
Jordan with bowed head, his earnest
eyes fixed on the old mans face, he
said again, Yes, that is what ! have
come to ask. Where is Ewes mother?
No one spoke. Barbara recovered
herself first; she rose from the stool
and stepped between her father and
the steward
1T is not you,' she said, who have
right to ask questions. 1t is we who
have to call you to account
For what, Miss Jordan?' He spoke
to her with Difference certain tone
of reverence which never left him
when addressing her.
You must give an account of your
self she said.
I am just returned from Buckfast
leigh he answered.
And, pray. how is your father who
was dying?' she asked, with curl OF
her lip and CULVER of contempt in
her voice
He is WE'LL replied Jasper. I was
deceived about his sickness. He has
not been ill. I was sent on fools er.
rand