Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-08-11

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afternoon. when Pamela had gone out for
mountain ramble with her maid, to
search for those doubly precious flowers
which bloom with the first breath of
spring. Castellani had seen the young
lady leave the hotel soon after the mid
day meal. armed with her alpenstock, and
accompanied by her attendant carrying
basket She had fondly hoped that he
would offer to join her expedition, to dig
out delicate ferns from sheltered recesses,
to hunt for mountain hyacinths and many
hued anemones; but he observed her de-
parture perdu behind a window curtain
in the reading room, and half an hour
afterward be was ushered into Mrs. Ores
wold's drawing room
II feared you were ILL.," he said, "as I
saw Miss Ransome excursioning without
you"
Il have a slight headache. and felt
more inclined for book than for long
walk. Why did you not go with Pamela
l daresay she would have been glad of
your company. Peterson is not lively
companion for a mountain ramble."
Poor Miss Ransome; How sad to
have to be chaperoned by person like
Peterson y said Castellani, with a care
less shrug. mo, he'd no inclination to
join Ia the anemone hunt Mis- Ran
some told me yesterday what she was GO
ing to do. / have no passion for wild
flowers or romantic walks"
but you seem to have a great liking
for Miss Ransome's society" replied Mil
dred grayely. You have cultivated it
very assiduously since you came here,
and think may be excused for fancy
ing that you came to Pa.fAnza on her &C
count"
vou may be excused for thinking any
thing wild and improbable, because you
are a woman and willfully blind" he an
swered. drawing his chair a little nearer
to hers, and lowering his voice with
touch Of tenderness. but surely-sure-
ly you cannot think that ! came to Pal
lama on Miss Ransome's account?
II might not have thought SO had you
been less frequent visitor in this room,
where you have come-pardon me for
saying so-very much of your own ac-
cord. don't think it was quite delicate
or honorable to come here so often, to be
SO continually in the society of frank,
impressionabe girl, unless you had some
deeper feeling for her than casual admira-
ton"
Mrs. Greswold. upon my honor, l have
Dever In the whole course of my acquaint-
ahce with Miss Ransome by one word or
tone implied any warmer feeling than
that which sou call casual admiration"
And you are not attached to her? You
do not cherish the hope of winning her
for your wifeY' asked Mildred seriously,
looking at him with earnest eyes.
That calm, grave look chilled him to
the core of his heart. His brow flushed,
his eyes grew dark and troubled He
felt as If the crisis of his life were ap-
preaching, and augury was unfavorable
II have never cherished any such hope;
/ never shall"
Then why have you come here SO con-
tinualy?"
DO not ask me that question! The
time has not come"
Eyes, Mr.. Castellani, the time has come.
The question should have been asked
sooner. You have compromised Miss
Ransome by your meaningless assidui-
ties. You have compromised me; for l
ought to have taken better care of her
than to allow an acquaintance OF SO am
biguous a character. But / am very glad
that | have spoken, and that you have
replied plainly. From to-day your visits
must cease. We shall go to the south of
Italy in few days. Let me beg that
you will not happen to be travelling in the
same direction"
Mildred was deeply indignant. She
baI ahoanapad har hucho ,I'c n;aco
dolph Ransome's co-heiress-a girl whom
half the young men in London would have
considered prize in the matrimonial mar
ket; and this man, who had haunted her
at home and abroad for the last seven
or eight weeks, dared now to tell her that
his attentions were motiveless so far as
her niece was concerned.
'Oh, Mildred do not Danish mel he
cried passionately ''You must have I'M
ierstood. You must know that It is you,
and you only, for whom | care; you
whose presence makes life lovely for me,
IN whose absence | am lost and wretched
You have wrung my secret from me. l
did not mean to offend. would have re-
spected your strange widowhood l would
have waited half lifetime. Only to see
you, to be near you-your slave, your
proud, too happy slave That was all
would have asked Why may that not
be? Why may not come and go. like the
summer wind that breathes round you,
like the flowers that look In at your win
dow-patient as old Time? Why may 1t
not be, Mildred?"
She stood up suddenly before him,
white TO the lips, and with cold contempt
in those eyes which he had seen so lovely
with the light of affection when they had
looked at her husband. She looked at
him unfalteCingly. Anger had made her
pale. but thai was all.
You must have nad a strange expert
ence Of women before you would dare to
talk to any honest woman in such a
strain as this, Mr.. Castellani," she said
II will not lower myself so far as to tell
you what / think of your conduct. Miss
Ransome shall know the kind of person
whose society she has endured. | must
beg that you will consider yourself as
much a stranger to her as to me from to-
day"
"You are very cruel" he said; ''but
the day will come when you will be sorry
that you rejected the most devoted love
that was ever offered to woman in order
to be true to broken bonds"
They are not broken. They viii hold
me to my dying hour"
Yes. 10 a mailman and a murderer"