Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-04-21

/ Il
only wear them sometimes don't know
why put them on to-day. But I'm glad
now, because you can see them. Mother
gave them to me. They are pretty, aren't
/ they! She pauses, but is so taken up
with her delight in her jewelled toys that
| she does not notice how he lifts his head.
that has been lowered, and makes an
effort as if to speak-an effort beyond
him for the moment.
I'm AFRAID says Adare slowly, and
with his very heart dying within him at
having TO say this awful thing, that
your mother had no right to give them
to you,
Her eyes now fill with surprise. There
is no anger yet, only surprise.
No right?"
Think what you will of me" says he
desperately, II must tell you the truth.
Those rings belong TO the jewels that your
that Sir Lucien is looking for"
"Oh, no, no, no." cries she eagerly,
passionately, asaif with intent of staying
his next words You are wrong. quite
wrong my mother gave them TO me.
They could not belong to the jewels that
are lost She gave them to me the very
night before she died. Would she give
them TO me then-and to me-a mere
child-if they were not honestly her
own?'
He is silent. 1t is perhaps the most
dreadful moment of his life. How can
he speak?-how reassure her? His ST.
lence strikes to her very heart.
You don't believer cries she. in a
| ba1f IT.
then. Take themr' She pulls them from
her fingers, and dashes them with a SUI
perb gesture of scorn, and righteous an
ger. and conscious innocence. at his feet.
They roll round and round but by a
most marvellous chance do not reach any
! of the many crevices<in the old and brok-
en- flooring.
Let me speak ~
mo. Not one word. Co. Do you
hear? COP
Not till you hear mel" He stands
doggedly before her. He is fighting. as
he knows, for his life.
| Il will not hear you. Why should /?
What are you TO me? A month ago 1
never even heard of you care nothing
at all about you. Indeed, you are less
than nothing to me!'
rs that trueW says ae; and then
suddenly catching her hands, 81 don't be-
| lieve it"
mop she laughs aloud. Such a mis-
cradle laugh. What do you believe?
Neither in me, nor in my father, nor my
! mother. Not even in your uncle, Sir
Lucien, who has been the cause of this
last insult. Did he employ you? Did
he send you here? Are you a spy?" The
smile, now dreadful as her words, is still
upon her lips, and she is facing him
bravely, defying him. with all the cour-
| age of the good old race from which
she has sprung, her small head tilted
| edwards, when suddenly something hap
pens.
| The small and slender frame falls a.
| trembling She raises two shaking hands
| to her eyes, and turning sharply aside,
| aShamed-crushed to the very soul, that
he should see her humiliation, she bursts
into a passion of tears. A silence, with
nothing but that most heart broken sob
bling.
Amber" exclaims he hoarsely He
goes to her and ventures to touch one
of those small hands, pressed so wildly
1
But she shrinks away from MN. Don't
touch me. Don't. | could not bear it."
Don't cry like that, ther." says he
savagely. 1T drives me mad | wish
had never said a word about those ours
ed rings Even now, if you wish it, you
can keep them. No one knows of them
but you and
"Is this another insult?" exclaims she.
do you think / would have you keep
back your knowledge of those rings? Do
YOU think l want to keep them? / sup
pose my manner is ungracious, but
please pick them up, and'-with a light
ming glance at him that very nearly kills
him-"go away
at shall be as you will. of course. -
says he, with regard to my going. But
have nothing whatever to do with those
rings; they are yours so far. Sir Lu-
Glen may lay claim to them, but how does
that concern me? They are his"
They are nothing to me- says the
girl coldly. Let US make an end of the
matter. 1t is very distasteful to me-"
She moves towards the opening in the
wall.
/ You mean By that"--he follows her
that you will not accept Sir Lucien's
invitation" He stops looking at her,
trying to read her face, his own very pale.
lis this to be the end-?"
She gives little curt glance, half, only
half. turning her head.
You do not understand me, If l ever
hesitated about accepting il, you may be
sure all such hesitation is now at an end, "
says she. smiling at him. but oh : what a
cold. repelent smile. II shall go to Car
rig whenever your sister chooses to ask
me. | am not one bit ashamed Of your
finding those rings upon my fingers. T.
with her small head thrown backwards
and the brilliant light of battle in her
dark blue eyes-"I defy you all -
why should you speak to me like
thaty' says the young man. little pale,
but with firm expression round his lips
as it fair? Defy Sir Lucien. if you will
but why look upon me as an enemy
Would you have had me act differently
Would you have had me-knowing those
rings were not really yours-keep ST
lenceT'
What are you going to do with
them7" asks she. family. There Is q
shrinking from them in her sad eyes, and
vet longing-s regret for them too
that is not TO be disguised She had
loved them. delighted in them. They had
been her dearest possession, and now he
has stepped in and has spoiled her JOY
in them.
They are yours ss much as mine.
says be. What viii you do with themf
"Oh. no, no. mine. 1t is not that
only" She covers her face with her
hands. Don't tell him." A last faint
sob escapes her. Don't tell Sir Lu-
Glen -
Il feel the greatest brute alive says
be. DO you know l would rather DIE
than make you so unhappy, and yet
Tell him. How could you suggest such
a thing. Keep them until the others are
discovered-r
"oh. nc. l shall never touch then
again: | could not. Could not your
She looks at him anxiously.
NO. Bat suppose-suppose we hids