Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-08-05


10 her face to welcome him disap-
peared.
Ley she breathed, looking up al
his pale, haggard face and darA-rim-
med eyes; what has happened
What is the matter?"
He stood beside her, ana bent and
kissed her; his lips were dry and
burning.
Ley! Ley!" she murmured, and
put her white arm round mis- neck 70
draw him down to her. what is it?'
Then she scanned him with anxiety
How tired you look, Ley! Where
have you been? Sit down."
He sank into a low seat at her feet
and mot.oned 10 the piano.
GO on Playing" he said.
She started at his hoarse, dry voice
but turned to the piano, and played
softly, and presently she knew, rather
man saw, that he had hidden HIS face
in his hands
Then she stopped and bent over
him.
Now tell me Ley!" she murmured
He looked up with a bitter smile
that cut her to the heart.
ut is soon told, ILL.," he said, N a
low voice, and it is only an old, old
story"
Ley!"
4 can tell you'll could tell only
you, Lil-in very few words.
have loyed-and been deceived
She did not speak, but she put her
hand on his head where it lay like a
peaceful benediction.
Il have staked my all, all my hap
piness and peace. upon cast and
have lost I am very badly hit, and
naturally feel it very badly for d
time!"
"Ley!' she murmured, reproach-
srlly. you must not talk to me like
tnis; speak from your heart"
Il haven't any left, Lii" he said:
there is only an aching void where
my heart used TO be. l lost it weeks
ago-oy was IT months or years. /
can't tell which now!-- and she to
whom ] gave it, she whom thought
IN angel Of purity, a dove of inno-
cence, has thrown it in the dirt ana
trampled upon it,"
Ley, Ley, you torture me! OF
whom are you speaking?"
OF whom should / be speaking but
the one woman the world holds fos
me?"
"Lenore" she murmured irncedul.
ously
"Lenore!' she murmured, incedul-
NO; she did not pronounce her name
SO | am speaking and thinking OF
Stella Etheridge."
Her hand trembled, but she DID not
withdraw Il.
Stellar"
Yes, he said, and his lips
twitched "A star. A star that will
shine in another man bosom. not IL
mine as /, fool that / was, dreamed
that it would. LII, believe tina,
there is only one good woman in tn
world, and she sits near me now.
ION, Ley, Ley--but tell mel"
There is so little TO tell he said,
YEARLY Il cannot tell you all. This
will suffice, that tonight | expected
and hoped to have been able TO call
her my wife, instead-well, you see,
am sitting here!"
Your wife," she murmured. Stella
Etheridge your VIE! Was that
that wise. Ley?'
Wise! What have / to do with
wisdom ?" he retorted. Il loved her
loved her passionately, madly, as !
never, nor shall ever. love anothet
woman. Heaven help me, love her
now, Don't you see that is the worst
part OF 1t. | know, as surely as | am
sitting here, that my lite has gone
1t has gone 10 pieces on the rocks like
a goodly ship and there x an end Of
Iit!"
There was silence for a moment
then she spoke, and, woman like, hei
thoughts were Of the woman.
But she, Ley? How is IT with
herr"
He laughed again, and the gentle
girl shuddered,
Don't Ley, she murmured
She viii be all right" he said
Women are made like that-all ex
cepting one. and he touched he.
dress.
And yet--and yet she murmured
troubled and sorrowful, now l look
back / am sure that she loved you
Ley! remember her face, the look
of her eyes. the way she spoke you.
name oh. Ley. she loved you!"
She dd-perhaps She loves me
now SO well, that on our weddingday
wedding day.-she allows a man tc
step in between ~ and claim her as
his own"
Maddened ny the memory which
her words had called up he woul
have risen. but she held him dow
with a gentle hand
"A man. What man. LeyP'
One called Jasper Adelstone. ,
lawyer; a man it would be gross fat
terry TO call even a gentleman? Thinb
Of tt LII Picture it, | wait to re
ceiye my bride. and instead of II hap
pen.ug SO, / am sent for To meet hej
at this mans chambers, lhere | an