Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-02-26

held the huge bundle TO her.
You must tie it, he said.
! She laughed and put the fern round.
but it broke, and the primroses fell in
a golden shower over their hands
They both made grasp at them. and
Their hands met
For a moment Stella laughed, then
the laugh died away, for he still held
her hand, and the warmth Of his grasp
seemed stealing upward to her heart
With something like an effort she
drew her hand away, and sprang to
her feet.
81 must CO." she said Uncle
will wonder where | have gone" and
she looked down at the water with al
most frightened eagerness.
"He will know you are here, quite
! safe" he said. wait, do not go this
moment. Up there, above our heads,
we can see the river stretching away
for miles. 1t is not a step; will you
Gomez
She hesitated moment, then she
turned and walked beside him between
the trees,
! Stella hesitated moment
TT win repay your trouble; come,
he said, and she pat her hand IA his
and her foot on the first step. and he
! drew her up beside him.
'Tookl" he said.
AN exclamation of delight broke
from Stella's lips.
you are not sorry you conner"
II did not think it would be SO
lovely" she sad.
He stood beside her. not looking al
the view, but at her dark eyes dilat-
. ing with dreamy rapture-at her half
parted lips, and the sweet, clear-ouI
profile presented to him.
She turned suddenly, lad to hide
the look Of admiration he raised his
hand and pointed out the objects IN
the view.
and what is that little house
there?" asked Stella.
THAT is one OF the lodges" he said
\ One OF the lodges-one of YOU
lodges, you mean?" she asked.
ii He nodded lightly. Yes"
And all this between here and tha
lodge belongs to your"
NO not an inch" he said. laughing
!. ITO my father"
1T is great DEAL" she said.
Too much for one man, you think?
he said with smile. "A great many
other people think SO too | don
? know what you would think if yol
. knew how much we Wyndwards hav'
. managed at one time or the other Il
I lay our acquiring grasp on. This il
one of our smallest estates he said
simply.
= Stella looked at the view dreamily
D. "One of the smallest? Yes, hav'
q heard that you are very rich. 1t mus
be very nice"
Il don't know he said You Sc
: one cannot tell until one has beel
poor. | don't think there is anythin
s in it. don't think one is any happiel
! There is always something left t
= long for
a She turned her dark eyes on hin
a with a smile of incredibly.
! What can you possibly have tt
long for?" she said
II He looked at her with a strang'
! smile; then suddenly his face grew
/ grave and wistful-almost sad, as
seemed to her
} You cannot guess. and ] cannot tel
= you; but believe ME that, as / stan
S here. there is an aching void in n
a heart and do long for something
II very earnestly"
g The voice was like music, deep AM
thrilling; she listened and wondered
And you should be so happy" sh
J sad, almost unconsciously.
II Happy" he echoed. and his dafl
eves rested on hers with strang
expression that was half-moefine
nalf-sad do you know what I'll
: poets say?'
!. Count no man happy till he dies
i do yop mean?" said Stella.
= Yes" he said. 4 do not think
know what happiness means. hay
been pursuing it all my life; some
4, times have been within reach of /
but it has always evaded me-alway
. slipped from my grasp. Sometimes
have resolved to let it go to pursu
1t no longer; but fate has decreed tina
{ man shall always be seeking for tn
unattaina ble-that he who once look
= upon happiness with the eyes If desira
: who stretches out his hands towar-
her. shall pursue her to the end"
"And-but surely some get thai
desire"
Some. he said, ito find that th'
= prize is not worth the race they hav,
d run for 1t. to find that they hag,
: wearied of it when it is gained; Il
:. ind that it is no prize at all, but
u delusive blank; all iead sea fruit tina
turns to dust upon the lips"
I Not all; surely not ALL" she mur
INJURED, strangely moved by his words
NO; not ALL" he said, with a hid
: den light in his eyes that she did no
see. ITO some there comes a momen
when they know that happiness-rea
> true happiness-lies just beyond thei
grasp. And the case of rich men /
d more to be pitied than all others