Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-11-26

al answer, ana L want your answer.
Eyes, them" she cried, quickly
Now let me 60"
For moment he WINGED as if under
a blow Then he cried:
mot till you've heard the truth
about this man. You sha'nt marry
him without at least knowing his real
chara cter!"
"My brother has never heard a
word against his character; he likes
| Mr.. Hume"
Yes; but your brother isn't a man
! of the world; he doesn't mix with
! the men who know what Philip Hume
! is" cried young Lathom. Il do, and
| can't bear to think of you-you, Hill
| d. marrying a man of his record, who
is not fit to touch your hand, Or that
of any good woman!"
''Jack!" There was a startled note
in her voice. as this-this that you
! hint-true?"
$50 true that I can't bear to think
| of you, Hilda-you of all women-car-
| ing for this man, marrying him. Oh,
l don't want to be ungenerOus to my
rival! I believe I'm man enough to
have stifed my feelings and wished
you both good luck if he were an or
dinarily decent sort. But he's not,
Hilda,' he cried, passonately. Its
horrible to think of your marrying
| such a mani"
She gave him a sudden swift glance
from widened eyes. A look had come
into her face that he had never seen
there before. And her tones were
changed when she spoke. Her eyes
were turned away, and her voice was
very low:
what do you mean by-by rival
Jack?"
He stared at her; then gave a short
| unmirthful laugh.
"What should I mean? Only that
! he's won what I would have given the
world to win, and haven't won; it's
simple enough, isn't it," tapping his
! boot impatiently with his stick. you
know II have cared for you since
you were in short frOcls-I've always
dreamed Of some day making you my
wife. You know I've never had
thought for any other woman; there
has only been one woman for me-
that little girl who was my chum as
a boy. grown into the sweetest woman
on Gods earth. And this mans come
and spoiled my dream!" he said,
slowly.
She was not looking at him as he
spoke: she was staring straight be-
, fore her, down into the valley beyond
the rectOry, where, far away, great
| tongues Of clouded flame, the glare
from the blast furnaces on the out
skirts of Fellsgarth, painted the dark
ness like red sunset.
But, Jack, did you ever tell that
that little girl who was your chum
that you loved herr" Her voice was
so low he could scarcely hear.
why should I? She knew
But if you never told herr" Some
thing like a sob seemed to catch in
her voice.
'Hi1da,"
He laid his hands with a swift alb
ruptness on her shoulders and turned
her slight figure to where a gray trail
of MOONLIGHT fell through the trees
uron the winsome face. His tones
were eager with a wild, half-incredu-
lOus joy.
"Hilda, have I been blind fool? I
thought you didn't care. Do you
care?''
Only her eyes spoke-big, gray eyes,
soft as velvet, moist now and very
bright. Her eyes told him though her
lips we're silent.
''Hilda, do you care!" he cried.
He put out his arms and caught her
10 him, out there in the wind and the
darkness.
81 give you up to no man on earth!"
a masterful triumph laughed in his
voice Il know now you care"
She had surrendered herself to his
shininS, her words coming in little
trills of laughing JOY like broken mu-
sic.
You stupid boy, only to have just
found that out! You thought l didn't
care, Jack! All, but you didn't give
me the chance of telling you how
much have always cared she whis-
pered, with a sweet, proud shyness,
IL have felt"
Tell me, dear
ooh, but / shall make you vain if
tell you all l have felt"
TO-, ho;r cOft lilo cIo,11o eli hrnchoJ
his cheek: it's fragrance stole to his
senses; he drew her closer to him,
his lips found hers in that supreme
Joy that is given to youth and love.
Then a thought made him seize her
lG&t hand and raise it: there was no
ring on the third finger. Then you've
given Hume no promise YETI"
She laughed and shook her head.
Il can hardly believe my own luck
| YETI cried young Lathom. And on
ly five minutes ago you were so icy
as cold as the white snow queen in
| the fairy story!"
There was a tremulous smile about
the tender curves of her mouth.
1T was because-because | cared
| for you that | could be so cold-and
because you were so blind." she whis-
| pered back
"Hilda," he told her, presently,
there's one thing l promise you-I
am going to make up my difference
with my father, and am going to set
! tie down to work in the mill straight
away! 1t may be bit of a wrench
and the work not congenial; he's