Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-10-14

Z
with smile What l mean Is SIM
My this, that, as man with some
thing approaching a conscience and a
fellow feeling for my kind, | feel 1t my
duty to point out to you that perhaps
unconsciously, you are leading Leyces-
ter the sort of life that the bear VINO
dances on hot bricks-if any bear
ever does-is supposed to lead. Here
for months, after no end Of suffer-
ing"
Il have suffered too" she murmurs-
Exactly" he assents. in bis gently
g.im way; but that only makes IL
worse. After months Of suffering, you
allow him TO dangle at your heels
you drag him at your chariot wheels
tied him at your apron strings from
France TO Italy. from Italy to SWitzer-
land. from Switzerland back to France
again, and gave him no more encour-
agement than a cat does a dog.
The faint flush Is burning crimson
now.
'He-he need not come" she muir
murs. painting. "He is not obliged
"The moth-the iDfuriated moth, is
not obliged to hover about the candle,
hut he does hover, and generally
winds up by scorching his wings. /
admit that it is foolish and unreasou-
able, but it is none the less true that
/ Ieycester is simply incapable, aD9ar-
emily. of resting outside the radius or
your presence, and therefore ! say
hadn't you better give him the right
to remain within that radius and
She put up her hand to stop his,
her face a deeper crimson still.
Permit me-" he says, obstinately,
and putting at ais pipe to emphasize.
I"Once more the unfortunate wretch Is
on tenter hooks; he is dying to take
possession of you, and afraid to speak
up like q man because, possibly. rou
have had a little Illness
"Oh, uncle. and you said yourself
that you thought should have dies,
He Eoughs.
'Ahem! one is inclined TO exagger-
ate sometimes. He is afraid to speak
because In his utter sensitiyeness he
will insist upon considering you an in
valid still. whereas you are about as
strong and healthy now as 10 use an
other Americanism. they make 'em
Now. Stella. If you mean to marry
him, say SO; If you don't mean to. say
so, and for goodness sake let the un.
fortunate monomaniac go.
"Lsycester is not a monomaniat,
uncle" she retorts, In low, indignant
voice.
Yes. he is" he says, he is possessed
by a mania Tor d little chit OF girl
with pale face and dark eye, and
nose that i. nothing to speak Of II
be wasn't an utterly lost maniac he
would have refused to dangle at your
heels any longer, and gone OFF to some
one with some pretension to IA regu az
facial outline" He stops. for there
comes the sound of firm, manly
tread upon the smooth gravel path,
and the next instant Leycester's tall
figure Is beside them.
lie bends over the slight. slim.
graceful figure, a loving. reyerential
devotion in his handsome face. faint
anxiety in his eyes and in his voice as
he says. In that low, musical under
tone which has charmed SO many
women's ears:
Have YOU no wrap or, Stella?
These evenings are very beautiful but
treacherous'
There isn't breath of air" says
Stella, with a little laugh
Yes, yes!" he says, and puts his
hand on the arm that rests on the
seag, you must be careful. indeed you
must, my darling, | will so and get
you a
Blanket and a suit of sables,
broke in the old man. with good hum
orous banter. ALLOW me. / am young
and full of energy, and YOU are old
and wasted and wearied. watching
over a sick and perhaps dying girl.
who eats three huge meals day, and
can outwalk Yves ON. will GO and
he goes and leaves them. Stellas soft
laughter following him like music
Leycester stands beside her looking
down at her In silence For him that
rustic seat holds all that Is good ana
worth having in life. and as he looks.
the passionate love that burns so
| steadily in his heart glows in his
| eyes
For weeks. for months he has
watched watched her patiently
as nov watched her from the shadow
OF death into the world Of life: and
/ though his eyes and the tone Of his
voice have spoken love often and OF.
| ten, he has so tulored his lips rs to
refrain from open speech He know 5
| the full measure OF the shock which
had struck her down ana in his gteat
/ reverence and unbelievable love foc
! her, he has restrained himself fearing
! that word might bring back that ter
! ribie past, But now, tonight. rs he
/ sees the faint color tintlng the clear
/ cheeks-sees the sunset light reflected
IN her bright eyes-his heart begin
TO beat with that tbroh which tens ol
! long suppressed passion elamoring for
expression
Majdeu-l.ke, she feels something OF
/ what Is passing through his mind. ana
a great shNuess falls upou her Sh.