Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-01-29

earl His dark piercing eyes were
bent upon the ground as he stood lis
tsning to the music, but he saw Ley
cester enter, and raised his head as
slight frown crossed his face. Lady
WyndwaId Law the frown and sought
the ause, but her face showed no
signs of surprise or displeasure. 1t
was calm and impassi at all times
as if fits owner disdained the weak
ness of ordinary mortals. LEICESTER
paused a moment, taking in the scene;
then he crossed the room, and went
up to the table.
Lady Wyndward looked up with her
serene, imperial smile.
.FWill you have some tea, Leyces-
tar?"
Thanks" he said.
She gave him his cup, and as he
took it young man left the group at
the piano, and came up to him laugh
ing.
Where have you been. Leycester?"
he asked, putting his hand on the
broad shoulder. It was lord Charles
Guildford, Leycester's most intimate
friend.
ton which was almost say rather more
than traternal. They had been to-
gether at Elton, where LEICESTER, the
great, stalwart lad, had fought the
slight frail boys battles; they had
lived in the same rooms at Oxford,
/ had been comrades in all the wild es-
capades which made their term at
college a notorious one, and they We're
inseparable. LEICESTER had grown
from a tall lad into a stalwart man;
Lord Charles-or Charlie, as he was
called-had filled the promise of his
frail youth, with the indolent grace
which sometimes accompanies weak
ness. and gentle nature of woman.
LEICESTER turned to him with a
smile, and the earl looked up to hear
the answer; the countess busted her
self with the teapot, as II she were
not listening as intently,
q went for gallop, Charlie" said
LEICESTER. You fellows were half
asleep in the smokngroom. and had
listened to Bartons Indian story for
the hundredth time, and it got
rather slow; then I remembered that
the chestnut had been eating his head
off for the last FIVE weeks, and thought
would give him a turn"
The earl frowned and turned away;
Lord Charles laughed.
Pretty behayiori'' he exclaimed;
"and here were we hunting all over
the plitce for YOU"
why didn't you come into the
drawing-room to US, Lord Leycester?' p
sad a beautiful girl who was sitting
near; Eve should not have bored you
With any Indian stories"
But, you see, l should have bored
you, Lady Constance he said.
The girl smiled up into his face.
Perhaps you would" she said.
f',You are more considerate than
thought"
Il never venture into the ladies'
sanctum after dinner till the tea is
announced" he retorted, Il have an
idea, shared by my sex. generally, that
it is not safe-that, in short, you are
too ferocious"
And you prefer riding about the
country till we quiet down. Are we
quiet now, or do we look ferocious"
And she smiled up at him from be-
hind her fan with a plain invitation.
He sat down beside her and began
to talk the infinite nothings which
came to his lips SO easily, the trivial
small change which his musical voice
and rare smile seemed to transform
to true coin; but while he talked his
Thoughts were wandering to the dark
haired girl who had shone down upon
m from her green and fragrant
bower in The lane, and he found him
self picturing her in the little room at
the cottage in the meadows, amongst
the curious litter of the old artist S
studio; and gradually his answers
gre " disiointed and inconsequential.
He got up presently, got up abruptly.
and wandered across the room, stop
ping to exchange a word or two with
one and the other, his tall, graceful
figure towering above those of the
other men. his handsome head thrown
back musingly. Many an admiring
and wistful glance followed him from
among the women, and not few
would have exerted all their fascina-
tions to keep him by their SIDE, had
they not known by experience, that
when he was in his present mood he
was deaf to the voice and smile of the
charmer, she never so wisely
To be continued.
TAFT's HoNoRs AT YALE.