Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-11-24
Continued.

1t is too DeauClIul Jay " sup AZ
DOORS
''Wel, 1 don't know what you want
to go out again so soon for; but II you
must, you must, 1 suppose. Do not
leave the grounds"
VERY well, mamma" returned the
girl. dutifully, and away she tripped.
At that part of the carriage drive
where the footpaths branch on either
side-one to the village OF Heay1-
thorne and one to the park-she hes
itated.
(Which way shall 1 go?" she asked
herself. "Oh, l forgot. l mustn't leave
the grounds. Poor mamma, she Will
never remember that am no longer
child! Well, at least her mandate has
saved me the trouble of deciding. SO
the park is decreed," and with a
happy smile she turned to the right.
Very beautiful was the park, with
King Frost's diamonds sparkling IN
hedge and tree, and his white ermine
robe spread on the Understanding
meadows.
ooh, lovely" murmured the girl,
with all a woman's love for nature.
Lovely; it's like some grand carving
in marble!"
All! the word brought to her re-
membrance that sea nymph with its
strange resemblance.
A flush mounted to her face which
heightened her beauty, and she went
along more thoughtfully than before.
The end of the park was reached.
She had walked fast, was little
out of breath, and to rest herself
leaned her elbows on the broken
gate, and, resting her wellpoised
head upon her hands, looked long and
dreamily at the ruined house.
Suddenly a step upon the frosty
path beside her awoke her from her
reverie.
She started, turned quickly around
and stared; yes positively stared.
There before her was the face
which she knew so well, though she
had seen it but once, and then only
for moment.
The gentleman raised his hat with a
graceful reverence that was well bred,
though it had nothing of the supercil-
ious composure of the fashionable
salutatiOn, and said, in low, clear
and subtly sweet voice:
Madam, pray your pardon. fear
l have frightened you"
Stella flushed, lowered her eyes
from his face, and answered, slowly:
No at least not much; did not
know any one was so near"
Nor l." returned the stranger, "un-
til a few minutes since. confess that
when l saw you I did not like to move
for fear of startling you"
Stella inclined her head again.
The stranger, whose eyes seemed
as much drawn to hers as hers to his,
raised his hat and passed on. Sudden
ly he turned again.
Can you tell me to whom this
place belongs?"
As he had not indicated either the
path or the hill, Stella answered for
both, still slowly and with a strange
sort of embarrassment that strove In
vain to conceal itself.
This is the Vale Park and belongs
to Mrs Newton"
The stranger bowed.
And this old house is called tibet
Hut, though its proper name is Heavi-
thorne''
The stranger inclined his head
again.
There was in his look, in his voice,
in his very attitude, so visible re-
spect and reverence for her sex and
herself in particular that Miss Newton
was not affronted when he continued
the conversation.
ut is an old place as you say, In
ruins. Do you know why its owner
does not keep it in repair?'
Stella shook her head.
mo one knows the owner, or where
he is to be found. Poor old place, it
is nearly to the ground
"You admire it, maam?" he asked,
raising one hand-it was ungloved and
pink with the cold, though Stella
could see that it was of good shape
and white from something less than
ten degrees of frost.
Yes she said with a sigh, land
pity it is. Perhaps you would like to
go over it; the lodgekeeper has the
key"
He smiled with pleasant sadness.
and glanced at the broken easements.
"a key is scarcely necessary" he
said, "and will venture to make an
entry without it. Is there anything
particularly worthy of notice in the
interior. may ask?"
There are some very fine old carv-
ings. and the remains of some stained
windows" replied Stella, raising her
eyes again and marveling at the CO.
incidence which had brought the
passer-by in Hyde Park corner to the
Vale.
The strange smile which had al
ready lit up the handsome face more
than once came upon II again