Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-06-02
Love $ Conquest
y CHARLES CARVICx

n CHARLES CARVIU

| drive him some day into telling ner-
| her, his mistress, his goddess tina
| her servant, the wretched man upol
whose life there rested so deep
| stain-that this man whom she re
garded little higher than her dog O
her horse-loved her! Loved he
with as passionate a devotion as
| prince could feel! Loved her 81
dearly that he could live no longe
within the shadow of her presence
and keep silence! He knew with wha
scorn she would drive him from her
he knew that the contempt which
must burn in her eyes would live
within his memory to torture him til
he died, but he knew that the day
would come when, overmastered BY
his love, he would draw that scorr
down upon him."
There was silence for second
| while he took breath, then he went
on in a low voice:
What was there left for him, fol
this mailman, Miss Darracourt, but tc
go away? Go where he would, he
must carry his wound with him
While there was sight in his eyes
and memory in his brain, he would
see her and hear her, though he put
miles between her and him; but al
least he could go away and save him
self the misery of knowing that she
knew his secret and scorned him!"
Miss Darracourt, / have told you
the story of this mans madness. He
was coward, you will say! All
yes, know that! l have nothing but
contempt for him myself. He ought
to have crushed his folly under his
feet-ought to have remembered that
he was lower even than her servants
and stamped out the love which was
an insult to her. Yes, he knew that
as we'll as you and l do, but he could
not, and so, perhaps, after all, he
was not such coward when he fed
as he might have been if he had
stayed. There was only one thing
He paused and his face darkened. III
he had stayed he would have found
some joy, some hidden delight in
watching over her. For this lady he
loved was almost alone in the world
with no friend to guard her. And
there were dangers in her path, OF
which, though he could not tell their
full extent, he knew something. There
was one man, a near neighbor OF
hers-a nobleman-of whom he knew
more than she did This man was
base and false! He might have stayed
and guarded her, but he dared not!
The most he could do was to utter a
word of warning"
He paused and looked up at the
sky; the rain was still coming down,
but no longer with its former VIC
lence, and there was a rift in the
clouds through which the sun was
struggling bravely.
''My story ends with the rain,' he
said. 81 am afraid that it has not
amused you, after all, Miss Darra-
court" and she smiled with mingled
sadness and bitterness.
Lucille made no movement, nor
said a word.
There ought to be a sequel, sup
pose,' he said, slowly. Il could tell it
in a few words. The lady fell in
love with one of her own class, was
married, and lived happy ever after
ward, as she deserved to be, Heaven
bless her! The MAXWELL, he left
the place which had become home to
him, and turned wanderer on the
face of the earth. And everywhere
he went, her goodness was ever in his
heart and day and night he thought
of her, and his love grew instead of
diminishing, and so he lived unhappy
ever afterward, as he deserved to
be!'
1T has nearly let off," he said,
there will be no more. | do hope you
are not wet
Still she remained without moving a
limb.
Are you ready, Miss Darracourt? p
he said, gently. Il am anxious that
you should get home now. / hould
not like to think that you had come
to harm in my keepingi That would
be a sad thought for me to take away
with mel"
Undo this" she said, and her soft
clear voice was almost harsh.
He came up to her, and put his
hand upon the coat sleeve
Are you angry with me?" he muir
INJURED. do not be! shall soon be
gone!"
Lucille. who still fumbled at the
knot. let her hands fall, and her eyes
met his. Her lips opened as if she
was about to speak, then closed
again.
You are not wet, thank heaven.
he said. devoutly. Il should never
have forgiven myself if you had
caught cold. Come now. Miss"
But she hung back, her eyes fixed
as If she were looking beyond him
her hands clasped nervously.
"Ah. you are angryt" he said, with
swift contracticx he brows. BE
patient with me; nth mf
day. the last tin
with hard !
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