Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-06-17
CHAPTER XVI.

HdTrv EeTne went nome 10 nls
nut, the happiest and the most
wretched of men! At one moment
the conviction that Lucille loved him
filed him with an exultation that was
ecst attic, the next, the thought Of
what he had done filled him with an
agony of TemOTse!
He, Harry Herne, upon whose life
rested a shadow which even time
could not lessen; he, her servant, had
dared to love her, and to tell her Of
his love!
What right had he to commit such
IN act of madness? He could not
help loving her any more than the
flowers can help worshipping the sun
OF the brook running down to the
ocean; but to tell her! and to force
her to admit that she returned his
love! 1t was worse than mad, it was
criminal!
There is only one course open to
me-" he murmured as he paced up
and down the small room; "if there
is one spark of honor left alight in
me, / must go. Oh, my goddess! my
beautiful angel! Could l drag you
down to my level! Could l let you be
the wife of Harry Herne-become the
target at which the world would point
the finger Of sCOTn, whispering, That
is the lady who married her groom
her servant-a young man who is not
f,1I /, & "
they would say. No! | must go. 1t
will break my heart; it will crush all
the youth and hope out of me; 1t
viii make me an Outcast without an
aim or object in life; but | must go!
If she were the daughter Of one OF her
Iaborers, instead of being the Lady
Of Darracourt, l should not be worthy
of her ! to think of love, |, who am
set apart from the rest of my fel-
lows, Oh, shame, shame upon me!
And, yet, | could not help it; it was
too much for man to endUre-the
sight of her loneliness, her beauty
which carried me beyond the power of
restraint | forgot everything and
now ! must pay the penalty. And
she? All. she will soon f&get me!
What am /, that Lucille should re,
member me? There are other men
more worthy of her than | am, and
one will come who will teach her to
forget Yes, l must gO!"
In the ardor of his resolve he actu.
ally began to pack up a few of his
most precious books; then he paused
and sighed How could he leave
her so suddenly, without a word OF
farewell? Besides. during the last
few weeks he had interested himself
about the farms and stables, had be
come almost a steward in some re
spects: he could not leave it all in
confusion at a moments notice. One
or two days would be required to
set matters straight. to see to the
horses he had bought, and other sim
liar duties He would leave every,
thing in order, just as if nothing had
happened and his departure were the
result Of mere whim.
Having so resolved he did pack up
some books and few articles OF
clothing: then he took his gun and
wandered out into the woods to re
call every word she had said to him
to go over every slight gesture she
had made to dwell upon the vision OF
her face. and indulge in the sunshine
Of happiness and misery which his
love had brought him.
As he was striding along. commun,
ing with the bitterness of his sor,
row he saw a dog run across the
pa,h in chase of a hare. He knew
every dog in the place, and recog
E.zed his one instantly; it was a
lurcher belonging to the most motor
ious pOacher in Darracourt. and
clever even for a lurcher. Harry
had often warned its master that the
animal would be shot if it we're found
hunting in The preserves, and he
raised his gun to cover it, but the
dog was too quick for him, and got
cut of sight in the underground. TC
hunt something. if it were only Z
dog, would afford him some relief
and mechanically he set of after ii
BY a knack which only your borr
woodsman can acquire he managed
10 deaden his own footsteps while be
listened TO the dogs. The antma
had evidently dropped his hare, ant
was making for the ring fence, NJ
doubt tC rejoin his eXpectant master
If Harry could catch bo.h the human
and the canine poacher, it would af
ford him, even in his miserable con
6itiOn of mind some little satisfac
ton: so he set to work to track tn,
animal down. The lurcher, evident
" possessed by the idea that Harr,
had given up the pursuit, was trot
ing comfortably along, pausing nov
and then to investigate a rabbit bun
row, and Harry steadfasJly followe
him. The dog ran through the fenc
that divided the Hall grounds froT
the Darracourt and Harry, unthini
ingly. and quite absorbed on tn
chase. climbed the fence and followe
him. Almost without knowing il. :
crossed the Hall lawn, and found hin