Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-08

mean"
AS she speaks, Lady Lucille. who
has been watching her as cat does
mouse, hushes, and looks eagerly al
her.
You don't: SUPPOSE only say
suppose-tbAt / knew this sweetheart
of yours, this wonderful painter and
musician with the soft, dark eyes and
broad shout iers? Suppose | were 70
tell you something
Don't tell me anything, says
Jeanne, resoluteIy. Il don't want to
know anything"
my dear child" says her ladyship,
your simple faith in and devotion to
a man whom you have only inown
six months is sublime, or ridiculous,
whichever you like. Do you think
that a man who has deceived you
once will not do 50 again, and that
when you have less or no power to
resent it?'
| Deceived me- how dare you say
that?" says Jeanne, an angry red on
each cheek. and a fash in her eyes
hat look ominously dark under the
straight eyebrows,
my dear Jeanne" Taurmurs Lazy
Lucille, softly, your own confession!
This Vernon vane, he is poor?"
Jeanne does not answer.
Unknown save through his artY
Plain .Ir. Vernon vane?"
Yes" says Jeanne, desperately.
4 va Q
Lady Lucille.
An Jeane's native fire has inspiring
and is blazing.
How do you know that?" she says
impetuously. You say so. but only
saw YOU this morning, and
Il may be INDUCING in fiction!
True" says her ladyship.
Then, with a peculiar smile that is
not SO sweet as malicious, she takes
from under her crepe wrap small
chain and locket, opens the latterI
with her eyes still on Jeanne, and ez.
tends it in the hollow of her white
palm.
There are my credentials" she
says. DO you think it good like
ness?"
Jeanne is about to refuse to look at
anything belonging to this Lady Lu-
celle, who has so traduced her lover;
but curiosity is too strong, and she
takes the locket 1t is some witchery,
some trick OF black art, or can this be
Vernon Vane's face that looks up at
her from the trinket? 1t is his face.
! Jeanne turns pale. and her lips
tighten, as the first jealous pang she
has ever felt seizes her like the
clutch of an iron hand.
"Are--are you his sister," she says
81 thought sol His sister? No, was
to have been his wife!"
His wife?" Jeanne's lips form the
words, but no sound comes.
"Yes-and only six months ago,
says Lady Lucille, with fine irony
IF he told you--as no doubt he DID,
that you are the first woman ne ever
loved, it was false; he loved me; he
: had loved half dozen before, and
she pauses, with cold light in her
eyes-"he will love another half a
dozen before he dies!"
Jeanne catches her breath, and then
could stab herself for showing the
pain of the blow.
at is false!" she says.
Take care how you cast names
dear Jeanne. says her ladyship. warm
iagIy; you were wrong before, you
know. My dear. l am sorry for you
pity you almost as much as / pitied
myself. But, cui bono. what is the
good of taking these things to heart!
We were made to be the playthings OF
such men as-Vernon Vane. My dear
Jeane, / deemed him hero, king
demigod--in word, loved him toe
much, and that wearied him. 1t is
> the sure way to sicken him of his
, whim for he is all within. l see 1t all
, quite plainly-oh quite. Having tired
Of mo, because, possibly had no sym
patby for art, and did not care to fol-
low him meekly through the raoole
and when my place was by birth and
breeding among the high--because
. did not sit at his feet. content to in.
hale turpentine and listen to nothing
. but art~-art. he wearies of me, and
; flies for refuge to nature. oh, / know
the slang and the cant phrases oil
: those gentry! He finds nature in the
shape of pretty-no, you are q
lovely girl, who, because she does not
! know the world, is content to think
! him hero, king and demigod- Loves
turpentine. and viii listen while her
: demigod has tongue to wag."
: She pauses for breath. and Jeanne
white with passion, -alas-alas!-
fear and jealousy, tries to speak. but
Lady LUCILLE holds up her hand.
Wait, This creature of fancy and
: within. having an eye TO romance
+ thinks it must be a charming idea &c
start in the world afresh in a new
;. name and new characterize pose, In
= fact, as struggling artist, open tc
any amount of sympathy and admirn
ton. And he has succeeded. Ny
{ dear Jeanne, he is as rich as Croesusl
He has estates in four counties ii
England. a palace ON the Arno, 6
house in Paris. servants and horsemer
without number. Vernon Vane. tht
/ struggling artist" and she laughs