Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-08-04
Continued.

the old man sat
He sat so motionless, with face so
ashen and utterly expressionless, that
she stood and looked at him for 3
moment half frightened; then recov-
ering herself, she went and touched
his arm.
Twill you not go inside the house
and rest?' she said, in gentler
voce that she had used for weeks
past.
He turned his eyes upon her and
regarded her silently for moment.
then he said:
mo, Lady Merle, To. will sit here
as l promised
Lucille started and her face flushed
at the name he had called her, and
resolving to send one of the servants
round to him, she went up the stairs
quickly.
But number of people had gathered
on the terrace and were waiting for
her; the dinner bell rang a moment
or two afterwards, and the incident
Shipped ner memory.
where is Miss Verner?" inquired
Mrs. Dalton, as they filed into the
drawing-room.
A servant slipped up to her and
murmured in her ear: Miss Werner
has a bad headache, ma'am."
Mrs. Dalton told Lucille, and the
dinner proceeded.
But at that moment Miss Werner
was standing in the shrubbery with
Mr.. Sinclair.
"How reckless, how foolish you
are!" she murmured, leaning against
his arm and looking up at his black
mustache as if she worshipped him.
"Why can you not be patient, dear?"
''Patient!'' he retorted, devouring
her with his eyes. Haven't l been
patient? Haven't done what you told
me and kept away; and haven't
given up writing to you because you
asked me not to-"
What hot, headstrong boy it isl"
she murmured, caressingly. why, I
do believe he'd run away with me and
marry me by force-if I'd let him.
There and she stroked his face with
her cat-like paw; "be patient for q
few months longer. Sinclair, dear;
and then-weIl I won't say what
then But you mustn't stay any
longer; the house is full of people
81 know" he said, moodily. "Swells.
all of them; dangling at your heels.
l dare say. Oh. Marie, how can you be
so heartless?"
Nonsense! they don't give
thought to a poor companion. 1t is
the great Miss Darracourt they pay
all the attention to. But do go now,
dear; it is getting late, and you may
be SEEN"
Il don't care if l am. There is only
one man I am afraid of" he said NOR
osely, "a big gamekeeper fellow. He
and me had a row the last time l was
here. I don't want to meet him.
Harry Herne," she said, quietly.
He has gone for good You needn't
fear meeting him. But the place is full
of keepers and servants, and you
must go, dear"
Very well,'' he assented, kissing
her, sullenly; then he seemed to re-
member his companion.
Il didn't com alone" he said.
Not alone?" and her eyes flashed
angrily. do you mean to say that
you have told any one that-that you
and L"
Are to be man and wife? No." he
replied, doggedly, 1--WE not"
who is it then?' she demanded
"Oh. only an old man." he ans
wered, with an affected carelessness
that did not escape her. "He lives in
the same house with me, and-and-"
She smiled up at him, cycling him
keenly.
And you brought him for compan-
lonship? That's just like you, dear-al-
ways so thoughtful for others And
now | must go: there is a great din
ner-party on tonight, and | have told
them that | have headache. but some
of the servants might see me. There"
and she suffered him to take her in
his arms and press the greasy mus
tache on her lips-"Remember!
Wait patiently a little longer and"
and. with nod and smile, she dis
appeared.
But having gained the shrubbery
she waited until he moved away. then
followed him at a safe distance and
screened by the hedges of rhododen-
drons
His manner of answering her ques-
ton respecting his companion had
made her suspicious, and to be sus-
picious and no follow out her sus-
picions was an impossibility to Marie
Werner; so she thought that she
would just see the friend of her
troublesome lover.
If she had found that it was a wo-
man she would have been too de-
lighted, for she could have made it
an excuse for breaking with Sinclair,
but the sight of the old man with his