Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-04-14

man sitting against a trunk of tree
! almost Immediately beneath her.
! For moment she thought it was
| gardner, but as she looked at him
she saw that his dress was scarcely
consistent with that of a servant. 1t
was hardly that of a gentleman
either. Lucille decided that it must
be gamekeeper; there was dog
! lying beside him.
All unconscious he had assumed
and attitude of easy, almost patrician
grace, his long legs outstretched, his
head resting upon his hand, and there
seemed something in the pose that as
| little suited a servant as his dress.
Scarcely knowing that she was
| scrutinizing him, Lucille looked down
at him, the thought crossing her mind,
Even this man belongs to mel" when
suddenly he raised his head If Lu-
! ellie had felt surprised and doubt
| before, both were redoubled now as
| the appraised face seemed to ash up
on her. 1t was a face of a Greek
| N
eyes and delicately cut lips. From
| the sun-tanned forehead the closely
cut hair broke into ripples of light
waves.
1t was the handsomest face Lucille
had ever seen, but something beyond
it's manly grace smote upon her. The
eyes were beautiful, but the express
/ sion, full of an innate nobility and
! power, far exceeded their beauty. 1t
| was the face of a Saxon prince, full
| of dominant masterfulness, tenn
| pered by a nameless something which
might be that of a great grief or
| great, unsatisfied desire.
Lucille's breath came fast and her
heart beat quickly, why, she knew
! not She would have turned and
walked away, for it seemed unfair to
be standing there looking down at
him while he was all unconscious of
her presence, but a strange kind of
fascination held her; and while she
stood wrestling with the feeling,
which annoyed her, a third figure
came upon the scene.
The dog, which had been as fast
asleep as a dog can be, suddenly
raised it's head, and pricking up its
ears, gave warning growl. His
master turned his head, and Lucille,
looking in the same direction, saw
the tall, thin figure of the marquis
step slowly from among the trees and
standing looking up at the house.
The fading light in the sky fell full
upon his pale face as he stood lean
ing one white hand on his stick, the
other thrust in the breast of his
light overcoat, and his dark eyes
shone like black marble as they
ranged along the house.
Lucille had scarcely time to won
der why he should be there, and why
he should stand looking at the house
with so strange an expression, when
the dog uttered another growl, and
the marquis, with the faintest pos
sible start, turned and saw the man
lying at the bottom of the tree.
Instantly, the pale, cold face lit up
as if lurid light had fallen upon it,
and the thin lips parted and showed
the white teeth. Then the face re-
sumed it's ordinary impassiveness,
and, standing motionless, he looked
down upon the other man.
$50, you are here still" he said
slowly, as if he were measuring each
word.
Il am here STILL assented the
other, and at the sound of his voice
Lucille felt thrill of satisfaction.
Against the hard, measured tones of
the marquis this other mans voice
rang musical and sweet.
"And why?" demanded the mar
quis. This is no place for you-
now. Things are altered. Miss Oar
racourt can dispense with the attend
ance of loafing pauper-"
The other man leaped to his feet,
his handsome face all ablaze, then he
stretched out his strong arms and
laughed.
"You speak for Miss Darracourt,
marquis! With what authority"
"The authority of a friend and
duty to protect her from the burden
of an idle vagabond.'
The other man held up his hand al
most implorfngly, while the veins on
his forehead twftehed and swelled I'M
der the effort of self-command.
"Donr" he exclaimed. go on and
leave one alone. cannot strike
you, and you know it. You are cow
ard, marquis, to taunt man whose
hands are bound.
give done! Take my advice and
leave the place. If you want money
The other man raised his hand
Lucille saw it tremble and shake
like a leaf-and pointed toward the
wood.