Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-05-26
and your habit is a thin one-I have

and your habit ls thin one-I have
felt it."
1T is thicker than your shirt
sleeves!" replied Lucille. you will
be wet through, and catch your death
of cold.'
81 have been rained and showed
upon, man and boy, since can re-
member, and / never had cold In
my life. Don't thwart me, Miss Darra-|
court; just this once"
1T seems to me that you like hay-
ing your own way" she said, as cold
ly as she could. you are determined
and-obstinate, Harry
81 am determined you shant get
wet through, if I can help it, while
you are in my charge. Miss
II give you great deal OF
trouble" said Lucille. Il am not sur
prised that you should be anxious to
leave me-"
She uttered this little bit of spite
in the most natural and careless man.
ner, and glanced at him to see its
effect. He WINGED and turned his head
aside, but bore it like man in 81
lence, standing with the rain dripping
from his folded arms.
The best of women are merciless,
and will inflict torture so long as
the victim remains passive at the
stake, and Lucille, riqued by his 81
lence, must needs go on.
nd
cannot exist without change. Per-
haps, you are DESTROYS to go to Aus
tralia or somewhere? You don't de-
serve it, but if I can help you,-
Harry
He turned his face toward her. 1t
was very pale, and there was a
strange light in his eyes; his lips
opened, but he closed them again
without retorting; and Lucille, who
appeared not to notice his effort at
restraint, went on in the same care
less voice:
''You had better sell the ponies for
me before you go. I don't know how
to drive them, and there will be no
one to teach me-And this horse too
don't care to keep it. But, perhaps,
had better not trouble you as you
seem anxious to go at once"
Don't! Every word you say cuts
me like knife! All Miss, how can
you have the heart to torture a man
so? Why, it is only the other night
that I knelt at your feet and begged
for permission to stay, as man begs
for his life! Do you think it costs
me nothing, this resolution? Do you
think-ah, you don't know! How
should you? Don't let me go carrying
the bitter thought that you think me
changeable-an ungrateful? If you
knew why 60
II suppose you are going because
l was foolish enough to tell you
what Lady Farnley said," she ans
wered. with affected indifference.
moi" he responded. 81 am 60
ing not only because Lady Farnley
said | should but because my heart
says sol" He stopped again, and
wiped the huge drops, not of rain
only, from his tanned forehead.
ooh, if you are unhappy" said Lu-
ellie. coldly.
Unhappy! Yes, am unhappy, and
yet, l have never known happiness
until now! / seem to have been I1v-
ing at the bottom of great pit, down
which the sun never shone. All my
life seems great, dreary blank I'M
til now! And the very depth of my
happiness makes me unhappy. Go!
l should be mad to stay-mad!'
Il don't understand you in the
least" she said. eff you are in any
trouble, and can help you"
"You cannot help memo one can
help mel" he said, almost hoarsely.
81 have been a mad fool. I am like a
man bewitched and under spell!
There come such times to men, and
one such has come to me. 1 must
cast it off, Or go mad in real earn
est" He seemed to have forgotten
to whom he was speaking, and to be
uttering aloud thoughts over which
he had brooded in solitude. Miss
Ddl dCOuII, there dIS LILIES WIEN du
honest mans only course is flight
am in such a plight now. I've fought
against it for days past-Pve
struggled with it night and day
have told myself that it's my secret,
and that l can keep it under lock and
key; but''-he paused and glanced at
her, his breath coming quick and
fast-'but l am afraid of myself! and
So like wise man. l run away to
hide it,
Lucille listened, her face averted,
a strange warning throb at her heart
responding to the deep music of his
voice.
Miss Darracourt. will you think
me presumptious if tell you a short
story?''