Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-06-16

thougnt1ul! though suspect, she
added, with a little laugh, that Miss
Susie's anxiety to get it sprang from
another source as well as her desire
to please YOU.
What do you mean?" asked Luz
ellie, drawing her Indian shawl round
her.
"Oh, she and Harry Herne got it
together she tells me, she replied,
with smile. Trust the most inno-
cent girls, dear, to seize an opportun
ity of snatching few minutes with
her sweetheart
Marie she said that is unjust
| to Susie and Harry Herne. This is
| not the first time; the other night
| you"
She stopped and drew her brows
| together, and her hand swept up to
the spray. But it dropped again, and
| with smile she went out of the
room.
| Mrs. Dalton was all ready and wait
| ing in the hall. Marie was not going
! for the best of all reasons-she had
not been invited
.'This is little party, as you know,
| my DEAR Lady Farnley had said to
Lucille land / don't want you to
bring that pert mink with you. T.
| like that stiff old woman, Mrs. Dali
ton, well enough; but l can't stand
that Frenchy girl with the thin lips.
1t was special little party-select
and limited to those friends whom
Lady Farnley considered the elite of
the country.
Lucille was late, and Lady Farnley
was getting irritable and impatient;
but her painted and powdered old
face wrinkled into a smile as Lucille
entered the room. The little indefi-
mite buzz or murmur, which always
announces the important guest, arose
as Lady Farnley bent forward and
kissed her, saying, half chidingly:
You're so late, my dear, that we
thought you were not coming. In that
case should have sent all these peo-
pie home, had basin of cruel, and
gone to bed
THAT is all very well,' said low
soft voice at their elbow; "but cruel
would not have consoled us for our
loss, Lady Farnley. If Miss Darra- |
court had not come, some of us would
probably have taken poison"
1t was the Marquis of Merle He |
was pale, and composed, and impass-
i've as usual; but there was strange |
light in his eyes which Lucille noticed |
in a vague way as he took her hand |
and bent over it.
1t was the light of victory and tri |
umph, or the anticipation of both, and |
triumph. or the anticipation of both |
and as it flashed upon her, Lucille re-
cofled instinctively. He was dressed |
with more than his susal care and |
wore diamonds in his shirt front and I
at his wrists. The diamonds seemed |
to glitter in harmony with his eyes, |
and Lucille stood for a second as if |
transfixed by them; then she made |
some commonplace response to his
high-f1own compliment, and passed |
on. 1t was brilliant party, and a |
brilliant success for her. She had |
never, so the men said, and. the least |
lll-natured of the women admitted |
looked more beautiful. The half
suggested radiance which Mrs. Dali
ton and Marie Werner had noticed |
seemed set like halo about her: and
the look of happiness which dwelt far |
down in her eyes, and fingered about |
her lips, rendered her charm simply |
irresistible. There were men there of
rank and influence who would have
been glad to marry her if she had |
been Mary Smith and lacked a
penny; conceive how close was the at |
tention, how keen the competition to |
win smile or word from her.
Tonight she danced only twice,
once with the old Earl of Towerford, |
and once with the marquis; but |
though she danced with him but once, !
his presence seemed to haunt her. |
Wherever she went, the glittering |
eyes, the glittering diamonds, seemed |
fixed upon her. His soft, low, insnuat |
ing voice was always about her, if |
not addressing her, then in converse |
ton with some one near her.
Once or twice she managed to es-
cape from the circle of courtiers who |
attended her every movement, and |
got, for little rest and GOODNESS, in
to conservatory and there she let
thoughts fly back homeward-bound |
dove, to the man who had told her of |
his love, the love he deemed so hope |
less; but the marquis was near her
in minute or two; now with an ice,
and again with prayer for another
just one more-dance.
I'VE may as well pack up our
traps and leave the field,'' remark ed |
one of her most ardent admirers. a |
certain dashing young military officer,
who had come home from the last |
war, covered with fame and glory, |
which he was dying to lay at her i
feet. Merle is making all the run