Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-08-04
Love $ Conquest
D. CHARIEs CARVJ1

n CHARLEs CARvn

would find out what the reason was,
crept up close behind him.
WELL said Sinclair, coming up to
him, ARE you ready? I've seen the
the person l came to see, and we'd
better be getting back"
The old man raised himself slowly,
and the two, to Marie's mortified
ton, were stealing away, when sud-
denly foot was heard on the ter
race steps, and a voice said:
II will smoke my cigar on the
lawn, think and the marquis came
down the stone steps in his slow,
nOiSeleSs manner.
Sinclair drew the old man roughly
into the shadow of the shrubs, so
roughly that old Pollard looked up
DULY to see the cause, and saw the
tall, thin figure of the marquis stand
in gin the light that poured from the
shadows.
In a moment the old mans eyes lit
up, as if a spark from memory's fires
had flashed into them, and his lips
Its the Marquis of Merle" he said
in hollow whisper.
ooh, is it?' said Sinclair, moodily.
Whoever it is, he'll see us, and there
will be a pretty kettle of fish. Con
found it, I wish I'd left you at home
in Eden Row.
"The Marquis of Merle, of Darra-
court" said the old man, nodding
with a senile satisfaction. Eyes, yes, !"
he's no more the Marquis of Merle
than | ami" and he stretched his
mouth in a silent grin that was APP
palling.
mo more" exclaimed Mr.. Sin
clair, while Marie clutched her seat
systematically in her establishment.
The old man raised his forefnger
impressively.
II knew the father of that man
there, VINO calls himself the Marquis
of Merle" he said, his hollow voice
vibrating with a vague pride. HE
the father-was called John Della
mere Merle. He was gay man, a
spendthrift, and loose lover! re
member when the ligh's in this
place. and he pointed his finger to
the Court, "never went out for week
They danced, and they drank, and
they played cards by candlelight for
seven days together. He was wild
man.
HE was handsome. and the people
loved him, though; there wasn't a
girl within a score of miles but had
: g good word for him. There was one
girl, the daughter of a farmer; her
name das Richards fair girl, with
dark eyes and yellow hair. 1 remem-
her her. He went away with her when
he'd lost, and drank, and squandered
all his money, and Darracourt saw
him and her no more for years. Then
he came back. There was a certain
young lady, a rich heiress, his
marry her, and restore the court and
all the estate with her money. He
married her, and this man standing
there smoking-is their son."
Mr.. Sinclair uttered low cry of
disgust.
rs that all? What is there in all
that to make a fuss about?'' he eX-
claimed in an indignant whisper "The
last marquis married the heiress,
end there stands their son. and he is
the present earl, of course! I
haven't gone in for studying the
cristocracy, as you have done. but l
know enough to know that. You said
he wasn't the right marquis to be-
gin with, and now YOU say he ISL
mo, no." said the old man, slowly
and impressively. Il said he was their
son. But he is not the rightful mar
quis!'
Not? Why?"
Listen. The last marquis married
the heiress, here in the village church,
and all rejoiced and the son-that
man there-was born, and all re-
joiced still more. But all the same he
is not the Marquis of Merle!"
Not? Why not?'
The old man stared vacantly before
him, Sinclair held his breath, Marie
clutched the seat as if her fingers
were of steel, and both waited. Slow
ly his memory came back to it's throne
in the old mans brain.
why not?" he repeated. Because
the last marquis married Bessie Rich
ards, and son was born
Mr.. Sinclair almost jumped into the
air and hic teeth clicEad
Can you prove-how do you know
=" he gasped
Mr.. Pollard smiled a CHASTITY grin
of superiority.
How do know? Because | know
I'll their secrets. They had a son, a
fine boy with yellow hair and dark
eyes like his mother. They called him
Harry-Harry Herne. She brought
him back here and was content to