Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-07-28
knight Grant
By EDNA LYAL1

voice, said:
81 have heard from Nader 1iselle
de Caisne. Carlo. You had better
read her letter, and she incloses
these"
In some surprise he took the papers
she handed to him, and glanced at
the first. It was half-sheet of paper,
on the back of which the following
words were written in Italian: AN
advertisement cut out of the Times.
Neatly pasted on the other side were
a few brief lines of English print:
ION the 26th inst, at Naples, by
the British consul and by the Rev
erend ]. Smith. Renato, Conte Ca
rosa, TO Francesca, elder daughter OF
Captain John Britton, r. NJ
Carlo neither spoke nor moved; the
blow struck at his heart had been SO
fearfully sudden that after the first
moment of agony he felt nothing, but
was like one paralyzed. Still holding
the advertisement in his hand, he
stared at those words which had
shattered his whole life; then, as SEN
sation slowly returned, a horrible
craving to know more seized him, and
he snatched up the next paper. 1t
was a leaflet printed in silver, an
English wedding-hymn, beginning,
"The voice that breathed Ger Eden"
he read it through from beginning TO
end with a sort Of blank, dazed feel
ing. Then he took the next slip. II
was cutting from the Roma, just a
shor. paragraph stating that the mar
rage of Count Carossa had called
forth general attention, owing tn the
fact that his bride was the aeknowl-
edged belle of Naples. That the
beautiful English girl had made a
charming bride, and hat. according to
the English custom. the wedding party
had been entertained at breakfast
after the ceremony at Casa Bella, the
residence Of Captain Britton.
Lastly, he read with feverish haste,
Mademoiselle De Caisnes letter rush
ing impatiently through the prelimi-
narles till he came to the following re
| marks:
The marriage of Count Carossa is
the great topic of the day here, and
knowing how intimate you and your
brother were with the English owners
of Casa Bella, | send you full partieu-
| lars. The wedding was really a
beautiful sight; the bride wore a
dress of ivory-satln with a very long
train, and it really is wonderful how
even In this climate English girls
seem % preserve .hssR complexion
Miss Britton's is the most charmingly
delicate coloring l ever saw. Every
one is enyious of Count Carossa.
only hope he deserv so fascinating
a wifei"
Corlo folded the papers and put
them back in their envelope. Every
vestige of color had left his face, and
Nita began to wonder whether he
would ever move or speak again--ht
looked as If he had turned to stone
She was frightened, and yet the sight
did not appeal to her; 1t even made
her little angry and impatient, fol
sue udu Bol uedlb chouSh w uhuSl
stand him.
There was a long, burdened silence
broken at length by Nita.
We'll" she said, with a bitter tone
in her voice, nov at any rate, you
Will know what it means to have a
legal bar between you and the one
"ou love"
AT that ths stony despair suddenly
changed: the frozen blood seemed to
boil in his veins, and look of an
guish, which terrified her. dawned il
his eyes. Her words had mos
cruelty, most recklessly, thrast the
terrible truth before him He got vi
! quickly. and walked with unsteady
steps 10 the door. by a sort of blind
instinct perceiving that to be away
from his sister would DE a relief.
But Mia had no sooner spoken than
she regretted her words. and would
have given anything to recall them
She rushed after him and caught his
hand in hers
Don't go. Carlo" she cried. Il an
sorry | said that am sorry for you
Carlton, Stay"
Her presence was almost more
than he could endure, but though pas
thinking definitely of any thing but
the crushing blow he had received
and the torturing pair it caused him
the mere habit of considering Others
before himself made him pause now
though he longed sorely to be alone
with his trouble.
> All! VIII should we have such
} things to bear?" she cried. passion
ately, thinking even now far more OF
her own trouble than of his.
God help us both" he groaned.
I Then, dropping her hand. he turned
away and flung himself face downward
on the couch, unable to resist any
longer the paroxysm of grief which
overwhelmed him.
Nita watched him much as Kate
Britton had watched him in the hut;
her womanc soul was touched to the
Quick. ami though only a minrtc be
fore she had cried. why should We
have such things to bear?" she saw
now. with a sharp pang of regret, that
Carlos grief was the direct conse
quence of her own weakness. She
fell down on her knees beside him.