Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-04-22
A FOOLISH FROLIC.
By Democratic Duchess Etc

mere was nothing more for Montresor
ana the Duke to do for the doctor had
| Deen already sent for. Langrishe had
not yet returned from his search. But
neither OF the two young men could 90
10 ped, and the Duke in his misery chung
10 ms friends cOmpanionship for solace
For time Montresor listened in 81
lence, as they sat in the empty smoking
room waiting for news, to the Dukes
reIteratlon of his feelings, of his love,
and of his grief.
She is so young and so beautiful, and
l love her So" the young man said with
a break in his honest voice. "She surely
cannot die! If she win only live l will
make her love mel"
| Suddenly Montresor spoke.
His voice was harsh and unsteady, and
he looked out of the window at the dis
tant mountain peaks which the morning
sun was just Illuminating.
Il ought to tell you something. Ken.
neth," he said.
| The Duke turned round and looked at
him with surprise. He had no suspicion
OF what was coming. Montresor paused
moment and then went on desperately:
L am the man who loved and treated
Il
| "Iou!" cried Kenneth, starting back
and gazing at his friend as if he sus.
pected him of having taken leave of his
senses. "You!"
Eyes, T." Montresor answered more
steadily now.
"Then you are villain!" exclaimed
the duke furiously. He flung himself
down nthe sofa with his head in his
hands. And she loves you!" he added
with something like sob.
Il love her!" said Montresor, as if the
words were wrung from him. CAT least
| can say that have never ceased to
love, and since she isis angel enough to
love me still"
He broke off, and, approaching Ken.
meth, laid a hand lightly on his shoulder.
Kenneth" he said, 81 believe if |
could give her love to you as a gift I
would do it, so utterly unworthy of her
do | feel myself to be, and so worthy
OF her | know you to be. But if she
loves me-then l shall kneeI at her feet
and sue for her pardon-if she lives!"
He broke off, unable to face even in
fancy the awful possibility of her dying.
For some moments neither spoke. Then
the Duke rose.
You are my friend and-she loves
you!" he said. "She loves you! What
| is there more for me to sayg You have
got the best of it, whatever I may say"
He held out his hand, and Montresor
took it silently.
Then neither spoke for nearly an hour,
at the end of which time Langrishe came
IN. He had heard at chalet that a lady
had been found on the mountain and
carried down to Zermatt by the gentle
men who had gone up to look for her.
Montresor briefly told him the circum.
stances as far as he knew them. Then
Langrishe also sat down to await the
development of events.
The threatened storm had passed COM
pletely away. The villagers were troop.
ing to the chapel in the sunshine. The
tinkle of the goatb bells sounded cheerilv
in the sweet morning air.
At 6 o'clock Agnes sent message to
her brother to come up to their sitting
room. lie was away about quarter of
an hour
There is no change" he announced.
'She lies in stupor, and means a little
occasionally. Ny brother begs that we
Will order some coffee and then 90 to
They so far obeyed Mrs. Matthieson's
behests that they ordered coffee, drank
it when it came, and then each retired
to his own room. But none of the three
slept.
1t was ~ o'clock before the doctor
came. His verdict was unfavorable
There seemed to be injury to the brain,
and also, he greatly feared, to the spine.
Miss Lavenham's life was undoubtedly
in great danger. But she had youth and
an excellent constitution in her favor.
For few days it would be impossible
to say more.
1t was during the few days that fol-
lowed that Agnes Matthieson won all of
her promised husbands heart that had,
or he and she both fancied had, been
hitherto withheld from her. She thought
and spoke of DenziIia as of dear sister.
She never betrayed the slightest ieaI-
ousy of Langrishe's unconcealed anxiety.
She seemed to understand that man
who has once loved woman as he had
loved the American heiress must to the
end of his life regard her with deep af-
lection and interest She sCothed his
fears, she sympathized with his every
alienation of hope and dread. She ex-
acted no attention from him to herself.
least of all loverlike attentions. And she
had her reward. Langrishe grew to feel
hour by hour more fully that however
much of sentiment he might retain in his
heart for Denzilia in memory of the love
he had so long borne her it was Agnes
Matthieson alone who could fill his life
and render him perfectly happy and
contented man.
Denzilia's friend arrived the next day.
to the relief of all, for they felt that
after all they were merely, with the OK
ception of Langrishe, travelling acqTaint-
ances, and that as such the responsibility
laid on them was a very heavy one.
The friend was that Francesca Van
brugh to whom Denzilia had written
confidential letter three years before
Miss Vanbrugh therefore knew a great
deal more about the party assembled
round the sick bed of her friend than
they had any suspicion of, and the sit
uation rather pleased her.
She was very lively young woman,
OF much more what English people are
accustomed to consider a distincriyeiv