The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Mad Love, by Bertha M. Clay

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Title: A Mad Love

Author: Bertha M. Clay

Release Date: March 3, 2010 [EBook #31489]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A MAD LOVE

BY BERTHA M. CLAY

Author of "Sunshine and Roses," "Beyond Pardon," "Dora Thomas," "From
Out the Gloom," etc., etc.

CHICAGO.
DONOHUE, HENNEBERRY & CO.,
PUBLISHERS.

A MAD LOVE

CHAPTER I.

A DISCONTENTED BEAUTY.

"Leone," cried a loud voice, "where are you? Here, there, everywhere,
except just in the place where you should be."

The speaker was a tall, stout, good-tempered looking man. Farmer Noel
people called him all over the country-side. He stood in the farmyard,
looking all the warmer this warm day for his exertions in finding his
niece.

"Leone," he cried again and again.

At last the answer came, "I am here, uncle," and if the first voice
startled one with its loudness, this second was equally startling from
its music, its depth, its pathos.

"I am here, uncle," she said. "I wish you would not shout so loudly. I
am quite sure that the people at Rashleigh can hear you. What is it that
you want?"

"Have you made up the packets of wheat I asked you for?" he said.

"No," she replied, "I have not."

He looked disappointed.

"I shall be late for market," he said. "I must do them myself."

He went back into the house without another word. He never reproached
Leone, let her do what she would.

On Leone's most beautiful face were evident marks of bad temper, and she
did not care to conceal it. With a gesture of impatience she started
forward, passed over the farmyard and went through the gate out into the
lane, from the lane to the high-road, and she stood there leaning over
the white gate, watching the cattle as they drank from the deep, clear
pool.

The sun shone full upon her, and the warm, sweet beams never fell on
anything more lovely; the only drawback