Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-28

tally grOaning over the fact of so bright
| jewel being so terribly tlawed Now | se'
clearer, | find that l have misnamed an;
misjudged what is really a browning
| grace"
| RS. Ramsay has grown quite pale
You don't mean to tell me, Eric, that, if
ii she could, by any strange circum
stance, regain her speech"
He breaks in rapidly, right here: 81
want no change in her. To me she is per
iect as she is. love her for just aohat she
Is At one time my pity and regret nearly
maddened me. All her loveliness seemed
unreaehable Now laugh at mvseif for
desiring more-tor desiring ANYTHING a
whit different"
Mrs. Ramsay is no longer pale: she is
| dead white from brow to throat and rises
nervously while Eric's fervid ewes search
her face. Excuse me-" she falters ~
have forgotten my handkerchief. | will
return in moment"
AS she enters the hall she meets GLADYS
face to face odd you hear?" She whis,
pers, tremulous-voiced
Gladys mods yes. Then she catches
both Of Mrs. Ramsay's hands in both her
own, and the two women stand staring AT
each other for a little space.
4" am going to end it right away
she bursts forth, with rough huskiness
OF tone, glitterlng eyes, and palor that
we'll matches Mrs. Ramsay's. mo mat.
ter what the result is, it must be done at
once"
Two tears glitter now on Mrs. Ramsay's
cheeks. But think OF what he has Just
c Inflx y
does nothing except halfcoherently CUR
gle. " He laughs at himself for having
desired any thing whit different from
when he learns the real truth?''
"Hate me, l suppose" speeds the girls
hard, harsh retOrt.
Hate you, Gladys?" is the plaintive
iteration. ooh, my darling, hope not
for you simply adore him. Pm not such
a fool, dear, that haven't made this easy
discovery"
Gladys has grown peony-color to her
temples ooh, hush, Mrs Ramsay, in
the name of all decencyn' She has drawn
both hands away, and her voice is touched
with proud ire. @ I had best go right out
and speak to him" She hurries along
with softening tones. "He should learn
as soon as possible that he is in love with
a woman who has never existed"
After that, she turns with abrupt sud
denness and walks firmly out upon the
piazza, never pausing till she is within a
yard of Eric's side. He rises the instant
he sees her, his face glowing with vel
come.
But presently the welcoming look dies
away, for he discovers that she is greatly
agitated and that she tries without avail
to master powerful tremor of the frame.
Wonderingly he points toward a near
chair. She refuses, with lifted hand and
a little negative shaking of the head.
Then she fires, so to speak the cannon
of her appalling revelation, Her voice
falls even and full, with only faint I'M
steadiness at the ending Of the last word.
Il have deceived you. | am very sorry.
But it cannot be helped now, and can
only beg you to pardon me-"
Eric stands, for slight while, like a
man who has just seen some blood freez-
ing specter. But in few minutes his
face wears a much calmer look, though it
is still touched with a great beWilder-
ment, almost resembling terror.
Then Gladys speaks again, seemingly
with strong effort:
II have been quite prepared for your
anger on learning the truth-your very
righteous anger, | admit Indeed, it
must have been the thought of this anger
that has deferred me SO long from telling
you. If had-had not CHANGED to see
that queer letter Of yours to Mrs. Ramsay
the trick would never have been played y
Don't call it a trick" he murmurs
while kind Of dim ironic smile seems to
flicker across his lips and then instantly
fade. ct surely deserves a grander name
than that. We do not talk of petty lar
ceny to man who steals a milliOn.'
Her brow clouds a little as she answers
very swiftly:
Call it whatever you please-a gross
falsehood-a shameful hypocrisy. But
let me know as soon as possible, | beg
Mr.. Palmer, whether you mean to forgive
me for making you believe that | was my
sister Eva. | suppose there is no use OF
our speaking any further just now
Words will OF aggravate matters. The
mere sound OF my voice must remind you
of how | have lately reveled in deceit
While the last sentence leaves her lips
she turns away from him and takes STEP
or two toward the hall entrance. But
just then Eric, hurrying forward, plants
himself in front of her. Every sarcastic
trace is gone from his mouth and eyes
nothing but sort of questioning passion
ateness Of appeal SENS to fill his face.
"Gladys," he breaks forth, while his
eyes meet hers burningly, you cannot
ask me to pardon you until I hear one
thing"
"What is that" she quivers, as though
foreseeing the answer
"Just this: when | wrote you certain
words yesterday, as we sat on the rocks
together, why did you not then seize the
chance of ending my deception? Fol
Heavens sake, answer me thati Did you
merely keep up your false part then that
might remember more humiliatedly here
after how | had asked you to be my wife
while fooled in such ridiculous fashion as
to what you were ?"
mo, no." she cries, mot that Indeed
indeed not that! | could take no pleasure
in your humiliation; it makes me shud-
der to have you suspect that | could
And now the tears seem besieging voice
and eyes alike, as she hurries on brokenly
but with eager heat: Can you not I'M
derstand a PERSONS being prompted to
take a certain course by every truthful and
honorable impulse he or she may possess
and yet, being weak in cowardly strength
to resist these impulses? 1t was Just that
way with me. | tried to tell you yester
day-I-I have been trying to tell you
for days past" And at this her eyes take
a sudden flash to which their tears lend
livelier briliance, while she draws sud
denly nearer to him with one or two rapid
little steps Shall | tell you what has
dragged my confession forth from me q
she oupStinuS with a sort of head lon q