Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-02

walk" she said. 81 think the policeman,
motto IS right: Keep moving"
Now, however comfortable q ma,
may be, if he is hidden to rise nv !,
pretty woman who stands imperiousl,
over him, the chances are that he obevS
So 1t was with Glare. He most assuredl,
did not want to go with Mrs. Lancaster
and quite as assuredly he did want to sta,
| just where he was.
Il know you are not obliged to me
she said when they had gone some dis
lance Il want to know if than was
mere assertion for effect minute ago. O.
| if you are in earnest in thinking of goins
to Egypt"
II never talk for effect" said Victor
| II always mean what [ say, and certain
| ly am in earnest in thinking of going tt
Egypt"
May ask why?"
Il am surprised that you should neec
to ask. Everybody who knows me knows
that am poor man."
mot SO poor that you need go to Eovp
IN search OF a fortune, however" SAID
she, stopping short and looking at him
keenly. Confess" she added that YOU
| are about to expatriate yourself in this
| absurd fashion because Eleanor Mil
bourne means to marry Marston Brent
"four acuteness has carried you too
far" said he laughing, but not quite nat
urally. Miss MilbOurne's matrimonial
choice Is nothing to me. [ have thought
OF this step for some time. IS letter
Is reply to my application forwarded
months ago. YET now that the answer
has come" he went on, 81 scarcely care
to grasp the advantage it offers. In
difference has infected me like a
poison. I feel more inclined to rust
out on the old place than to sound Boots
and saddle again.
''But why rust out?" she asked impetu-
ously. Then, after a minute, "Are there
not other women in the world besides
Eleanor Milbourne?"
perhaps So" little doggedly. "There
are other stars in the heavens beside We
nus, but who sees them when she is above
the horizon %
How kind and complimentary you
are!n said Mrs. Lancaster with Slight
tone Of bitterness in her voice.
"FOrgive me-" said he after a minute.
Il am a fool on this subject, and, like a
fool, | always say more than | mean. No
doubt there are other women in the world
even more beautiful and more charming
than Eleanor Milbourne, but they are
nothing to me-"
"In other words, you are determined to
believe that the grapes above your reach,
instead OF being sour, are the sweetest in
existence"
cat least l harm only myself by such
an hallucinatiOn, if it is an hallucina-
tiOn.n
But you may harm yourself more than
m 00In la
cadence in her voice. For the sake of a
hopeless passion for a woman who has no
more heart than my fan you will sacrifice
more than you are aware gilmore, per
haps, than you can ever regain
She laid her hand-a pretty, white hand
cleaning with ieWels-On his arm at the
last words, and it was fortunate, perhaps,
that she could not tell with what an effort
he restrained himself from shaking it i'm
patiently off. a quick feeling of repul-
sion came over him like an electric shock
As it was, he had sufficient command of
himself to speak carelessly. Il was never
quick at reading riddles" he said. Il
am unable to imagine what sacrifice |
should make by indulging the hopeless
passion for Miss Milbourne with which
YOU are kind enough to credit me-"
with which | credit your" she re-
peated eagerly. Am [ wrong, then? If
you can tell me that, Victor"
But he interrupted her quickly: "You
ought to know, Mrs. Lancaster, that this
is thing which a sensible man only tells
to one woman; but, since you seem to
take an interest in the subject, there is
nothing which | need hesitate to acknOwl-
edge in the fact that, however hopeless
my passion for Eleanor MilbOurne may
be, it is the very essence of my life, and
can only end with my life"
I'VE all think that when we are young
and foolish, and very much in love" said
Mrs. Lancaster coolly-"but | think you
are more than usually mad. If she is not
already engaged to Marston Brent, she
will be as soon as he returns. | know
that her family confidently expect the
match, and in any case Eleanor Mil
bourne is the last woman in the world
whom a penniless man need hope to
win"
Il know that as we'll as you do" said
Clare. Il have no hope Of winning
her, and | am going to Egypt next
month"
As they emerged from the shrubbery
they were both a little surprised to see a
carriage standing in the full glow of the
light from the open hall door.
"NNho can have arrived?" said Mrs
Lancaster, not sorry, perhaps, for diver
sion. Il did not know that Mrs. Brantley
was expecting any one"
"Who has come, Ellis?" Victor said
| carelessly to a young man who emerged
from the house as they approached.
"Marston Brent was the answer.
Mrs Lancaster, whose hand was still
on Clare's arm, felt the quick start which
he gave at this information, but she was
discreet woman, and she said nothing
until they were standing on the verandah
steps and he had hidden her goodnight
saving that he must ride back to Clare
| mont.
Il understand why you will not re
MAN," she said; "but do not make any
rash resolution about Egypt-aboVe all
do not commit yourself to anything"
The result of this disinterested advice
was, that as soon as he reached home
after a lonely, starlit ride Of six miles
Glare sat down and wrote to General -,
accepting the position he had offered, and
promising to report in Cairo as soon as
possible.
After this it was several days before the
future Egyptian soldier was seen again al
| The Willows 1t was when he re
turned weary and depressed from an
| excursion that he found note from Mrs
Brantley awaiting him.
DEAR MAJOR CLARE at RAM. why have yot
| forsaken US? We have looked for you wished
for YOU and talked of you for days, but you seen