Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-10

his thanks to Dora, his apology for the
alarm he had caused her, and his admir-
ing eulogy of her presence of mind. Her
manner of receiving them, and the look
she gave him when, on rejoining us. he
took her hand, and with natural and
grateful courtesy that prevented the action
from appearing theatrical or unusual,
pressed it to his lips, were anything but
gratifying to me, whatever they may have
been to him. She seemed no Wav dis
pleased at the freedom. | was most con.
| foundedly, but that Walter did not seem
| to observe.
| The incident that had occurred, and Do.
ras request, brought our excursion to an
abrupt termination, and we returned
homeward. 1t appeared as if this were
doomed to be day Of disagreables. On
reaching the inn, found letter which.
thanks to my frequent change of place,
and to the dilatoIiness of continental
post-offices, had been chasing me from
town to town during the previous three
weeks. 1t was from lawyer, informing
me of the death ola relative, and comDell.
ing me instantly to return to England to
arrange some important business concern
ing disputed viii The sum at stake
was too considerable for me to neglect the
summons, and with the worst possible
grace prepared depart. | made some
violent attempts to induce Ashley to fol
low me, talked myself hoarse about fox
hunting and pheasant and other
delights of the approaching season; but
all in vain. His passion for field sports
seemed entirely cooled; he sneered at
foxes, treated pheasants with contempt,
and protessed to be as much in love with
the Pyrenees as | began to fear he was
with Dora. There was nothing for it but
to set out alone, which | accordingly did
having previously obtained from M'Der-
motthe plan of their route and name of the
place where he and his sister thought of
wintering. | was determined, so soon as |
had settled my affairs, to return to the con-
hnent and propose for Dora.
''Man proposes and God disposes," saws
the proverb. In my case | am prepared
to prove that the former part of the prov.
erb lied abominably. Instead of fort,
night In London being, as | had too san.
guinely hoped, sufficient for the settle.
ment of the business that took me thither
| was detained several months, and com
PEELED to make sundry journeys to the
North of England. | wrote several times
him, but no more. Jack was notori
ously bad correspondent, and | scarcely
wondered at his silence.
Summer came-my lawsuit was decided
and sick to death of briefs and barristers
parchments and attorneys, I once more
found myself my own master An appli
cation to M'Dermot's London banker pro
cured me his address He was in Swift
nrl h1,t to1
Rhine, and letters to Wiesbaden would
find him. That was enough for me; my
head and heart was still full of Dora NJ
Dermot; and two days after | had OBJ
tanned the information, the "Antwerpen''
steamer deposited me on Belgian ground
Mr.. M'Dermot is stopping heres" in
quired Of, or rather affirmed to. the
head waiter at the Four Seasons Hotel al
Wiesbaden. If the fellow had told me he
was not, | believe | should have knocked
him down.
He is, sir You will find him in the
Cursaal Gardens with Madame sa soeur'
Off / started to the gardens. They were
in full bloom and beauty, crowded with
flowers and trauleins and foreigners of all
nations. The little lake sparkled in the
| sunshine, and the waterfowl SKINNED
over it in all directions. But it's little
cared for such matters. | was To- king
for Dora, DOra-Dora MDerm0t.
At the corner of walk | 1t hel
brother.
'Jackn' | exclaimed grasping his hand
with the most vehement affection, Pm
delighted tc see you"
And I'm delighted to see YOU, m,
boy" was the rejoindg Il was won
dering you did not answer my last letter
but L suppose you thought to join Us
| sooner
Your last letteri' I exclaimed, II have
written three times since | heard from
you"
"Ihe deuce you have!" cried Jack. "DC
you mean to say you did not get the let
ter | wrote you from Paris a month ago
announcing"
Il did not hear another word, for ius
then, round a corner of the shrubbcry
came Dora herself, more charming than
ever, all grace and smiles and beauty. Blu
| saw neither beauty nor smiles nor grace
all | saw was, that she was leaning on the
arm of that provokingly handsome dog
Walter Ashley. For a moment I stood
| petrified, and then extending my hand,
"Miss M'DermOt?-" exclaimed.
She drew back little, with a smile
and blush. Her companion stepped for
| ward
my dear fellow" said he, ''there is nc
such person. Allow me to introduce t.
you Mrs. Ashley"
If any Of my friends wish to be pre-
sented to pretty girls with twenty thou
sand pounds, they had better apply else
where than to me. Since that day | have
toroS the pra ctica PTacL,cao(j,o H,ou