Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-10

~ on can understand 1t. she spite
fully exclaimed.
Indeed, | cannot"
Then, she said drawing a long,
deep breath, and bestowing upon him
Il look which she thought would ami
hilate him, you had better go-and-
ask-your- pretty widow--your sweet
Kitty Coryden. -
A bomb bursting at his feet could not
have startled him more deeply; but it
was only for Il moment.
He was a man whose conscious in
tegrity-whose ever present sense of
truth and honor-rendered him imper-
vious to fear from such an attack.
Presently the look of CONSERVATION
gave way to plying smile, and he
gently said:
Poor child, who has been whisper
ing that nonsense into your carp
''Oh! it's nonsense, is it? Perhaps
there isn't any Kitty Coryden?''
But there is; and she has called on
me at my office"
Eyes, and you are going to find a
house for her, here in our village?"
=. have promised her that [ viii do
so.
''Oh, how coolly you take itn'
But, my dear Josephine, will you
listen to me for just one moment. Let
mo, no! I will not! [ want moth
ing more to do with you! Go to your
Kitty! She's been in your Office, how
many times? And-and-''
''Well, what more? Let us have the
whole CHARGE"
'Oh. didn't you-didn't you only
yesterday, when she got out of the
coach, didn't you-oh, you falso-heart-
ed mani"
Didn't [ what, Josey?"
Don't call me Joscy! Don't you
never dare to do it again! Oh, you took
your Kitty in your arms
mo, no, | deny that la t0to," broke
in Henry, smiling in spite of all his eff
forts to the contrary.
"Well, you-you-kissed her! So
therer'
MY dear Josephine, to that | plead
guilty"
.'You-you-do!" gasped the strick-
en- girl, utterly confounded by the
mans impervious audacity. She strug-
gled up from the blow and pointed to
the door"
''There!-there, sir, is the door! Go!
90! and neyer-neYer let me look upon
your face again. Not word. [ have
heard enough. Col"
He gazed upon her for brief space
"a few seconds-and then with some
thing very much like a smile upon his
frank and honest face, he turned, and
left the room-left the house, saying to
himself as he went:
Poor child! | will not blame her. If
she did not love me truly and we'll, she
would not feel so deeply"
He knew very well who had made
the mischief. A certain maiden, who
had sought in vain to win his smiles
who had thrown herself almost into
his arms repeatedly, and whom he had
been forced to repulse-had seen his
fair client alight at the door of his office,
and had, very likely, seen him kiss her;
for he had done that thing; and had
done it most lovingly.
Meantime an unhappy maiden sat all
alone in the great drawing-room Of
Judge Archer's Che had been Judge
of Probate) imposing residence. She
had never in all her life been SO I'M
happy before.
As she called back the face of her
lover, and again, in fancy, heard the
rich music of his voice, she could not
believe that he was traitor.
Could he be false to her? She would
not believe it!
And -yet-that kiss-Kate and
Belle both saw it; or Kate did, at any
rate. And he had acknowledged it,
too! Oh, that is too much. II he had
a sister or cousin, or anything of that
kind-but he has not-he told me SO
himself
Thus sat the maiden of the crushed
and bleeding heart, buried beneath an
avalanche of horror and despair; hor-
ror-stricken at the pertiGy of her lover,
and in despair because he would never
come back to her-never any more
thus pale and shivering when her father
and mother entered the room.
They looked upon her in wonder and
alarm.
'Josephine!-my dear child what
in the world is the meaning of this?
What has happened?"
So spake the Judge, with a hand laid
tenderly on his daughters head; and
his voice betraying an emotion deep
and fervent.
She did not answer him. She only
bent her head lower and sobbed
more violently. Then her mother spoke,
but without the depth OF emotion that
had characterised the speech of the
father:
Josephine, this is nothing but low
er's quarrel; and all on your part I'll
be bound. You've been doing some
thing foolish. +"
The girl was upon her feet in an in
slant, her hands clenched, her teeth set
and her eyes flashing.
"A lovers quarrelr' she gasped.
con my part! Oh, you don't know
you don't know what he-the-wretch
has been doing! He is false! false!
false!'
but, my dear child, what has he
been doing?"
Hes done enough! l am not his
first loye-not his true love- She-she