Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-01-15

Within the last few weeks Bartlett
had been admitted to partnership in
the frn of FIley sc Tapeham, and he
now arrived with some hope OF induc-
ing Bertha to share his improved lot.
It did not, however, take him long to
discover the state of the case. Had
he been wanting IN the natural readi-
ness of man ia his condition to de-
tect rival, he would have been
quickly enlightened by the changed
demeanor of Miss Williams and her
family. Hitherto he had at least been
treated with considerable friendliness,
now, no doubt, partly to the inoppor-
tune time of his arrival, he found
himself received with marked cold
ness.
It was natural, therefore, that Mr.
Bartlett should not take very cordial
ly to Mr.. Romney- Romney. This,
however, was not due solely to jeal-
ousy. Before he had been many hours
in Folkestone, an idea crossed his
mind that he bad seen ais rivals face
before-he could not recall when or
where, but the idea became more con-
irmed every time he looked at Mr..
Romney-Romney, and, working on
his natural prejudice, caused him to
entertain vague suspicious as to that
gentlenaan's antecedents. After he
had been a couple of days at Virgin
house, his doubts took more definite
shape, and plan occurred to him for
setting tAem at rest, for assistance in
which he determined to apply to Kate
Williams. Kate and he had ALWAYS
been on friendly terms, and, from
one or two chance expressions, he
suspected that she was by no means
charmed with her brother -in-law in
prospect.
Kate" said he, taking the bull by
the horns, II want to ask you ques-
ton about Mr.. Romney-Romney. Who
is he? What does your mother know
about him?"
LAS much as she does about most
people who come here" Kate replied.
HE gave a good reference, and he
pays his bill regularly. Come, Frank,
you may not be fond Of him, but
you cannot deny that he is gentle
man"
Gentleman or not" said Bartlett,
puzzles me. Don't laugh am ser
ious, and have come to you because
I want your help"
My help?" asked, Kate in sur
prise.
Eyes. want you to get his pho
tograDh. [ have q notion that [ have
met him before, and I should like to
ask nv partner, Tapeham, If he re-
members him."
Mr.. Romney has not got photo
graph, answered Kate. mabel was
asking him for one the other night,
and ne told her that he mad never
been photographed since ne was q
boy. He said quite seriously that he
had such nervous horror of being
! taken that he could not sit"
''Biddlestick!'' calculated Bartlett.
But tell you what we have got, y
Kate went on, evidently taken with
the idea Of assisting IN unraveling a
mystery. mabel took 3 sketch OF
his head one evening while he was
playing bezique with Bertha. It's q
splendid likeness as good as a
! photograph, She put it away some
! W ACI5s SIL1O have 1Io CSI+OO 3AS L
could find it.
Bartlett said he should like to have
it, and, to his delight, a little later in
the evening Kate took an opportunity
Of handing the portrait to him private
~. It proved to be rough but char
acteristic likeness of the original, and
that same evening Bartlett posted it
to Mr.. Tapeham, with q short state
ment of the circumstances which led
to his sending it.
Mrs. Williams had felt rather an
noyed with Bartlett for intrudIng
himself at this crisis in Bertha's fer
tunes, but it really seemed as If his ar
rival. had stimulated Mr.. Romeny-
Romney's attachment. On the day
after Bartlett's arrival, which was
Sunday, Mr.. Romney-Romney escort
ed the aadles to church, and walked
home with Miss Williams. On the
Monday they were together all the
morning upon the bench, watching
the arrival of the Boulogne boat.
When, on the same evening, Frank
Bartlett was holding the above con-
versation with Kate Williams IN a
corner of the drawing-room after din
ner, every lady in the room was aware
that Bertha and Mr.. Romney-Romney
were sitting tete-a-tete in the conser
vatory downstairs. Presently they
walked up and down for half an hour
in front OF the sea, and ten minutes
after they came in Mr.. Williams knew
that her eldest daughter had promised
to become Mrs. Romney-Romney.
By Dreakfast-time the next morning
the news was. known all over the
house, and Bertha was receiving the
congratulations of her friends. Miss
Horncastle came among the first.
Bartlett came too, and managed to
put fairly good fece upon the cere-
mony.
Now that the blow had fallen, Bart
lett found himself undergoing Ger
tain revulsion of feeling toward Mr..
Remney- Romney, and it was not long
before he even found himself hoping
that nothing unfavorable to that gen
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