River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-10-14

saw me safely settled.
"Good-byev' he said. Don't for
get to come and see me when you can. F"
81 will certainly come, said l, and
/ l fully resolved that | would.
'Where to, sir?" asked Toplis. the
cabman, a Trustworthy functionary,
who was generally employed by Shaw.
MIR. Beaufoy's Hanover Lodge, Mill
wood-road, Frogual.'
VERY good, FL"
'You won't get there before the
rain comes on, m afraid ToplisP"
THAT won come On vet, sir, said
Toplis in the voice of a man who was
accustomed to take reassuring views of
things in general. especially the catch
ing of trains for the encouragement of
fidgety spinsters.
With another cordial Goodbye" l
left the peaceful precincts ofSt. Bar
limeus's, and, under the care of the
skillful charioteer Toplis, was
soon bowling along the Edg-
war road, en- route to Hanover
Lodge.
For q time my busy thoughts and an
ticipations were accompanied by the
noise of the traffic, but after going
some distance we turned of to the left,
and then, the farther we went, the
ouieter il became, and l noticed more
than ever the deep stiffness of the air.
from which all the life of sound seemed
TO have been sucked up by the prevail
ing electricity. j felt it in every nerve;
/ fairly tinglcd with it; and under the
oppression of the atmosphere | grad
uallv lost the buOyancy of expectation,
and began to look forward with some
degree of anxiety to the unknown life
that lay before me. More aud more
oppressive became the stiffness. The
sudden rush Of distant train made me
finch; the roll of approaching wheels,
mistaken for the inevitable thunder,
left me with my nervous anxiety
disappointed and increased. After
what seemed to me very
long drive, we turned on to a road,
which seemed much less frequented
than those we had previously traversed.
The wheels iolted unevenly now and
ihen. and their noise and the fall of the
horses h0ofs were deadened. as if we
were going along n partially grass
grown way. After a little while our
speed slackened, and we pulled up.
"Gater' shouted TOplis.
"Where are we. Toplis?" | called.
This here's Hanover Lodge, sir.
Leastwavs its the gate, but it ain t
open. Gatel he shouted again.
.All right called a grutf voice.
"All right!" said Toplis. ''it ain T
all right, with the rain a waiting to
come down"
! Leard the click of latch, and then
the cab-doors were thrown open.
''ketch hold Of my arm, SIR" said
the man with the gruf voice. You
must get down here.
Why don't you open the gate, and
can drive the gentleman up to the
'OuSe?' said Toplis wrathfully.
You can drive the gentleman whore
vOu please outside" said the gruif in
dividual. ''But the guv'nor don't
choose to hev his gravel cut up by .
lot Of 'ansOm cab 'orses."
''All right, Toplis, said I. Here,
take the p0rtmanteau.
A hand took my bag from me; with
hearty Good afternoon from the
worthy cabmaU, committed myself 10
the guidance of the strange man.
He took me through q small gate
at least, so / judged from the fact that
he seemed to slide through IN front Of
me, and that / touched the post some
what roughly in passing.
lis il far to the house?' | asked. for
felt drop of rain fall on my hand.
''SOme bit of a way" he answered
surlily.
So I said no more. This was rather
Disappointing. There was a disagree
able want of consideration in sacrificing
q strangers convenience to the appear
ance of the gravel, which struck me as
ludicrous, but, being unable to see, l
felt it the more inexcuseable.
We walked on in silence for some
distance. / began to have 4 consider
able respect for the size Of Mr.. Beau
toys grounds.
This is a large placer" / remarked,
for the silence was oppressive.
Ny guide gave an affirmative grunt.
just then heard a train come rush
ing on, as it seemed under our feet.
'Whats that?n / exclaimed.
"This ere S q bridge. The line runs
through the grounds, he replied, and
we relapsed into silence.
a short abrupt peal of thunder broke
kAlt SAAtAEEs anu NANA IL AOAAEu
ally and long over the sky.
FWe'd best hurry" said my guide,
quickening his pace.
was walking close to him, having
refused his arm, cautiOning him to let
me know if any obstacles should occur
in our path; but did not care to run
without some surer knowledge of my
guide. So l kept him down to a quick
walk. Big raindrops began to patter
on my hat and break on my hands, and
to rustic continuously on leaves all
about Us.
The man swOre to himself, and
wondered the more at the kind Of
gardener Or lodge-keeper that such a
man rs Mr.. BeaufOy employed.
Again the clouds gave tongue, and
the cry was wrathfully taken up all
about the vault of heaven.
Come on, sir; there's the house,
said my guide.
How far?"
Fifty steps, straight across the grass
now. D it, | don't want to get
wet through -
l would not qUicken-out of spite, l
fear. l heard the sound of an opening
door.
There's Miss Beaufoy at the door.
said the man, as the rain began to
come down ike n waterfall.
"COme-quick - cried the clear i'm
perious tones of Miss Beaufoy's voice.
Jumping at this as On order, my
guide set Of running, calling to me:
Come Onslaught -
/ follow ed. l trod upon grass, which
the draught and the rain together
made very slippery. / fell, but not
heavily.
''Here-this wayr' cried the voice
again.
looked towards her, and resumed
my progress. pictured her waiting
IN the doorway. l should be among
friends again in n minute.
Then there was a sudden and an aw-
ful crash, 4 white rending and a SILVER
ING. as il were, of my senses and of my
cOnsciousness-an awful tingl;ng, as if
the life Of pain were dragged into cold
air, and then a stunning shock seemed
to hurl me into Inconsistencies.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Yellow Dinner.
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