Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-25
The Evil Genius.
A DOMESTIC STORY.
BY WILKIE COLLINS.

DetGeI VI Mis-. 1TeSty D ItSOIuIlOl W hcSp
awake Free from discovery, Sydney as
cended the stairs. Free from discovery, sgd
ney entered her own room.
Half an hour later Linley opened the door
of his drawing-rOom. His wife was still
sleeping. His mother-in-law awoke two
hours later, looked at her watch, and discov-
cred that she had lost her opportunity. 9th
er old women, under similar circumstances,
might have felt discouraged. This old wo-
man believed in her own suspicious more de-
voutly than ever. When the breakfast bell
rang Sydney found Mrs. Presty in the CORR
dor waiting to say good-morning.
Il wonder what you were doing last night,
when you ought to have been in bed?' the
old lady began with treacherous amiability
of manner. ooh, / am not mistaken! Your
door was open, my dear, and / looked ill.,"
why did you look in, Mrs. PreSty~
MY young friend, l was naturally anxious
about you. I am anxious still. Were you in
the house or out of the hOuSe?'
Il was walking in the garden" Sydney re-
piled.
Admitting the moonlight
Eyes; admiring the moonlight"
alone, of cOurse%' Sydney's friend sug-
gested
And Sydney took refuge in prevarication.
''Why should you doubt it?' she said.
Mrs Presty wasted no more time in asking
questions. She was pleasantly reminded of
the words Of worldly wisdom which she had
addressed to her daughter on the day of sgd
ney's arrival at Mount Morven. 1.-The good
qualities of that unfortunate young Great.
ure," she had said, ''can not have always re-
sisted the horrid temptations and contamina-
lions about her. Hundreds of times she must
have had deceit forced on her; she must have
lived through ungOVernable fear" Elevated
little higher than ever in her own estima-
ton, Mrs. Presty took Sydney's arm and led
her down to breakfast with motherly famil-
iarity. Linley met them at the foot of the
stairs. I'll is mother-in-law first stole look
at Sydney, and then shook hands with him
cordially. my dear Herbert, how pale you
are! That horrid smoking. You look as il
you had been up all night"
Mrs. Linley paid her customary visit to the
schOolrOOm that morning.
The necessary attention to her guests had
left little leisure for the exercise of observa-
ton at the breakfast table. The one circum-
stance which had forced itself on her notice
had been the boisterous gayety of her hus-
band. Too essentially honest to practice de-
ception of any kind cleverly, Linley had
Oyeracted the part of a man whose mind was
entirely at ease. The most unsuspicious wO-
man living, his wife was simply amused.
Glow he does enjoy society,"" she thought.
Herbert will be a young man to the end of
his life"
LIZ the best possible SpiritS-Still animated
by her successful eXertiOnS to entertain heI
friendS-MrS. Linley opened the SchOol-rOOm
door briSkly. How are the lessons getting
On?' she began, and checked herself with a
start. ''KittyP' she exclaimed. 'Crying%'
The child ran to her mother with tears in
her eyes. Look at Sgd! She sulks, she
cries. she won't talk to me. Send for the
DOCTOR
ssYou tiresome child, L don't want the doc
tor I'm not ILL.,"
''There, mammay' cried Kitty. ''She nev-
er ScOlded me before to-day"
In other words here was a complete re-
verSal of the usual order of things in the
school-room. Patient Sydney was out OF
temper; gentle Sydney spoke bitterly to the
little friend whom she loved. Mrs. Linley
drew a chair to the gOvernesS' side and took
her hand. The strangely altered girl tore
her hand away, and burst into violent fiji
of crying. Puzzled and frightened, Kitty
Ito the best Of the child's ability followed
her example. Mrs. Linley took her daugh.
ter on her knee and gave Sydney's outbreak
of agitation time to subside. There were nc
feverish appearances in her face; there was
no feveriSh heat in her skin when their hands
had touched each other for moment. In
all probability the mischief was nervous mis-
chief, and the OutburSt of weeping was
hysterical effort at relief
II am afraid, my dear, you have had baC
night" Mrs Linley said.
bad? Worse than badp'
Sydney stopped, looked at her good mis-
treSS and friend in terror and made con
fused effort to explain away what she haC
just said. AS senSibly and kindly self-pos
sessed as ever, Mrs. Linley told her that sht
only wanted rest and quiet. Let me take
you to my room," she proposed. I'VE will
have the sofa moved into the balcony anC
you viii soon go to sleep in the delicious
warm air. You may put away your books
Kitty; this is holiday. Come with me, ant
be petted and spoilt by the ladies i'll thu
mOrning-rOom
Neither the gOverneSS nor the pupil were
worthy of the sympathy so frankly Offered
to them. Still strangely confused, Sydney
made commonplace apologies, and asked
leave to go out and walk in the park. Hear
ing this, Kitty declared that where her gov
tIHtSS WeHt size WOuIu 60 TOO. MIS-. l4lnI6l
smoothed her daughters pretty auburn hair
and said, playfully: Il think / ought to be
jealous" To her surprise Sydney looked VI
as if the words had been addressed to her
self. ''You mustn't be fonder, my dear, O
your governess, y Mrs. Linley went on, ''thal
you are of your mother" She kissed tn,
child, and, rising to go, discovered that sgd
ney had moved to another part of the room
She was standing at the piano, with pag
of music in her hand. The page was upside
down-and she had placed herself in posi-
ton which concealed her face. Slow as Mrs
Linley was to doubt any person (more es
pecially person who interested herr she Ief
the room with a vague fear OF something
wrong, and with a conviction that she woul
do well to consult her husband.
Hearing the door close, Sydney looked
round. She and Kitty were alone again
and Kitty was putting away her books, with
out showing any pleasure at the prospect o
a holiday.
Sydney took the child fondly in her arms
would you be very sorry" she asked, ''if
was obliged to go away, some day, and Ieav
your Kitty turned pale with terror at th
f,,I