Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-02-04


'sWhen WesterfieId was counting ne,' she
said, 'his brother (my l0rd) was bachelor.
A lady-if one can call such creature a
lady was living under his protection. He
told Westerfeld he was very fond Of her,
and he hated the idea of getting married. If
your wife's first child turns out to be a son.
he said, there is an heir to the title and es-
tates, and may go on as am now We
were married month afterward, and when
my first child was born it was girl. | leave
you to judge what the disappointment was!
My lord persuaded, as suspect, by the Wo-
man [ mentioned just now ran the risk of
waiting another year, and year afterWard,
rather than be married. Through all that
time I had no other child or prospect Of a
child. His lordship was fairly driven into
taking wife. All, how / hated her! Their
first child was a boy-abi bouncing healthy
brute Of a boy! And six months afterward
my poor little fellow was born. Only think
of it! And tell me, Jenny, don't deserve
to be happy woman after suffering such
dreadful disappointment as that? Is it true
that you're going back to American
"Quite true"
''Take me back with YOU"
''With couple Of children?'
mo. Only with one. can dispose Of the
other in England. Wait little before you
say no. Do you want money!"
''You couldn't help me- If l did,
Marry me, and l can help you to fort
une."
He eyed her attentively and saw that she
was in earnest what do you call a fort
une?" he asked.
give thousand pounds" she answered.
His eyes opened; his mouth opened; he
scratched his head Even his impenetrable
nature proved to be capable of receiving a
shock Five thousand pounds! He asked
family for drop of brandy"
She had bottle Of brandy ready for him.
''You look quite overcome" she said.
He was too deeply interested in the restora-
tive influence Of the brandy to take any no
tice Of this remark. When he had recovered
himself he was not disposed to believe in the
$4,000. 'Where's the proof Of it?'' he said
sternly
She produced her husbands letter. Odd
you read the trial Of WesterfeId for casting
away his Ship" she asked.
81 heard of it."
''Will you look at this letter?'
SIS it lOng?"
eyes"
''Then suppose you read it to me-"
He listened with the closest attention while
she read. The question of stealing the dia-
n!onds Gf they could only be found did not
trouble either of them. 1t was settled ques-
ton, by tacit consent, on both sides. But the
value in money OF the precious stones sug-
geSted a doubt that still weighed on his mind.
'How do you know they're worth 95, OOO"'
he inquired
''You dear old stupid! Doesn't Wester-
field himself say so in his letter?'
Read that bit again"
She read it again: After the two calami-
ties of the loss Of the ship, and the disap-
pearance of the diamonds-the last being
valued at 95, 000-I returned to England"
Satisfied SO far, he wanted to look at the
cipher next. She handed it to him with
stipulation, "YouTs, Jenny, on the day
when you marry me-"
He put the slip of paper into his pocket
''Now, I've got it," he said, suppose keep
it?''
A woman who has been barmaid at pub
lie house is a woman not easily found at the
end of her resources. SIN that case" she
CURLY remarked, 81 should call in the police,
and then telegraph to my husbands employ
ers in Liverpool"
He handed the cipher back. 81 was jok-
ing" he said.
$50 was T." she answered.
They looked at each other. They were
made for each Other-and they both felt it.
At the same time James kept his own inter-
estS steadily in view. He stated the obvious
objection to the cipher. Experts had already
tried to interpret the signs, and had failed.
"Quite true" she added, ''but other people
may succeed"
How are you to find them?'
Leave me to try. VIII you give me fort
night from to-day?"
"AII right. Anything else?"
Zone thing more. Get the marriage license
at once.'
''Why?'
ITO show that you are in earnest"
He burst out laughing. 1T mightn't be
much amiss," he said, ''if took you back
with me to America; you're the sort of wo-
man we want in our new saloon. llget the
license. Good night"
AS he rose to go there was a soft knock at
the door. A little girl in a shabby frock ven
tured to show herself in the room.
What do you want here?' her mother
asked sharply.
sgd held out a small, thin, hand, with
letter in it, which represented her only ex-
cuse Mrs. Westerfield read the letter and
crumpled it up in her pocket Zone of your
seclets?" James asked. anything about
the diamonds, for instance"
''Wait till you are my husband" she said,
'and then you may be as inquisitiye as you
please" Her amiable sweetheart'S guess
had actually hit the mark. During the year
that had passed she, too, had tried her luck
among the experts and had failed. Having
recently heard of a foreign Interpreter of
ciphers, she had written to ask his terms.
The reply Gust received) not only estimated
his services at an eXtraYagantly high rate,
but asked cautious questions which it was
not convenient to answer. Another attempt
had been made to discover the mystery of
the cipher, and made in vain.
James Bellbridge had his moments of good
humor, and was on those rare occasions east
ly amused. He eyed the child with conde-
scending curiosity. "Looks half starved
he said-as if he was considering the case of
a stray cat ''Hullo, there! Buy a bit of
bread" He tossed penny to sgd as he left
the room and took the opportunity of bind
ing his bargain with Syd's mother ttMind