Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-04
IlG EVIL Genius.
DOMESTIC STORY.
BY WILKIE COLLINS.
w.

Self-revealed by the family likeness as
Herberts brother, Randall Linley was never
theIess greatly Herbert's inferior in personal
appearance. His features were in no way
remarkable for manly beauty. In stature he
hardly reached the middle height, and, young
as he was, either bad habit or physical weak
ness had so affected the upper part OF his
figure that he stopped. But, with these and
other disadvantages, there was something IN
his eyes and in his smile-the outward eX-
preston perhaps Of all that was mOdeStly
noble in his nature-so irresistible in its at
tractive influence that men, women, and
children felt the charm alike. Inside Of the
house and outside of the house everybody
was fond of Randal-eyen Mrs PreSty in
cluded.
''Have you seen a new face among us since
you returned?'' were his sister-in-law's first
words. Randall answered that he had seen
Miss Westerfeld. The inevitable question
followed. What did he think of her? ''Pll
tell you in a week or two more" he replied.
"No! tell me at once"
81 don't like trusting my first impression.
have a bad habit of jumping to conclu-
Sions."
Jump to a conclusion now, to please me"
Randall smiled and gave away. Your
and (perhaps for that reason) strikes me as
being insignificant and ugly. Let us see
what our fine air and our easy life here will
do for her. In SO young woman as she is
am prepared for any sort of transformation.
We may be all admiring pretty Miss Wester-
field before another month is over our heads.
Have any letters come for me while have
been aWay?"
He went into the library and returned with
his letters. '"This will amuse Kitty" he
said, handing to his sister-in-law the Illus
trated New York newspaper to which she
had already referred in speaking to her hus-
band
Mrs. Linley examined the engraYings-an
turned back again to look once more at an
illustration which had interested her. A
paragraph on the same page caught her at
tention. She had hardly glanced at the first
words before cry of alarm escaped her.
Dreadful news for Miss WesterfeIdp' she
exclaimed. ''Read it, Randall"
He read these words:
''The weeks list of insolvent traders in
cludes an Englishman named James Bell
bridge, formerly connected with diSTeputa-
BILE saloon in this city. Bellbridge is under
suspicion of having caused the death of his
wife in fit of delirium tremenS. The I'M
fortunate woman had been married. for the
USG Glnl6, 10 one Oh the EngllSn aTlSCOcrdcy-
the Hon. Roderick Observation-Disclosures trial
for casting away ship under his command
excited considerable interest in London some
years since. The melancholy circumstances
of the case are complicated by the disap-
pearance, on the day of the murder, of the
wOman's young son by her first husband.
The poor boy is supposed to have run away
in terror from his miserable home, and the
police are endeavoring to discover some trace
of him. 1t is reported that another child Of
the first marriage, a daughter. is living in
England, but nothing is known about her"
HAS your governess any relations in En-
gland?" Randall asked.
''Only an aunt, who has treated her in the
most iphuman manner"
SERIOUS news for Miss WesterfeId, as you
say" Randall resumed. Sand, as / think,
: serious news for us. Here is a mere girl-a
poor friendless creature absolutely Deepen
dent on our protection. What are we to do
If anything happens in the future to alter
our present opinion of her?"
Nothing of the sort is likely to happen
Mrs. Linley declared.
Let us hope not" Randall said, gravely.