Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-29
I'he Evil Genius.
ADOMESTIC STORY.
BY WILKIE COLLINS.


Catherine not sent to the farm, yet?" he ask
ed, in establishment
Mrs. Presty's mind seemed to be absorbed
in her daughter. "Ah, poor Catherine!
Worn out with anxiety 'and watching at
KittyS bedside Night after night with out any
sleep; night after night tortured by suspense.
As usual, she can depend on her old mother
for sympathy. / have taken all her house
hold duties on myself till she is in better
health"
Randall tried again. 'Mrs. Presty, am to
understand (after the plain directions Her
bert gave) that no messenger has been sent
to the farm%'
Mrs. PreSty held her venerable head high
er than ever when Randall pronounced his
brothers name. II see no necessity for be-
ing in a hurry" she answered, stiffiy, latter
the brutal manner in which Herbert has be-
haved to me. Put yourself in my place-and
imagine what you would feel if you were
told TO hold your tongue"
Randall wasted no more time on ears that
were deaf to remonSTance. Feeling the Sc
riOus necessity of interfering to some good
purpose, he asked where he might find his
sister-in-law.
II have taken Catherine into the garden"
Mrs Presty announced. ''The doctor him.
self suggested-no, | may say Ordered-it
He is afraid that she may fall i'll next, poor
soul, if she doesn't get air and exercise"
In Mrs. Linley'S own interests Randall re-
solved on advising her to write to her huS-
band by the messenger; explaining that she
was not to blame for the inexcuSable delay
which had already taken place. Without a
word more to Mrs. Presty he fastened out of
the room. That mveterately distrustful wO-
man called him back. She desired to know
where he was going and why he was in a
hurry.
II am going to the garden" Randall an
swered.
''TO speak to Catherine"
YES"
Needless trouble, my dear Randall. She
will be back in quarter of an hour, and she
will pass through this room on her way up
stairs"
Another quarter of an hour was a matter
of no importance to Mrs. PreSty! Randall
took his own way-the way into the garden
His silence and his determination to join
his siSter-in-law reused Mrs. PreSty'S ready
suspicious; she concluded that he was bent
on making mischief between her daughter
and herself. The one thing to do in this
case was to follow him instantly. The active
old lady trOtted out of the room, strongly in
clined to think that the Evil Genius of the
family might be Randall Linley after all!
They had both taken the shortest way to
the garden; that is to say, the way through
the library, which communicated at It's farth-
est end with the corridor and the vaSlted
flight Of stairs leading directly out Of the
house. Of the two doors in the drawing
room, one, on the left, lei to the grand stair
case and the hall; the other, on the right,
OOpOn0 the hack 81 ri and on q Cidn on
trance to the house, used by the family when
they were pressed for time, as we'll as by the
servants.
The draWingrOOm had not been empty
more than few minutes when the door on
the right was suddenly opened. Herbert
Llnley entered with hurried uncertain steps.
He took the chair that was nearest to him,
and dropped into it like a man overpOwered
by agitation or fatigue
lie had ridden from the farm at headlOng
speed, terrified by the unexplained delay in
the arrival of the messenger from home I'm
able any longer to suffer the torment of I'M
relieved suspense, he had returned to make
inquiry at the house. AS he interpreted the
otherwise ineXplicable neglect of his instruc-
tons, the last chance of saving the child's
life had failed, and his wife had been afraid
to tell him the dreadful truth.
After an interval he rose and went into the
library
1t was empty, like the drawing-room. The
FaeQ was close by him. He lifted his hand to
ring lt-and drew back AS brave a man as
ever Lived, he knew what fear was now.
Ihe fathers courage failed him before the
prospect OF Summoning servant and hear
ing, for all he knew to the contrary, that his
child was dead
How long he stood there, alone and irreso-
lutte, lie never remembered when he thought
OF 1T in after days. All he knew was that
there came time when a sound in the draw
,lng-rO0m attracted his attention. It was
nothing more important than the opening of
a door.
The sound came from that side of the room
which was nearest to the grand staircase
and therefore nearest also to the hall, in one
direction, and to the bed-chambers in the
other.
Some person had entered the room. Wheth-
Ell it was one of the family or one of the serv-
ants he would hear in either case what had
happened in his absence. He parted the cur
tains over the library entrance and looked
threGga.
The person was woman. She stood with
her back turned toward the library, lifting a
cloak off a chair. As she shook the cloak
before putting it on she changed her posi-
ton He saw the face, never to be forgotten
by him to the last day of his lie. He saw
Sydney WeStertield.
XXI.