Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-11


the hand with which she emphasized her
speech-touched and silenced Lisle.
You are an extraordinary girl" he said
at length; land If Warning does not love
you q suppose you must know, it seems
incredible. Well, if he does not, I do not
despair. You are worth winning. 1 will
not trespass on you any longer; but I will
not say good-bye-I shall seek you again
when the sea rolls between you and the
most unlucky dog have ever known or
heard of To be loved by you, and not TO
know it. What irony of fatel For the
present-sweetest and most provoking of
women-farewell"
CHAPTER XXvII-''THE LAST STATE OF THAT
MAN"
81 dinna ken what's come to ye," said
Uncle Sandy, in very Disconnected tones,
as he pushed away his plate and held out
the tea-cup he had just emptied. to be re-
plenished. '"There Gamma be better or
purer air than at CraigdaToch. It's aye
west or south; yet there's Mona wi' bad
headache, wantin' her breakfast in her
room, an Mr.. Leslie lookin'-nae, but We
look better than ye did yesterday" glanc-
ing at him, "only ye dinna eat. What's q
mons stomach i the mornin'?"
"Ohl am all the better for my ramble
with Kenneth yesterday"
''You are well-nigh yourself again; but 1
was feared ye'd be goin' too far when
heard ye hadna come back at tea-time.''
II left Kenneth because he was going
further on. came back by Monkscleugh
and the lakewood I hope Miss Craig's
headache is not very severe"
''She's more tired like than in pain. She
wants quiet. Aweel, she went to bed air.
ly enough, )" quoth Uncle Sandy ito get it -
''l dare say she will come down soon.
Jessie says there is a new brood of chick
ems out, Mr.. Craig" said Mary. Twelve
wee brides, all strong snd lively"
"Ay, that's varra good. Now, there's
anitner fast early train to Glasgow, we'll
dispose o. good PART o. the poultry varra
profitably I'd go down and look at the
chuckies. if Mona were here"
"And wouldn't you take my arm, Mr.
Craig, for want of bettera" said Mary,
blushing very sweetly.
Yes, I will, my bairnie." said the old
man. looking at her indulgently Sandy
Craig had a great liking for pretty face.
wen go and have a crack wiz the hen
wife"
Later, Mona, thinking from the pr ofound
stiffness that she had the house to herself,
came from the secIusion of her own room
to the drawing-room. She had been great
" agitated by her interview with Lisle,
and greatly distressed, on reflection, to
think she had trusted the secret of her love
for Warning TO a man whom she could not
help considering an enemy. Yet she did
hon do 10
wished to honor the man she preferred, in
the eyes of the rival who despised him; but
she hoped and prayed that the knowledge
of this admission might never reach War
ing. Perhaps-indeed probably-he had
formed some fresh attachment, which held
his heart against her after ALL" she
thought, as she stopped to look at herself
in long glass at the end of the room, and
saw that the long straight folds and close
fitting bodice of her dark-blue serge, with
the broad band and buckle that showed
the easy roundness of her waist, the scarf
of old lace round her throat. the soft wavy
masses of her reddish gold hair, became
her well-"after all, am not worse look
ing than used to be: but that does not
matter"
With a sigh she opened the piano, and
began TO play dreamily. How fast the
days were slipping awayl Tomorrow
would be his last at Craigdarroch, and
then goodbye forever.
''Is the headache quite gomez" said War
ing, coming up behind her.
Mona started and changed color.
Eyes, nearly gone. You startled mel
thought you were out.'
She met his eyes as she spoke, and some
h, ~
made her heart stand still. She rose and
went to the window.
1T is cold and raw to-day" she said,
with slight shiver.
Returning to the fire, she leaned against
the mantel-piece. Warning put his arms
on the top of high-backed chair opposite
her, and said, with quick sigh
''The days cannot be too dark and dreary
to suit my spirit cannot gather courage
enough TO think of Mondayr'
at is coming very tastr' said Mona, soft
ly, and keeping her eyes fixed on the IRE,
but feeling that Warnings were fastened
on herself
will you think me weak, selfish, worth
less. If cannot leave you without saying
how dearly love you'll To think how near
/ came TO calling you my wife: and now we
you see how bitterly hard 1t VAST Obi you
were right to break with me, II you could
not love me. 1t would have been misery
to rs both If you could not have loved me-
But it was all utter despair at the time To
think that you preferred poverty and the
desertion of your relatives to me. and all
could have given you then"
"Ah, Mr.. Waringp cried Mona, covering
her face with her hands, 'can you forgive
me9"
Il do not reproaeh YOU" he returned
81 was not worthy of you, or I should moi
have gone to the bad as l did, because
was disappointed. But when | came back
to life from that terrible fever, | felt an
other man. l felt had duty to mysel
that forbade this unmanly abandonment
and have been stronger ever since.
was even getting over the painful longing
Tor you. And now we have met, and an
worse than everl And you, you seen
sweeter than everl l feel as if l could mo-
leave your
He pushed the chair from him, and came
TO stand beside her, his eyes full of love
and sorrow. his plain face beautified by thu
spirit that animated him.
The fire OF heaven seemed to Mona tt