Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-13

a DrOnZed SKIN, a IaWny QrOOp1ng mus
tache, and intensely keen dark-gray eyes.
his figure was slim and upright, and he
looked a model soldier. He was leaning
against the mantelpiece, twirling his mus
tache and looking down with an amused
smile at Deb's endeavors to button he1
gloves. Her hands were trembling so that
she could not succeed in fastening a single
button.
"Allow me,' said Captain Wyatt, offer
ing his services; and then, under cover of
the music, he whispered, cit was very
cruel of you not to come to Lady Lawns
garden party this afternoon. You knew
should be there-I told you so last night.
What have l done that you should be so
unkind?''
Captain Wyatt" began poor Deb, all
her coquetry having vanished; and then
she looked up at him, and her eyes were
filed with tears.
Captain Wyatt was overcome at the sight
of Deb's tears, and, hardly aware Of what
he was doing, he drew her to his breast
and kissed her lips.
My darlingr' he whispered. Deb, do
you love me?"
At that moment footsteps were heard
echoing along the hall; and he had hardly
time to let her go before the door opened
and disclosed Deb's affianced lover, Jack
Ffolliott Felicia's music ended with a
discordant crash, and, with wild cry
Deb staggered and would have fallen had
not Captain Wyatt caught her in his arms.
Jack crossed the room.
Give her to mel' he said quickly to
Dick Wyatt.
'E2y what right?' inquired the Captain,
haughtily.
"By that of her future husbandw an
swered Jack, CURLY; and. without a word,
Dick Wyatt put her into Jacks arms.
s'Take her into the library, Jack" said
| Felicia, in an agitated tone. "Ask Mrs.
Brooke to conae down at once" she re-
ouested of the astonished servant whom
| she had Immediately summoned.
| A few INMATES afterward, when Felicia
returned to the drawing-roem, she found
! Colonel Welverton looking over an al
| bum and Captain Wyatt staring moodily
| out of the window. His broWs were knit
| ted in a dark frown and his mouth was
set and stern. He turned slightly as Fee
| Hcia entered, but it was the CG5onel wkc
| inquired after Miss Deborah.
| ''She is better, I ana glad % say" :an
! swered Felicia, rather TREMENDOUSLY; Ftbu
we had some difficulty in bringing iilel
round. 1t was q great shockSo her-t0 u:
all-nly cousins appearing so suddenly
We thought he was Ia Australia"
Il wander he did not write to announce
his corning" observed the Colonel
'<Hedid," answered Felicia, '<l5tt hi:
letter miscarried. Deb-we never received
it, A5gnt Catherine begs;tslat you Will ex
cuse eur going to the opera tonight; SHIT
is vGry sorry, but 81 course in the ,circum
stances we are compelled to remain a.
h0me'
"'@f COURSE agreed Colonel WelvertoI
tive quite understand. Come, Wyatt
we viii not detain Miss Ffolliott any long
'er. Z hope y0ur sister VIII have quite re
covered by tomorrow Good-nightI''
Felicia shook hands with them both
but, as she 0ade goodbye to Captain Wy
att, Sihe expression on his face made her So!
impulsively-
-''po not be b9e hard On poor Deb, Cap
tain Wyatt forgive hex, for indeed
''sEo you Think he, Uninterrupted bitterly
''that she careseane jet whether she ha
| Tnyf9rgivenessca r not? Let her lover Con
/ 'sole,Rer. AS for me, Twill never look upo:
HERITAGE again Il Izcan .help IT, &c is intel
cradle to ME to%hink. how she mas led I'M
onaa3l these mathis! Tell her Z will ban
ishaher from my thoughts asithough sh
had0ever existsdr'
Five long weeks passed away, and tn,
announcement f Deborah Ffa3ii otis eaG
,gagement to- lear 'cousiE Jack had ceases
to bea topic OF interest. among her friends
! acquaintance, and enemies. TnGre WAS
sgreatdeal OF gossip aEeut herR5 first, aEt
/ some said thai ndinG she could not s..
'cure1CaptaiR Wyatt asa husband, she EGS'
taken her cousin who.xas far tgo rich te.
handsome, too gSod fer her in every way
I 'ThereNere others whe maintained the,
had always k2sGHn it was notiGing but
fiirtati2n betweeH Dick Wyatt and Mis-
Deborah, But, whatever wasrs6id of Dell
/ eaae ank5 all eHviea her for j acsz had mad,
/ n0rerm&ney tisaM he knesv whatao do with
| He was strikiEsly handsome, was still
/ yGafng g, possessed charming manners, and
| ah9Ne ali was apparently Devoted to hi
| .Ras8cee
AfterisGr lovers return. Deb went int
| society more than ever She Was hardly
ever alone with Jack; she laughed talked
| and danced with GRtiring zest But, al
! though apparently is2 the hest of spirits,
night neyer passed laut tilat she cried her
I
| bedroom after their return from a. ball
and she found her sister, in her baildress
| lying upon the bed. her whole frame shak
| ing with sObs. Feheia<s heart ached fol
| the girl. for she had experienced it all her
| self. She drew Deie's head against hel
| bosom. kissed her with sympathetic tears
| and conseIed her as best she could
81 cannot bear it, Fciicia-I cannot lear
| iii Oh, his se0rn seems to stab me; and
| he looks SO SsTOrn and haggafd and miSefa-
blei He has kept his word, Felieia-eh
| yes, he has kept his woodland he would
die sooner than brsak it. He has never
spoken to ne since that night or touches
! my hand; and, if be looks at me, scorn is
expressed so plainly in his eyes that
| writhe beneath their gaze. He gave me
! Just such a look tonight cannot get it
cut of ray head wish I were deadn'
| Felicia did not know what to say, for
between Der love for jack and Deb and her
sympathy with Dick Wyatt, she felt utter
! ~ powerless:
! Jack Ffoliiott. too, was restless and dis
! satisfied. He was dissatisfied with Deb
| and himself She was not looking well,
! and WAS not at all like herself; and, al
though apparently lightee-hearted than
any of the other girls he met, there were
! times when he felt certain that she had
| been crying. and that all her gaiety was
assumed ia order to hide an aching heart.
! She was always sweet-tempered: bnt he
| noticed that she tried to avoid being alone
with him. and had never once since his re.
/ turn offered to kiss hini of her OWN accord.
! There was q subtle change in her manner
| which almost convinced him ct times that
her heart was no longer his One thing
] Lack became cncnizanf of WAS that Can