Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-07

laughter. We looked at each other in
silence, a silence broken by the low
piercing sound of the whistle we had
heard in Peregrine's rooms. This strange
sound overpowered for the moment all
others, and even as it was heard the face
IN the water seemed to vanish into fan
tastic, but meaningless jets and bubbles.
| thought, indeed, that / saw the ex-
preston change rapidly to fury, and then
to fear, but that may have been fancy.
81 don't think you'll have any more
trouble, Williams" said Morton, and we
walked away.
Explicit de Kuhleborn," I observed.
YES" replied Morton. ''Poor old
chapr'
There remained but one more task that
we knew of for our honored but myster-
ious and practically unseen guest, and
that was accomplished with dexterity,
skill, and much more than punctuality-
for she had had full week allowed to
heron Friday night. Morton and I
were sitting in his study late at night,
deep IN argument, when suddenly Bruno,
who was lying on the rug, gave a low
growl. With the same impulse we both
looked ct the door, which this time, of
course, was not locked. Itslowly opened
inward, and the more it opened the more
Bruno growled uneasily. When the
door had opened about half way it very
slowly and as if unwillingly swung back
again. Bruno rose to his feet, and as
the door suddenly clapped to with bang
he sprang toward it, barking with de-
light. Morton and I ran to the door be-
fore him, flung it open outward, and
rushed into the passage Just in time to
a c y rt fla
corner.
The next day we met the Green Lady.
She was standing at the top of the stairs
as we came up them, tall commanding
presence in an old-fashioned green silk
dress with fur tippet round her neck.
Mindful of Peregrine's warning we pass
ed on as if unmindful of her being there,
and whether we walked through her, or
whether she vanished exactly as we ap-
preached her, do not know. Anyhow,
she was there one moment and not there
the next. We turned to compare notes
as to her appearance, and entirely agreed
but neither of US could speak word as
to her features. After this, for the three
weeks that we stayed in the house, Nor
ton, his sister, and l saw her frequently
but we never exchanged any sign of re-
cOgnition. Whether the servants-the
missing places were soon filled now that
the house was quiet-whether the SER
wants saw her or not do not know. The
Incompatible One had undertaken to
keep them quiet if they did. Morton. of
course, wrote to thank Peregrine. So,
save for her ftful appearances, to which
we were accustomed, life went on Just
as it might in any other country house of
the same kind as Grey Towers; and of
hnfA
was tired of it, and we went up to Lon
don, with an intention on his part to get
rid of the remainder of his term if he
could.
The day after our departure he and I
met at the club, and he proposed to call
ON Peregrine, to which at once assented.
We found him. as before. ensconced in
his luxurious office, and he welcomed us
even more warmly than before.
81 was on the very point of writing to
you," he said.
Nothing wrong, hope?" said Nor
ton, answering his tone rather than his
words.
"Well-no-not now at least, 1 hope
You see, the fact is the Green Lady took
such liking to you or to the house, or
both, that l began to fear she never
would come back. Now that you have
deserted the Towers shall probably see
her very soon. She does not like solitude
and, of course, she couldn't ask any of
the old lot back. Her loss would have
been very great to me. She is most in
valuable-a-person."
| saw Morton was getting moro and
more eager in curiosity, and so struck in
with, "You promised, Peregrine, that
you would exp"
$50 I WILL" he interrupted. cit is
really quite simple. Those-a-people
who worried you were in wonderful luck
to find such a refuge as Grey Towers
when they were turned out of their own
places. Wonderful luck-and a fine
time they must have had of it. But
they're wanting in judgment and sense.
Now. the Green Lady has both to a re-
markable degree, is of the very oldest-a
descent, and knows a great deal more
than all of them put together. A mixed
lot those-a common lot earring Kuhle-
born), but nasty to tackle. I knew shs
would make clean sweep of them. But
/ really don't know single other-a-
person who could have dealt with such q
crew SO neatly and so quickly. When
her own place fell to pieces some tms
ago she was glad enough to come to me;
had only just started the agency then.
have never known her take such .
fancy to place before. To be sure it's
the best and oldest house she has been
sent to yet, to say nothing of other at
fractions. But, upon my word, / was
getting quite alarmed-quite alarmed.
All, there she ISL he said with pleased
smile, as the peculiar whistle came up
the speaking tube. "All's well that ends
well. Now you won't think me rude,
but shouldn't like her to know that
you're here, SO I'll say goodbye. You
understand it all now"
''There is no room for misapprehen-
sion," said Morton. And we went away.
-Loagnla1l's Magazine.