Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-21

door Ike a sword; the jamb was smash
ed; and even Monckton, who received
but one-fourth of the blow, fell upon
his hands and knees into the hall. and
was stunned for moment. but fearing
worse, staggered out of the hall door.
which, luckily for him, was open, and
darting into little grove of shrubs,
that was close by, grovelled there in 81
fence. bleeding like pig. and waiting
Tor his chance to escape entirely; but
the quaklng reptile ran no further risk.
BARLEY never followed him beyond
his own room: he had been goaded into
a manlacal impulse. and he returned to
his gloomy sullenness.
Walters declaration, made so sud-
denly before four persons, startled them
greatly for moment-but only for
moment. Julia was the first to speak.
We might have known it," she said.
Mary BARLEY is young lady incapable
of misconduct; she is prudence. virtue.
delicacy and purity in person; the man
she was with at that place was sure to
be her husband and who should that
be but Walter, whom she loved?"
Then the servants looked anxiously
at their master to see how he took this
startling revelation. Well, the Colonel
BIOOu ILL do IL liC w do db tI1t u6du I'll d
column in the field. He was not the
man to retreat from any position. He
said, "AH we have to do is to save her;
then my house and arms are open to my
sons wife,"
God bless you, father!" cried Walter,
in broken voice: "and God bless you.
dear cousin! Yes, it's no time for
words" And he was gone in a moment.
Nov, Milton" said the Colonel, she
won't sleep here till the work is done,
and he won't sleep at all if we DON'T get
a bed for him near the mine. You or
der the break out, and go to the Dun
Cow and do what you can for him."
That | will, sir; III take his own
sheets and bedding with me. / won't
trust that Woman-she talks too much;
and, if you please, sir, III stay there
day or two myself, for maybe / shall
coax him to eat amorsel of my cooking,
and to lie down bit, when he would
not listen to stranger"
you're faithful creature" said the
Colonel, rather aggressively, not chOos-
ing to break down; so are you, John;
and it is at these moments we find out
our friends in the house; and, confOund
you, j forbid you both to SWIVEL" said
he, still louder. Then, more gravely,
How do we know? many stormy day
ends well; this calamity may bring hap
piness and peace to a divided house"
Colonel Clifford prophesied right.
Walter took the lead of a working gang
and worked night and day, resting two
hours only in the tWenty-four, and even
that with great reluctance. Outside,
the scene was one of hustle and anima-
ton. Little white tents, for the strange
workmen to sleep in, dotted the green,
and two snowy refreshment tents were
pitched outside the Dun Cow. That
establishment had large brick ovens
and boilers, and the landlady, and the
women she had got to help her, kept
the tables always groaning under solid
fare that never once tagged, being I'M
der the charge of that old campaigner,
Colonel Clifford. The landlady tried to
look sad at the occasion which called
forth her energy and talents; but she
was a woman of business, and her COM
placency oozed through her. Oh, it was
not SO at the pit mouth; the poor wives
whose husbands were entOmbed below,
alive or dead, lowered and t1uttered
about the two shafts with their aprons
to their eyes, and eager with their queS-
tions. Deadly were their fears, their
hopes fainter and fainter, as day after
day went by, and both gangs, working
in so narrow a space, made little pro-
greSS. compared with their own desires,
and the prayers of those who trembled
for the result. 1t was a race and strug-
gle of two gallant parties, and a short
description of it will be given; but as
no new incidents happened for six days,
we shall preserve the chronological or
der of events, and now relate daring
project which was revived in that inter
val.
Moncl1ton and BARLEY were now enc
mics. Sin had united, crime and re-
morse had diSunited, them. MoncktOn
had registered VOW of future ven
geance upon his late associate, but in
the mean time, taking a survey of the
present circumstances, he fell back up
on dark project he had conceived years
ago, on the very day when he was ar
rested for theft in Bartley's office.
Perhaps our readers, their memory
disturbed by such number of various
matters as we have since presented to
them, may have forgotten that project,
but what is about to follow will tend to
revive their recollection. Monckton
then wired to Mrs. Braham's lawyer de-
handing an immediate interview with
that lady: he specified the hour.
The lawyer went to her directly, the
matter being delicate. He found her in
great distress. and before he could open
trouble. She said that her husband,
she feared, was going out of his mind;
he groaned all night and never slept,
and in the daytime never spoke.
There had been just then some sur
prising falls and rises in foreign Securi-
ties, and the shrewd lawyer OWNED at
once that the Stock-broker had been do
ing business on his own account, and
got pinched; so he said, MY dear mad
am, | suspect it is business on the Ex-
change: he viii get over that; but there
is something that is Immediately press
ing" and he then gave her Monckton' s
message.
Now her nerves were already excited,
and this made matters worse. She cried
and trembled. and became hysterical.
and vowed she would never go near
Leonard Monckton again: he had never
loved her; had never been a friend to
her as Jonathan Braham had. No"
said she; If he wants money, take and
sell my Jewels; but | shall stay with nv
husband in his trouble"
He is not your husband" said the
LAWYER quietly: land this man is vnur
husband. and things have come to my
knowledge lately which it would be i'm
prudent at present to disclose either to
him or YOU: but we are old friends. You
cannot doubt that | have your interest
at heart"
NO. don't doubt that" said Lucy,
hastily. and held out her hand TO him.
well. then" said he, be persuaded
and meet the man."
NO. | will not do that" said she. Il
am not a good woman, know. but it
Is not for want of the wish. | Will not
play double any NOR And from that
nothing he could sa, could move her.