Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-19
LOVE Or Money;
A PERILOUo SECRET.
By CHARLES READE,
Author of Put Yourself in His Place"
ETC., etc, etc.
O r

twenty miles, believe, to where she is
staying at the lakes"
NO, no." said Mr.. BARLEY; she's
staying with her sister Gilbert; quite
within drive"
Are you sure, papa?"
quite sure, my dear; she wrote to me
yesterday about her little pension; the
quarter is just due"
What! do you allow her a pension?"
Certainly, my dear, or rather I pay
her little stipend as before: how sur
prlsed you look, Maryl Why, I'm not
like that old Colonel, intolerant Of 9TH
er peoples views, when they advance
them civilly. That woman helped me
to save your life in very great danger,
and for many years she has been as
careful as mother, and we are not, SO
to say, at daggers drawn about Walter
Clifford. Why, only demanded a lit
you and from her. Now tell me. Is
there proper accommodation for you in
Mrs. Gilbert's house?"
"Oh yes, papa; it is a farmhouse now,
but it was a grand place. There's a
beautiful spare room with an oriel-win-
dow"
well, then, you secure that, and
write to-day to have a blazing fire, and
the bed properly aired as well as the
sheets, and you shall go tomorrow in
the fOur-Wheel; and you can take her
her little stipend in letter"
This sudden kindness and provision
for her health and happiness filed
Mary's heart to overlooking. and her
gratitude gushed forth upon Mr. Bart
ley'S neck. The old fox blandly absorb
ed it, and took the opportunity to say,
"Of course it is understood thatmatteTs
are to go no further between you and
Walter Clifford. Oh, I don'tmean that
you are to make him unhappy, or
drive him to despair; only insist upon
his being patient like yourself. Every
thing comes sooner or later to those that
can wait"
ooh, papa" cried Mary, you've said
more to comfort me than Mrs Easton
or anybody can; but [ feel the change
will do me good. | am oh, so grateful"
So Mary wrote her letter, and went to
Mrs. EastOn next day. After the usual
embraces, she gave Mrs. Easton the let
ter, and was duly installed in the state
bedroom. She wrote to Julia Clifford
to say where she was, and that was her
way of letting Walter Clifford know.
Walter himself arrived at Clifford
Hall next day, worn, anxious, and re-
morseful, and was shown at once to his
fathers bedside. The Colonel gave him
wasted hand, and said:
Dear boy, | thought you'd come.
We've had our last quarrel, Walter"
Walter burst into tears over his faith
er's hand, and nothing was said between
them about their temporary eStrange-
ment.
The first thing Walter did was to get
two professional nurses from Derby,
and secure his father constant attention
night and day, and, above all, nourish-
ment at all hours Of the night when the
patient would take it. On the after
noon after his arrival the Colonel fell
into a sound sleep. Then Walter order
ed his horse, and in less than an hour
was at Mrs. Gilbert's place.
CHAPTER XII.
THE KNOT CUT-ANOTHER TIED.
The farmhouse the Gilberts occupied
had been a family mansion of great an
tiquity with a mOat around it. 1t was
held during the civil war by a stout
royalist, who armed and garriSOned it
after fashion with his own servants.
This had a different effect to What he
intended. 1t drew the attention of one
Of CromwellS generals, and he dispatch
ed party with cannon and petaris to
reduce the place. whilst he marched on
to join Cromwell in enterprises of more
Importance. The detachment of Round
heads summoned the place. The royal
lSt, to show his respect for their authOrl-
ty, made his kitchen wench squeak de-
tance from an upper window, from
which she bolted with great rapidity as
soon as she had thus represented the
yalor of the establishment, and when
next seen it was in the cellar, Wedged
in between two barrels of beer The
men went at it hammer and tongs, and
in twenty-four hours a good many can
nOn-ballS traVerSed the building, a great
many stuck in the walls like plumS in a
Christmas pudding, the doors were
blown in with petards, and the principal
defenders, with a few wounded Round
heads, were carried off to Cromwell
himself; whilst the house itself was
fired, and blaZed away merrily.
Cromwell threatened the rOyaliSt gen.
tleman with death for defending an uu-
tenable place.
81 didn't know it was untenable," said
the gentleman. "How could It'll | had
tried?"
you had the fate of fortified places
to instruct YOU" said Cromwell, and he
promised faithfully to hang him on his
own ruins.
The gentleman turned pale and his
lips Quivered, but he said, We'll, Mr..
Cromwell, I've fought for my royal
master according to my lights, and I
can die for him."
you shall, sir" said Mr. Cromwell.
About next morning Mr.. Cromwell,
who had often a cool fit after hot one,
and was very big man, take him alto
gether, gave different order. 1.-The
fool thought he was doing his duty;
turn him loose"
The fool in question was so proud of
his battered house that he left it stand
ing there bullets and all, and built him
house elsewhere.
King Charles the Second had not
landed month before he made him a
baronet, and one tenant after another
occupied portion of the old mansion.
Two State-roomS were rooted and fur
nished with the relics of the entire man.
sion, and these two rooms the present
baronet's surveyor occupied at rare in
tervalS when he was inspecting the large
properties connected with the baronet's
estate.
Mary BARLEY now occupied these two
rooms, connected by folding-doors, and
she sat pensive in the oriel-windOw of
her bedroom. Young ladies cling to
their bedrooms, especially when they
are pretty and airy. Suddenly she heard
a scurry and patter of a horses hOof,
refined up at the side of the house. She
darted from the window and stood pant-
ING in the middle of the room. The DeXt
minute Mrs. Easton entered the sitting
room all in fiutter, and beckoned her.
Mary flew to her.
HE is here"
81 thought he would be-"
"Will you meet him doWn-Stairs?"
NO, here"
Mrs FaSton acouieSced. rapidly closed