Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-03-20

/ ing at the races?
! CHAPTER XVu.-ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH.
| Iris had only to remember the manner
| in which she and Mountjoy had disap
| pointed her father, to perceive the serious
necessity of preventing MountjOy'S rival
| from paying a visit at Mr. Henley's house.
| She wrote at once to Lord. Harry, at the
| hotel which Mr.. Vimpanv had mentioned,
entreating him not to think OF calling on
! her Being we'll aware that he would in
| slst on meeting, she engaged to write
| again and propose an appointment. In
| making this concession Iris might have
| found 1t easier to persuade herself that she
was yielding to sheer necessity; if she had
| not been gulltlly conscious of a feeling OF
| pleasure at the prospect of seeing Lord
| Harry again, returning to her an innocent
man. There was some influence, in this
| train of thought, which let her mind back
| to Hugh. She regretted his absence
| wondered whether he would have pro-
| posed throwing her letter to the Irish lord
into the fire-sighed, closed the envelope,
| and sent the letter to the post.
On the next day she had arranged to
| drive to Muswe1l Hill and to pav the Gus
| tomary visit to Rhoda. Heavy rain obliged
| her to wait for filter opportunity. 1t
was only On the third day that the sky
| cleared and the weather was favorable
again. On a sunshiny Autumn morning.
with a fine keen air blowing. she ordered
! the open carriage. Noticing, while Fanny
Mere was helping her to dress. that the
girl looked even paler than usual. she
| SAID, with ner Customary kindness TO per-
sons dependent on her, "You look as if a
drive in the fresh air would do you good:
| YOU shall go with me to the farm and see
RhOda Bennett"
When they stopped at the house the
farmers wife appeared attending gen
tleman to the door. Iris at once recog-
nized the local medical man. You're not
in attendance, l hope, on Rhoda Bennett"
she said.
The doctor acknowledged that there had
been some return to the nervous derange-
ment from which the girl suffered. He
depended mainly Che said) on the weather
allowing her to be out as much as possible
in the fresh air, and on keeping her free
| from all agitation. Rhoda was so far on
the way to recovery that she was now
| walking in the garden by his advice He
| had no fear of her, provided she was not
| too readily encouraged, in her present
state, to receive visitors. Her mistress
would be, of course, an exception to this
! rule But even Miss Henley would per-
haps do we'll not to excite the girl by pro-
longing her visit. There was one other
suggestion which he would venture to
make while he had the opportunity. Rhoda
was not as he thought, warmly enough
clothed for the time of year, and bad cold
might be easily caught by person in her
condition.
Iris entered the farmhouse, leaving
Fanny Mere, after what the doctor had
said on the subject of visitors, to wait for
her in the carriage.
After an absence of barely ten minutes
Miss Henley returned; personally changed,
not at all to her own advantage, by the iu-
PRODUCTION OF novelty in her dress. She
had gone into the farmhouse, wearing a
handsome mantle of seal-skin. When she
came out again the mantle had vanished,
nd how ay,Da rad re MI ION,
cloak of drab-colored cloth. Noticing the
expression of blank amazement in the
maids face, Iris burst out laughing.
"How do you think look in my new
cloak?' she asked.
Fanny saw nothing to laugh at in the
sacrifice of a Sealskin mantle. Il must
not presume, miss, to give an opinion"
she said gravely.
''At any rate,' Iris continued, you must
be more than mortal if my change of cos
tune doesn't excite your curiosity. I
found RhOda Bennett in the garden, ex-
posed to the cold wind in this ugly fmsy
thing. After what the doctor had told
me, 1t was nigh time to assert my author
ity. | insisted on changing clOaks with
Rhoda. She made an attempt, poor dear,
to resist; but she knows me of old-and I
had my way. l am sorry You have been
prevented from seeing her: you shall not
| miss the opportunity when she is well
again. Do you admire a fine view? Very
well, we will vary the drive on our return.
Go back" she said to the coachman, "by
Highgate and Hampstead"
Fanny's eyes rested on the shabby cloak
with a well-fOunded distrust of it AS a
protection against the Autumn weather
She ventured to suggest that her mistress
might feel the loss Gin an open carriage) of
the warm mantle which she had left on
RhOda's shoulders.
Iris made light of the doubt expressed
by her maid. But by the time they had
passed Hi ghgate, and had approached the
beginning of the straight road which
crosses the high ridge of Hampstead
Heath, she was obliged to acknowledge
that she did, indeed, feel the cold. You
ought to be good walker" she said look
ing at her maids firm, well-knit figure.
Exercise is all | want to warm me. What
do you say to going home on foot?" Fan
ny was ready and willing to accompany
her mistress. The carriage was dismissed,
and they set forth on their walk.
AS they passed the inn, called "The
SpanlardS," two women who were stand
ing at the garden gate stared at Iris, and
smiled. A few PAGES further on they were
met by an errand-bOv. He, too, looked at
the young LADY, and put his hand derisive-
to his head, with a shrill whistle eX-
pressive of malicious enjoyment. Il APP
pear to amuse these people," Iris said.
"What do they see in me?"
Fanny answered with an effort to pre-
serve her gravity, which was not quite
| successfully disguised: II beg your par
don, miss: | think they notice the curious
contrast between your beautiful bonnet
and your shabby cloak"
Persons of eXcitable temperament have
a sense of ridicule, and dread of it, unin-
telligible to their fellow creatures who are
made of cOarser material. For the mo-
ment Iris was angry.
"Why didn't you tell me of it." she ask
ed sharply, before [ sent away the car
riage? How can / walk back, with every
body laughing at me?"
She paused-ref1ected a little-and led
the way off the high road, on the right
to the fine clump of fir-trees which com
mands the famous view in that part of the
Heath.
There's but one thing to be DONE" she
must make my grand bonnet suit itself to
my miserable cloak. You will pull out
the feather and rip off the lace land keep
them for yourself, if you like), and then I
ought TO look shabby enough from head
to foot, | am sure. No, not here: they
may notice us from the road-and what
may the fools not do when they see you
tearing the ornaments off my bonnet?
Come down below the trees, where the
ground will hide u.s.
They had nearly descended the steep
slope which leads to the valley, below the
clump of frs, when they were stopped by
q terrible discovery.
Close at their feet, in hollow of the
ground, was stretched the insensible BODY
of man. He lay on his side, with his
face turned away from them. An open
razor nau uIoppru Close ny MN. IT'S
stopped over the PROSTATE man to exam
inc his face. Blood flowing from fright
full wound in his throat was the first thing
she saw. Her eyes closed instinctively,
recOilino from that phaStly sight The