Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

my plan. L nave made plan. Listen, Iris.
can no longer endure this life. 1t drives
me mad"
And me, too. That is one reason why
we should not desire to change it. Mad
people forget. They think they are some
where else. For US to believe that we
were somewhere else would be in itself
happiness
81 am resolved to change ito change
it, say-at any risk. We will leave Lou
vain!"
eve can. dare say" Iris replied, cold
ly, find another town, French or Bel
gian, where we can get another cottage.
behind high walls in q garden, and hide
there"
No, | will hide no longer am sick of
hiding"
$50 on. What is your plan? Am [ to
pretend to DE some one else's widow?"
I'VE will 90 to America. There are
heaps of places in the States where no En-
gIlsn people ever go-neither tourists nor
settlers--places where they have certainly
never heard of US. We will find some
quiet village, buy small farm, and settle
among the people. | know something
about farming. We need not trouble to
make the thing pay. And we will go
when we have gone back to the world
you wilP'-he hesitated-"you will be able
to forgive me. and to regard me again with
your Old Thoughts. 1t was done for your
sake"
1T was not done for my sake. Do not
repeat chat falsehOod The old thoughts
will never come back, Harry. They are
dead and gone. | have ceased to respect
you or myself. Love cannot survive the
loss of self-respect. Who am | that
should give love to anybody? Who are
yOu that you ould expect IOve?"
'Will you 90 with me to America-love
or no love-, Cannot stay here--I will not
stay here
"I will 90 with you wherever you please.
l should like not to run risks. There are
still people whom it would pain to see Iris
Henley tried and found guilty with two
others ON charge of fraudulent conspir-
acy."
i wouldn't accustom myself, if I were
you, Iris, to speak of things too plainly.
Leave the thing to me and | will arrange
it. See now, we will travel by night
train from Brussels to Calais. We will
take the cr"Ss-cOuntry line from Amiens
to Ravre there we will take board for
New YOrk--no English people ever travel
by the Havre line. Once in America, we
will push up country-to Kentucky or
somewhere-and find that quiet country
place; after that | ask no more. [ will
settle down for the rest of my life and
have no more adventures Do you agree,
Iris?''
81 will do anything that you wish," she
replied, coldIy.
Every we'll Let us lose no time. feel
choked here. VIII you go into Brussels
and buy a Continental Bradshaw or a
Baedeker, or something that will tell us
the times of sailing, the cost of passage,
and all the rest of it? We will take with
US money to start US with; you will have
to write to your bankers. We can easily
arrange to have the money sent to New
York, and it can be invested there-eXcept
your own fOrtune-in my new name. We
shall want no outfit for a fortnight at sea.
| have arranged it all beautifully. Child,
look like your old self" He took an unre-
sisting hand. 81 want to see you smile
and look happy again"
You never will"
"YeS-when we have got ourselves out
of this damnable, unwholesome wav of
life: when we are with our fellow-creatures
again. You will forget this-thiS little
business-which was. you knew, after all E,
an unhappy necessity"
"Oh! how can | ever fOrget?"
New interests will arise; new friend
ships will be formed
Harry, it is myself that cannot for
give. Teach me to forgive ms self, and
will forget everything"
He pressed her no longer.
"Well, then" he said, Ego to Brussels
and get this information. If you will not
TRY to conquer this absurd moral sensitive
ness-which come too late-you will at
y
atmosphere.
Il viii go at once" she said. 81 will go
by the next train"
''There is a train at a quarter TO two
You can do all you have to do and catch
the train at five. Iris''-the chance of a
change made him impatient-''le rs go
tomorrow. Let us go by the night eX-
press. There will be English travellers,
but they shall not recognize me. We
shall be in Calais at one in the morning.
We will go on by an early train before the
English steamer comes in. viii you be
ready?"
Yes; there is nothing to delay me. I
suppose we can leave the house by pay
ing the rents will go and do what you
! want"
Let us go this very nighty'
IF you please: am always ready"
mo; there will be no time; it will look
like running away. We will go to-mor-
row night. Besides, you will be too tired
after going to Brussels and back. Iris we
are going to be happy again. am sure
we are" He, for one, looked as if there
was nothing to prevent a return of hap
piness. He laughed and waved his
hands. "A new sky-new scenes-new
work-you will be happy again, Iris. You
shall go dear, Get me the things I
She put on her thick veil and started on
her short journey. The husbands sudden
return to his former good spirits gave her
CLEAN of hope The change would be
welcome indeed if it permitted him to 90
about among other men. and to her if it
gave her occupation. AS to forgetting
how could she forget the past, so long as
they were reaping the fruit of their wick
| ednesS In the shape of solid dividends?
She easily found what she wanted. The
steamer of the COmpagnie Generate Trans
atlantiQue left HaVre every eighth day.
They would go by that line. The more she
considered the plan the more it COM
mended itself. They would at any rate
go out of prison. There would be a
change in their life. Miserable coalition!
To have no other choice of life but that of
Punishment and concealment; no other
prospect than that of continual fraud re-
newed by every post that brought them
money.
When she had got all the information
that she wanted she had still an hour. or
two before her. She thought she would
spend the time wandering about the streets
OF Brussels. The animation and life of
the cheerful city-where all the people
except the market women are young
| pleased her. 1t was long since she had
seen any of the cheerfuluess that belongs
| TO d busy street. She walked slowly
along, up one street and down another,
| looking into the shops. She made two or
| three little purchases She looked into a
| place filled with TauchntZ Editions, and
| bought two or three books. She was be-
| glnuInS TO thing that she was tired and
| mad better make her waY back to the
Station, when suddeaiy she Remembered
fhe post office and her instructions to Fan
| ny Mere.
Il WONDER she said, IF Fanny has
| written to me-"
She asked the way to the postoffice.
| There WAS time if she walked quickly.
| At the post rest;lnte there Was !, letter