Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-12
He picked 1rp the tUinttn0 lConlan.

He picked up the tGintinq 1COmdn.
AS for help, there was none: the nurse
was gone on some errand; the doctor was
arranging for the funeral of OXbye under
the name OF Lord Harry NOrland: the cot
tage was empty.
Such IA fainting fit does not last forever.
Iris came, round, and sat up, looking wild
ly around.
What is it?" she cried. "what does it
mean?"
1T means, my love, that you have re-
turned to your husband" He laid an
arm round her, and kissed her again and
again.
You are my Harryl-iving!-my own
Harry"
else should | be?'
Tell me then, what does it mean-that
picture-that horrid Photographic"
That means nothing-nothing-a freak
"a joke of the doctors. What could it
meanE He took it up. why. my dear,
I am living-living and well. What should
this mean but joker"
He laid it on the table again, face down
ward. But her eyes showed that she was
not satisfied. Men do not make jokes on
Death; it is sorry jest indeed to dress up
man in grave-clothes, and make a pho
tOgraph of him. as of one dead.
But yOu-yOu, my Iris you are here
tell me how and why-and when, and
everything. Never mind that stupid pic
lure, Tell me.
81 got your letter, Harrv," she replied.
My letter." he repeated. ooh, my dear,
you got my letter, and you saw that your
husband loved you still?'
Il could not keep away from you, Har-
~, whatever had happened. stayed as
and night And at last IL came back.
Are you angry with me, Harry"
Angry? Good God! my dearest-an-
gry?"
He kissed her ACKNOWLEDGMENT the less
passiOnately that she had returned at a
time SO terrible. What was he to say to
her? How wa. he to tell h err? While he
showered kisses on her he was asking
himself these questions When she found
Out--when he should confess to her the
--l:c:i== truth: she would leave him as*z-s.;l.
Yet he did not understand the nature OF
the woman who loves. He held her in his
arms: his kisses pleaded for him: they
mastered her-she was ready to believe,
to accept, to surrender even her truth and
honesty: and she was ready, though she
knew it not to become the accompilce of
a crime. Rather than leave her husband
again she would do anything.
Yet Lord Harry felt there was one res
ervation; he might confess everything, eX-
cept the murder of the Dane. No word of
confession had passed the doctors lips,
yet he knew too we'll that the man had
been murdered; and, SO far as the man
had been chosen for his resemblance to
himself, that was perfectly useless, be-
cause the resemblance, though striking
at the first, had been gradually disappear
ing rs the man OXbye grew better; and
was now, as we have seen, wholly lost az
ter death.
81 have IA great deal-a great deal-to
tell YOU DEAR stid the husband, holding
both her hands teuderly. You will have
to be very patient with me. You must
make up your mind to be shocked at first,
though / Slall be able to convince lou chat
there was really nothing else TO done
nothing else at all
'Oh! go on, Harry. Tell me all. Hide
nothing"
81 will tell YOU all he replied.
"First. where is that poor man whom
the doctor brought here and Fanny nursedf
And where is Fanny"
The poor man." he reSlied carelessly,
"made so rapid recover. that he has got
on his legs and gone away-I believe, to
report himself to the hospital whence he
came. 1t is a great triumph for the doc
tor, whose new treatment is now proved
to be successful. He will make Q grand
flourish of trumpets about it. ! dare say.
If all he claims for it is true he has taken
a great step in the treatment Of lung dis
eases"
Iris had no disease of the lungs. and con-
sequently cared very little for the scientific
aspect of the question.
Where is my maid, them"
L Sees
to-day is Friday-on Wednesday morning
1t was no use keeping her here. The man
was WELL and she was anxious to get back
to you. So she started on Wednesday
morning, proposing to take the night boat
from Dieppe. She must have stopped
somewhere on the way"
Il suppose she will go to see Mrs. Virnp-
any. will send her a line there"
Certainly, That will be sure to find
her.
+o "w Well, Harry. is there anything else to
"A great DEAL" he repeated. "That pho
tograph, Iris, which frightened you so
much has been very carefully taken by
Vimpany for certain reason"
what reaSOn?'
the very best thing that can happen to a
man is the belief that he is dead. Such
juncture Of affairs has happened to myself
and to you-at this moment. 1t is con-
venient-even necessary-for me that the
world should believe me dead. In point
of fact, l must be dead henceforth. Not
for anything that have done, or that I
am afraid of-don't think that, No; it is
for the simple reason that have no long
er any money or any resources whatever.
That is why 1 must be dead. Had you
not returned in this unexpected manner.
my dear, you would have heard OF my
death from the doctor, and he would have
left it to chance to find convenient op-
| am, however. deeply grieved that | was
so careless as to leave that photograph
upon the table"
II do not understand" she said. "You
pretend to be dead?'
Eyes. | must have money. / have
some ieft-a very little. I must have
money; and, in order to get it, l must be
dead"
How will that help?"
"Why, my dear, am insured, and my
ing WON hn II !,
but not before"
Oh! must you get money-even by "a"
She heSitated.
Call it conspiracy, my dear. if you
! please. As there is no other way what
ever left, must get money that way"
'Oh, this is dreadful a conspiracy,
Harry? a-a-fraud?"
IF you please. That is the name which
| LAWYERS give to it.
But, oh. Harry! it is crime. 1t is
guilty and sentenced"
"Certainly-if they are found out.
Meantime, it is only the poor, ignorant,
| clumsy fool who gets found out. In the
| city t>ase things are done every day
Quite as a matter of course" he added,
carelessly. 1T is not usual for men to
take their wives into confidence, but in
this case 1 must take you into confidence;
have no choice, as you will understand
directly''
Tell me-, Harry, who first thought of
this way?'
"Vimpany, of course Oh! give him the
credit where real cleveruess is concerned.
Vimpany suggested the thing. He found
me well-nigh as desperately hard up as he
is himself. He suggested it. At first. l
confess, did not like it. 1 refused to lis