Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-29
CHAPTER xxx,

lrGSulnS.
CHAPTER xxx.
1t is growing toward evening, and as yet
at Aghyohillbeg they have not grown tired
OF discussing the terrible event of lastnight.
when | called just now, Priscilla Blake
was with him. says Madame O'Connor.
Brian told me The Desmond had sent for
her. suppose the old quarrel about Kath-
crime will be patched up now and shouldn't
wonder if our two lovers Monica and Brian,
get married quite comfortably and in the
OdOr of sanctity, after ALL"
Il suppose they couldn't have managed it
without the old peoples CONSENT" says Mrs.
Herrick, who is rocking herself lazily to and
fro in a huge American chair.
Nonsense, my dearv' says Madame,
throwing up her chin. 'Accredit them with
some decent spirit, l beg of you. Of course
they would have got married whether or not,
there is nothing like opposition for that
kind Of thing, and no doubt would have en-
jOyed it all the more for the fun of the thing,
because there must be an excitement in a
runaway match unknown to the orthodox
affair.""
II don't think should like to run away"
says Olga Bohun; there is always diff
Guilty about ones clothes"
''What's the good of being in love if you
can't get over a few paltry obstacles?" says
Madame, whose heart is still young. "Well,
l expect we shall have gay wedding here
before long, and be able to give that pretty
child our presents without any trouble"
'How long the day has beenV' says Olga,
with little affected yawn, meant to reduce
Ulic ROnayne to despair, who is sitting i'll
distant window touching up one of her
paintings. Il don't know when have been
| so bored,-no one to speak to. Madame,
darling, you shall never go out again with
| out me; remember that. Nobody has called,
I suppose they are afraid of being shot,
! not even Owen Kelly; and one would like
| to see him and Brian, to make sure they are
| all there"
"Talk of somebody" says Madame, look
| ing out of the window, 'here comes Owen"
! AS Olga puts her hand in his presently,
| she says, laughing
Madame O'ConnOr says you are, in polite
| language, his sable majesty himself. So you
| must be- to escape as you did last night.
| Now tell us all about it. We have heard so
| many garbled accounts that real one will
| set our minds at rest"
Then he tells them all about it, dropping
| as though unconsciously into a low chair
| very close to Hermia'S.
$50, you see," he says, when he had fin
| ished, 'it might have been very sensation
al affair." and covered us all with glory, only
it didn't
81 think it did" says Mrs. Herrick, gently.
| She doesn't raise her eyes from her work to
say this, but knits calmly Oil; only a Uefy
careful observer could have noticed the faint
trembling of her fingers, or the quivering of
her long downcast lashes.
"How can you say such thing, Owen%'
says Olga Look at all the cases we have
known where the assassins have got away
| quite free, and here we have the principal
| secured"
Yes, that was very clever of Brian"
says Mr. Kelly.
Ibid he capture him, then single-handed?
| Were not you with him? Were you in no
| danger of your life, too"' eXclaims Hernia,
| with such unwonted animation that every
one looks at her. She takes no notice of
| theirre~ard, but fixes her kindling eyes on
| Kelly, who, in returning her mute protest,
| forgets that any other more open answer
may De required of him. Then she lets her
| eyes fall from his, and her face grows calm
| and statuesque again, and only the rapid
| clicking of her needles show the perturba-
| ton of the mind within.
Did the fellow give you much trouble,
soul is bitterly regretful he had not been on
the scene of action.
| Not he, the toOl!' says Mr.. Kelly, with
something approaching a smile. Brian
| fred his revolver, and gTaZed his arm slight
| ly,-a mere scratch, you will understand
| and the miserable creature rolled upon the
! ground, doubled himself in two, and giving
himself I'm AS dead. howled diSmallv. Not
! knowing at That time that the poor Squire
was hurt, Brian and roared with laughter;
we couldn't help it, the fellow looked so
! ABSURD
They all laugh at this, but presently Olga,
| holding up her finger, says, seriously,-
Owen, recollect yourself. You said you
laughed. Oh, it can't be true"
II regret to say it is" says Mr.. Kelly,
with intensest ESTABLISHMENT. 'For once
l forgot myself; really did do it; but it
| sha'n't occur again. The exquisite humor
of the moment was too much for me. I
hope it won't be placed to my account, and
that in time you will all forgive me my one
little lapse"
well, Owen, you are the drollest crea-
ture," says Madame OConnor, with broad
sweet smie that is copied by Olga and Ro-
nayne. Mrs. Herrick remains unmoved,
and her needles go faster and faster; Mr..
Kelly stares at them uneasily.
They'll give out sparks in another min
ute or So" he says, warningly, land If they
do there will be general confagration.
Spare me that; l have had enough excite
ment for while"
Mrs. Herrick lets her knitting fall into
her lap.
| The Squire may be thankful he got off so
easily" says Madame O'Connor at this mo-
ment.
HE may, indeed" says Kelly. Fay" to
the child who is standing at a distance gaz-
ing thoughtfully with uplifted head at the
! blue sky without, what are You wondering
I about nOw?"
The child turns upon him her large blue
| eyes, blue as Nankin china, and answers
him in clear sweet tones, Indifferent to the
fact that every one in the room is regarding
! her.
81 was wondering" she says, truthfully,
''why Ulic says his prayers to Olga"
A most disconcerting silence follows this
speech. Madame huns tune; Mrs. Her
| rick loses herself in her knitting; but Mr..
Kelly, who is always alive, says, ''Eh?'
Il saw him." says Fay dreamily.
Olga, who is as crimson as the heart Of a
red rose, makes here a frantic but subdued
effort to attract the childs attention; Mr..
Kelly, however gets her adroitly on to his
knee before she can grasp the meaning of