Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-09-15

While Nddcdp WOnt eredlI he would care
no, surely he would not dare 10 cross
her threshold
':Josephine's got Digges for sweet
heart" said Doune, with superior
nod; she doesn't romp with any one
else now. That's the man that carried
off the black lady, isn't it, mOther?"
But Madcap was gazing after Franks
vanishing shape-and indeed he made a
charming figure, as any one must have
admitted who did not hate a sinner
worse than his sin las perhaps Madcap
uncOnsciOusly did, and then-"WOmen
are strange"-she caught the two boys
hands in her own. and. long before
Frank had got himself out of sight, had
set off running in the opposite dlrec-
ton: SO that when Frank, who placed
his pride second to her safety, looked
round, it was to see her vanishing like
a new ATLANTA in the distance, where
upon he turned and ran too, till when
at last she stopped GREATNESS, it was to
find at her heels what she thought t1
have left far behind.
DOune had not turned q hair, but
DOdy was coughing violently with the
haste at which he had been swept along:
and as MadCap caught him up, she fash.
ed at poor Frank a look that inclu lei
cruelty to her child, in the list of the
young mans other m sdemean0rS.
Perhaps he chose to accept that
glance as a greetinr, however hostile,
for he said, You Her9 going to the
village?3
Scoring to reply. Madcap went for
ward, but Dody turned his head over
his mothers shoulder, and, by way of
friendly overture, remarked, us is go
ing a-maying!'
so am /, ;" said Frank resoluteIy. and
wondering if Mr. Eyre were mad to let
his treasure thus 90 ungaarded; but
are you wise to co." he added, address
ing the back Of little chestnut head.
There will be CROUCH people therc-gyp-
sizes. beggdrS, tramps Of all kinds"
Are you my keepar?o cried Mad
cap. stopping short in the pathway. and
stamping her foot with passion that
made D0iy, vaguely alarmed, cling
round her neck, crying
''DOHt be angedy, mummy; don't be
angedy.'
Mothers not afraid of anybody"
said D0une, pressing deIilntly against
her side; shes going to dance with us.
and Wt'Il take care Of her"
"Where is Josephine?> cried Madcap,
for the first time noticing the girls dis
appearance.
She has gone back to the Hall, said
Frank, the color coming into his face.
at your requeSt?" said Madcap, set
ting Dody down, and facing the young
man.
AT my request"
90. this is intOlerablP." cried Mad
cap, THAT you are to force your com
pany on me thuS-that ! am to be plac-
ed under surveillance, m. very servants
sent away at your bidding! Until to-
day had always thought Il lady was
free to choose her own society,""
Il regret" he said, THAT | am COM
PEELED to inAict myself on you until Mr..
Eyre comes"
Did he constitute you my jailer?'
she said, with a bitter contempt that
was like a mirror held up to him of
what he was III her eyes. May | ask
what special fitness for the post made
you undertake it? These poor people
around will not harm me, nor would
She; and nothing that She could say to
me-, would make me ScOrn and lOathe
yOu more than dOnOW."
"Mummy's very angedy," said DOdy
in an aWe-Struck voice; bat she won't
smack you" he added, sIippinga gentle
little hand in Franks, WnereupOn the
poor Young fellow CAUGHT the child up
and for a moment held the rosy face
against his own pale one, at which Mad
cap cried, with a half sob
"WOuld you rob me Of my children?''
and went step or two alone for pride,
then paused, expecting to be Overtaken
by the little lovers who had never hith-
ert0 failed her, but they were too taken
up with Frank to leave him; and 50, in
solitary pride, she passed the forge
descended the village, and, crossing &
meadow and the wood beyond, emerged
suddenly on the green where the merry
making was held.
In the center rose a magnificent
hOrse-cheStnut, from whose trunk the
may-bowerS or alleys radiated like the
green spOkeS Of a giant wheel, built OF
green and poisoning bOughs, archeC
overhead, and hung with great clusters
of lilac, laburnum, and guelder-roses
that swept the hair Of the lads and
lasSes who passed below.
Two and two, hand in hand, smiling
in each others eyes, SWeethearts for to-
day, if not tomorrow, the joyous coup
les danced in 2nd out of the seemingly
endless alleys many fine-turned lea
and tWinkling foot marking off the stir
ed by the blind fiddler from the next
parish.
Without. the old men and women
loitered, their eyes Frightening as the
young faces came and went. They saw
what they had once been, what they
would like to be once more, and perhaps
sighed to think that these merry lovers
must in time come to be as themselves;
but Mr.. Firth has long ago told the
scene much more beautifully in cOlOrs
than | can ever do in words.
Madcap forgot Frank to gaze with de-
light at the scene, and the children
escaping from him, claSping hands. and
falling in behind the last Jack and Jill
danced merrily in and out, round AMI
about, with the rest, their dark heads
Sprinkled from above with ScatteringS
of sweetest cOlOr-never pauSing, save
to entreat their mother and Frank to
come and dance also.
But he was hardly thinking of Mad
cap then in his keen anxiety that Mr..
Eyre should arrive. Each moment he
dreaded the appearance of Hester, who
was to meet DOdy at the maying (by
golden means he had charmed this fact
from Josephine in his moment of speech
with her in the cOpse): and though she
wished Madcap we'll, the risk Of the two
women once more meeting was not to
be exaggerated. But if Franks eyes
could have pierced the stout body Of a
tree not a dozen yards from him, he
would have seen in hiding the very wO-
man whose presence he dreaded.
Mr.. Eyre, approaching from the viii
lage. saw Hester thus, marked the
cropching gait, the eagerly peering eyes
ht-ht on Nadcan-thp whole tnrcanesS
OF demeanOr that yet betokened yearu-
ING love, and disappointed hope, and
feeling toward her as some noXi0uS
thing that threatened the life OF what
he loved. passed her by with a look