Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22

He took out his watch. but his hand
shook so that he could not open it.
"God forgive me!' he muttered
in the way Of education at women's
hands. but this is new experience "
he remarked after a pause. grinning
and Ticking a spot of ash off his coat
''her want of self-consciousness is next
to CHASTITY it has an uncanny sexless
sort of air about it that gives one the
shivers."
/ The intellectual companionship con
tinued undated for ten more DAYS
then one evening at the end of June
Gwen Waring told Strange that she
and Lady Mary We're going down into
the country early in July.
When he got home that night he had
When he succeeded. he got himself to
the glass. and found he was white L.
the lips. He had had a silock-he had
discovered. as he turned out of Lady
Mary's softly-lighted hall into the
street, that he loved the girl irretriey-
ably, and with the knowledge came
fear.
For few minutes he leaned against
i the mantel-piece. his head sunk into
his hands. then he raised himself with
a sigh. threw off his light overcoat.
and sat down to smoke, but he couldn't
draw a puff. then it struck him that
he was numb with cold.
He looked at the CRATE with a pur-
pose to make fire lighting in his eyes.
but with shrug he shirked the trou-
BILE. He could not go to bed. that was
out OF the question:: as for sitting
there freezing, that was just as impos-
sible. He must move, he must feel the
life stir in him again. He stood up
and shook himself, then q thought
struck him, he hurried to his room,
changed his clothes, and went out
round the corner to the news where
he kept the horses he had brought up
from Strange Hall.
He found the gear, saddled the
freshest. and rode away through short
cuts and by-ways, away from the
noise and hurly-burly. out into the
quiet Of the country. Then he drew
rein, pulled the mare aside Oh to a
green strip thanking the road, and let
her go her own pace. For a long time
he gave her grace and smoked say =,
Iagely.
at is about the most killing blow
that could have fallen on a man. 1t
would be bad for any fellow; but for
me, who can love if l can do anything,
to have to pour it all out at the feet of
a girl who couldn't understand what
love, much less passion, means, to
save her life! It's beastly back
handed stroke of fate, and l don't
know that I've ever done anything bad
enough to deserve it. Lord, how the
mares sides smoke! 1 must have rid
den like a maniac. The worst of it is,
this isn't thing one can clear off and
forget-with the woman right in ones
sOul!-the fine, grand, proud creature!
God! it's almost sacrilege to except her
to love, with love in the beastly state
it iS-to love any man-Jack of us; it's
honor enough to love her and yet
yet-when a man has once done it,
done it once and forever, the only
thing in life seems to be to get some
thing in return. What commercial
brutes We are even in this hottest con-
nection of all! But let her love or not,
I'll give her my love if she'll take it
and l shall pick up crumbs like old
LaZarus.-Pah. how she dominates one!
All, and when her love wakes up
but, the devil! suppose another fellow
is the instrument chosen! Allah!
hold up, mare, are you stumbling or am
l Keeling? It's myself, my Jove, God
help us!''
Involuntarily he drove his spurs into
the beast. she started forward angrily.
unused to maniacs. Presently he
came to his senses and pulled her up
with a drag on her mouth that she did
not forget for some time. She went
sulky and stumbled for the next mile.
small blame to her! A Christian
would have done more.
Gradually her masters face cleared
itself and softened.
'Perhaps." he muttered perhaps no
other fellow after all, but-who knows?
"a haby's tender little mouth may
do it"
To Be Continued.