Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-09

! looking up to see whittier he was
walking, he saw little way in front
Of him the futter of a petticoat A
! second glance showed him that the
woman was Mrs. Priolo; and some
thing in her action struck him as SO
peculiar that he stood still and
watched her movements.
She was bent nearly double. creep
ing on slowly in the shelter Of a hedge
As it was not to be supposed she was
stalking any game, the only conclusion
| ne could come to was that she was
playing the spy. But on whom?
| In the center Of a large meadow full
Of grazing cattle, under the shadow
Of an oak, stood Ellen Warde and Mr.
Weare. There was nothing lover-like
in their attitude, he could see; but
they were talking earnestly, and evil
IDENTIFY something they did not wish to
be overheard. Was the hOusekeeper
trying to discover their secret:
Quickly yet quietly he walked on. and
laid his hand firmly On her shoulder.
! w udl dIt yOu mere.
There was a suppressed scream as
! the woman, rising from her bent posi-
| ton, twisted her neck round to see
| who was her a3sailant What she
/ had been watching so intently would
surely be no pleasant sight to him.
! "SWeethearting," she whispered
meaningly. They have made rapid
! strides in their acquaintance, if they
/ met for the first time yesterday"
"WhC ther they have known each
| other before or not iS no business of
! yOursr' declared the colonel sternIy
j You will come with me to the Dover
| House at once. | intend TO ask Mr..
Bowyer if he allows his housekeeper
to act the spy upon his niece"
She's no more his niece than l am,
/ She's"
But her cOmmunica uYeneSs was then
stopped at once by gesture, and
Severn's uplifted hand pointed out the
way that she was to take.
Very well, I'm ready enough to go
if you like; don't want to make mis-
chief; but, if I'm forced to speak, I'll
/ An expression of doubt on her
hearers face encouraged her to pro-
! coed.
why you don't think" she went
on boldly, that Mr.. Bowyer would
! keep her another moment in his house
| if he heard all l could tell?'
II think you are a very wicked
woman exclaimed Severn.
! "What-for watching those two just
now? Why, all women are interested
| in a bit of love-making; Miss Warde
and | are good friends enough if you
will only leave us alone"
/ Severn bit his lip and tugged at
! his dark mustache in deep perplexity.
! She might be speaking the truth-it
might injure Ellen were he to insist
! upon bringing this before Mr.. Bowyer.
! After ALL they're doing no HARM -
went ON Mrs. Priolo. She's fond of
/ him, no doubt, for she has kept some
flowers he gave her years ago, and
has painted a picture of him, too
'Silence, woman! Co. Numbered
out the colonel; then, as, cowed by his
anger, she turned obediently and
went He too walked away in the
| opposite direction, smiling bitterly to
| himself.
! He was half blinded now with pas
! sion as he strobe along. and a jealous
| fancy pictured the love-scene that
| was being enacted even then. Would
it have comforted him could he have
been an unObserved spectator of
what took place at the meeting which
circumstances had prevented from be-
! ing SO secret as had been undoubtedly
! intended?
! Elaine had arrived first, and stood
! leaning against the gnarled trunk Of
! the old oak, waiting for the other.
! She was as white as a sheet and
trembling in every limb when at last
! Gerald Weare arrived. NervOuSly she
! held out her hand. The action was
mechanical and the outcome of Gus
tom; but she wished she had not made
I the movement when he stopped. as
! though anxious to keep her at a dis
/ lance.
You won't even shake hands with
me?'' she cried, excitedly.
! Il would rather not''-in a cold hard
voice. "It would be merely an out
, ward ceremony, and II have a great
! horror of pretense,' he said. after a
slight pause. ITO neither of us can
! this unexpected meeting be else than
painful
ut is very strange that the whole
world is not big enough to hide in"
What made you choose this place"
asked Gerald Weare
at was Nh Bowyer's idea. He said
that I should be safer in al English
village than travelling about and meet
ing different people every day"
"He was right-quite rigL , It was
the merest chance that brought me
here"
You won't betray agerly.
st? No. Do you think me such q
cur? Heaven knows l have no desire
to revive the past-I only want tc
forget. Do you KNOWN awed low
tones-"when I saw you lying there
senseless in that Gimly lighted passage
[ thought for a moment you We're
Ada
Risen from the dead?'
Eyes, risen from the dead to comfort
and console me-the Ada who loved
me. telling me so in artless, childish
fashion every hour; not the Ada who
loved another, and was marrying me