Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-02
ing there?" he asked, at length.

Sne was WIDOW, WeIl-tO-dO: her
husband had been a wholesale cheese
monger ia a large way of business,
and had left her all his money free
Of control TO do with as she chose.
And Of course she made ducks and
brakes of it at once" put in Mr.. Bow
yer, with compassionate sheer.
mo, indeed she did not; a better
woman of business I never wish to
see. She actually increased her in
come after her husbands DEATH
"A miser. With women it is al
ways one extreme or the other"
Nothing Of the sort. A more char
liable soul never breathed; had it not
been so, she would have been alive
now"
How was it them
We'll, it was this way. 1t was a
practice of hers to visit the prisons
and penitentiaries- a deal of good
is done in that way, | can we'll be-
lieve; but there is such a thing as
going too far, even in the right di-
rectiOn, and to take a girl who had
committed for extensive thefts and
suspected of completely in other worse
crimes into her own house was moth
ing short of madness, I should say"
"And-and what was the end of it?''
1T only shows there's neither good
nor gratitude to be got out of these
wretches. The girl was loaded with
presents and treated like a daughter
nothing was spared in fact, for my
friend hoped to prove by her example
that these criminals could be reclaim
ed by care and kindness. Poor soul.
she was a martyr to her faith! When
the girl had been with her about a
year, the poor lady was persuaded to
make a will, leaving all her property
to this nameless waif who had so eff
fectually managed to worm herself
into her good graces. She was foolish
enough to tell the girl what she had
done"
An Impressive pause, which Mr..
Bowyer broke into by asking abrupt
ly-
Did you know this before today ?''
Il knew the beginning Of it. of
course; but the end is only told now
in this"-tapping lightly the letter in
her hand.
go on with the story"
It's a week ago since they found
the poor woman murdered in her bed
SO craftily was it managed that no
suspicion seemed to attach to the
girl, and her guilt might have never
been discovered had not her ante
cedents been known. However, it's
brought home to her now, and will be
a warning, [ hope, to Others"
Mr.. BOWyer remained doggedIy
mute. Whether the story was true Or
not, it was sure it had been told for
his benefit, and naturally resented it.
He was man who liked to go his way
and, having once adopt
ed a course, never deviated from it.
What a happy thing it is" Mrs.
Prlolo went on, that none of us
know the time and manner of our
death! Certainly the asst person she
would have suspected of raising
hand against her was the outcast she
had taken to herself and treated as
her own child
why do you say all this to me?
What have [ to do with it?'
1T was you that insisted on my tell
ing the story! You will do me justice
pnI r !,
like that would be sure to-
shock you in your present weak state
Of health. Of course, il you wish to be
treated as an invalid only. and not
responsible person, at another time l
will refuse to crafty your curiosity"
81 wish to be treated fairly and
openly"
Have l ever done otherwise?' she
asked, with dignity.
You act according to your lights, 1
dare say; baE Somen's ways are not
mems ways. I'VE attack an enemy face
to face-wg don't stab him in the
1ark?' 81
why, really, Mr.. Bowyer, 1 fail to
lndersdts ad you! Who is talking of
enemies and stabbing?"-with an in
ldlgent smile that drove him to a
further indiscretion.
do you mean to say that you meant
no reflection on my-on Ellen Warde-
that what you told me was not to IN
dermine my confidence in her?"
Mrs. Priolo arose and pushed him
gently into his chair
"My dear sir, you are overtired and
upset, or you would not say such
things. What on earth could Miss
Warde, your niece, have In common
with a wretch rescued from prison
a murderess? You have been talking
wildly; and l must insist upon your
resting now. No, nO-don't say any
thing more; | declare l will noL listen.
Lie back and close your eyes, or
won't answer for the consequences"
While all this took place below,
Ellen was kneeling beside the open
window of her room up stairs.
The fresh autumn air swept in and
lifted her short curls, cooling her hot
face as she opened the letter that had
come at last. Its first perusal disap-
pointed her a little-without reason
she confessed, with self-upbraiding-
for why should she have expected
more from him, or as much? 1t was a
kindly letter, and a friendly one.
MY Dear Miss Warde: Your note
was forwarded to me only this morn
ne and I hasten to assure you that
you have nothing to fear from me.
you have ever told me l
will ,rT1a ~ ,,oora