Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-01
SET IN DIAMONDS.
L tell you l don't trust him.
To entertain such suspicious is +

That's all right-bCt I'm a mani
! hear things, and -
/ What have you heard?"
That Jack Stuart isn't an honest
man; that when he is lucky enough to
possess the tWherewithal' to do so, he
is known to gamble; that he plays far
| sharper games than cards
'Jor His cousins blazing eyes con-
feSs to him a truth he would almost
rather die than admit He knows
! that when those steadfast eyes burn
with such fires of Indignation, beneath
them will melt his most carefully built
walls OF precaution; that the woman
who confronts him will go to the ends
! of the earth with a man she trusts as
she trusts Stuart, and that she will
continue to believe in him, though the
! heavens fall.
There, Kate, I'm done Remember
I've warned you, and blame only YOUR
self if, in the future, there should be
| the deuce to pay"
Jack Stuart is an artist
80 he says"
He is poor
He certainly presents a seedy ap-
pearance, and tseedy' rhymes with
needy in my book of po-''
BE silent! You shall not traduce the
man l love and trust! Prove your ter
T1ble accusations are true before YOU
| try to SANDER an honest man."
10 looked with wonder and sadness
| into the eyes of the wrathful girl
Then, musing upon the strength. the
| obstinacy, the depth of woman's love,
| turned and went his way.
! Just how the evil reports had
started how the whispered rumors of
| the shady doings of Stuart had spread
| about town, how all such insinuations
| had ever gained their first impetus
j was never known. But 10 had heard
tIdings that had driven him to word
| his anxiety and belief to Kate. His
! cousin, he feared, already loved the
rather dashing and debonair Young
fellow who had, a week ago, not only
suddenly ceased calling at the house,
but had mysteriously disappeared from
MS own bohemian world, and it was
to save Kate from after regrets that
10 provoked her ire
Another week passed and nc news
came to 10 or Kate concerning Jack
| Stuart. The girl grew quiet and wan
and raised such pitiful, questioning
eyes to meet JOS own that the heart
within him was touched, and he
! longed for any news wherewith to
break her wearing suspense
At last tidings of Stuart's where
| abouts reached them. A gang of
'green-goods" men had been arrested
and one among them bore the name of
Jack Stuart
Should he tell Kate this woeful bit
of neWs-that fact that must kill the
love she so fondly cherished, and. by
SO doing, probably break the faithful.
trusting heart?
In his perplexity, 10 halted at the
corner, where he must turn to go to
his aunt'S residence Should he or
should he not? lAbsent-mindedlv eaz-
| ing about him, his glance CHANGED TO
fall upon the glitter of precious stones
that lay just where the afternoon sun
gllnted through the pane Of jewel
lined window. The flash blinded him
! fof an instant, and, turning from the
glare, he saw farther on upon a velvet
tray a tiny gold watch, set in dia-
monds
With a cry he stared at the elegant
Ilttle tlmepiece; then, ais if he must
satisfy himself more fully, he dashed
into the shop, over whose door hung
three shining balls.
II have come to redeem that
watch in the window yonder."
"Oh-ah-yes-to be surer' And TO
went through searching pantomime
| worthy a professional clown. BLESS
my soul! Can 1 have lost it-can-I-"
The shopman's eyes twinkled. If the
certificate of deposit We're not forth
coming the watch was his own.
Il certainly have lost it,' cried 10.
inwardly bewailing the bIackness OF
his sin.
You are not the person who fetched
1T here" said the pawnbroker.
mo, but he has sent me to redeem
1t for him. | can tell you his name: #
is Jack Stuart
That's all very well, but Jack
Stuart himself doesn't get his watch
unless he fetches the ticket l made out
to him three weeks ago. Do you
! hear?"
SO Stuart had pawned Kate's watch
the watch JOS own dead mother had
left to her beloved niece, the costly
! trlnket, upon whose golden case was
his mothers monogram set in .dia.
mOnds!"
He left the shop, his head in whirl.
He went toward his auntis house, bent
/ upon telling the whole hideous happen
ing to his cousin, who was worthy the
best love of the best man that ever
| lived.
To his surprise, he met Kate hurry
ing down the steps toward him.
! Come with me. Something awful
| has happened; don't ask me to explain
] now, only come. Mother has gone out
! and [ dare not wait another moment.
Call a carriage, 10, and-take me to
Jack"
! Take her to Jack!
| Silently he Obeyed her but when
once within the carriage he has hailed