Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-14
CHAPTER Kill.

CHAPTER Kill.
About a month after her child'S
birth, and urgent message came from
Strange's steward to Lady Strange
He was very i'll and must see her.
She drove to his house and found
him dying, and infinitely concerned
that he could not deliver up his stew
ardiShip into his masters hands. He
was a man who had always rather
suffered from a hypertrophied COM
science, and perhaps he exaggerated
the Importance of his office, and the
fmpossibility of getting any one to
follow him in it; at any rate he i'm
pressed Gwen a good deal, and rather
put her ON her mettle
After reviewing the situation, she
came to the conclusion that if no one
else could keep things straight she
would undertake to do it herself. As
she took off her things, a new COM
plication struck her; to do this she
must be on the spot. and how would
that suit her father?
She was rather absent and full of
the question when she got down to
tea, and Mrs. Fellowes, as a sort of
cure and antidOte to her wiStful aloof-
ness, went and brought the baby. And
then Mr.. Warning came in and con-
templated it silently, as he had done
every day since it was born.
Gwen told them Of Hopkins, and din
a rather SHY tentative way spoke of
her project
To her establishment Mr. Warning
woke up fully, and spoke with hearty
approval of it; then without giving
her a chance to reply, he went out
but soon returned with a large parcel
of manuscript tied up labor;ouSly with
strings the knots all over it in hap
hazard style.
''rhis is the book" he said slowly.
and with frequent pauses, son which
we have worked so long; it is at
last complete. 1t Isl sad. is it not that
lit is only |, who am here to see the
end? | have been more than afraid
that / should be unable to finish It.
lit is hard to work alone. old habits
NO work"
He swayed a little and leaned heav-
ally ON the table
You, my daughter, have your work
here, YOU must uphold the house of
your husband and of his first born !;
tomorrow | will go home"
Gwen attempted to say something,
but he motioned her to silence.
"You may perhaps think your duty
is with me; it is not, it is here. and
here YOU must remain % guard your
husbands lands, and to cherish his
child. 1t lis the soul that is Just enter
ing life that needs all your care. not
that which is done with it."
Then he went and stood over the
child, and suddenly some vague old
feeling surged up in him and he
raised his hands that tremb1ed above
ats head. and his lips We're moved by
a mute blessing
Mrs Fel1owes intended going her
self early that week, as she was a
good deal wanted at home, but she
entirely alone, and then she had not
heard a word Of Humphrey from his
wife's lips for more than a month now.
and his letters to her, after one she
got assuring her OF his perfect re-
covery, We're anything but satisfactory !;
they were short and dry and told her
nothing. Then, as the missionary he
was in pursuit Of, had escaped through
the intervention OF friendly blacks
some either way. and was already on
his way home. probably preparing his
experiences for the reli gious press.
Humphreys continued presence In
Africa was simply ridiculous, and she
WAS In a fever Of anxiety as to the
next step Of this most trying couple
a few nights after, she was very
glad she had decided to remain.
She had just fallen off into her first
Saeep when she was awakened by a
violent shake, and found Gwen stand
&f2 above her. white and rigid and too
terrified to speak. She pulled her out
of the room and into the nursery by
her nightdreSs sleeve, IN show her her
baby in very bad COW dls5ons in the,
nurses arms.
The whole night through, the two
women watched the strange cruel pos
session that twisted and contor-ted the
small f1ower-hke face and the tender
limbs. and the next day the spasm
ceased and a sharp attack of bron-
chitiS set in.
Ovens mute tense agony upset even
the old doctor, who as a rule was
emotion proof enough; he would have