Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-16
STRANGE ADVENTURE
To Be Continued.

the tapping Of a blind, the eXamina-
ton stiffness peyading the place, had
soporitic effect. once Mr.. Marston
cleared his throat rather loudly;
started guiItily, my nerves being quite
unhinged by suspense. At dinner | ate
little, and afterward finding myself in
the eXamination-r0Om making prepare
lions for the last time, ! was in an
agony between hesitation and resolve.
The pupils came in, and with more
noise than usual settled to their
places.
| stood irresolute in the gangway
The last moment of my opportunity
had arrived; once this was past, |
knew unfaiEngly that | could and
should do nothing
door slammed, and a well-knoWn
tread was heard in the passage. Ny
Will rose III last effort; | seized my
letter, got to his table, placed it upon
the papers, and had reached my own
seat before his leisurely step paused at
the door
After that something like an ague
took me. There l sat at my table
there sat Mr.. MarStOn at his with his
official air. every now and then gIanc-
ing over the rows Of girls. Had he
seen my letter? | calculated that his
elbow rested upon it at this moment
His manner affected me cruelty; [ ex-
perienced violent heart palpitat ion, and
holding on to the table with both
hands, began to watch him frankly
disguise and pretence being no longer
possible lie moved; yes his elbow
had been on it; he saw it for the first
time and took it up with, Is,fancied, a
slight look of surprise Then he
pushed it aside unopened and set to
work to write. This writing of his
used up three-quarters of the time; he
kept to it with assiduity. Meanwhile
| experienced tormentS. At length
he pressed the blotting-paper over the
writing, ut the same time looking
around the room with his usual aloof
air. 1t was the last time | was ever
to see that expression on his face; the
next instant his hand was again upon
my letter
The same slight air of doubt which
he had worn before came into his faces
he scrutinized the cover opened it,
took out the old registered envelope,
and-droppcd it on the table, snatching
back his hands and staring as though
it had been 4 live serpent
As for myself. so intense was my
sympathy with my felloW-creature in
this horrible moment that my breath
I,,,g, gNIxy
self to watch by sheer strength of will.
Have YOU seen Il SnOWdrift gradually
change and dispense under the suns
power? Something of that kind began
to happen to Mr.. Marstons face The
muscles, the fine compact texture. ap-
peared to be passing from his control,
the strength and GOODNESS fOrSoOk it:
slowly, cruelty, the color altered-tirSt
Sicl<ening pallor smote it like a
blight, and then a flush deeper and
deeper every moment dyed it from
chin to brow. lie seemed to have lost
consciousness Of his surroundings, to
forget that he was watched. Slowly
lifting the envelope again. hc drew
out the four ten-pound notes and
spread them before him. Then his
head dropped and IN aspect of humil-
iatfon, against which he made no eff )rt
TO contend settled upon him.
For how many minutes he kept this
attitude | do not know At last he be
gan to raise his head: but this l could
not bear IrStinctively | knew lTlt
his eyes would seek mine. ana | could
not wait to feel those Inundated rays
touch me. Rising, | made for the Too
in blind haste and rushed away from
the scene | had created.
| was fortunately preserved from the
remarks my sudden and quite unsys-
tematc exit from the examination
room would in ordinary times have
brought upon me by an event which
throw Miss Murray into so much agi-
tation that she failed to notice the de
tails Of any ones conduct.
one of the girls had been ailing for
some few days, and during the hours
of this final examination the doctor
had called and pronounced the dis ease
to be scarlatina. Therefore when Miss
Murray met me flying down the pass
age before the examination was over
she forgot the irregularity of the pro-
cecding in relief at finding me free to
attended to the immediate difficulty.
The thing to he accomplished ut
once was the clearance Of the house
from pupils; SO that the rest of the
day | was necessarily occupied in
helping them to pack and making
plans for hurried departures. Miss
Murray superintendent the isolation of
She sick pupil and the arrangements
for the nursing, and by dint of the or
derlineSS and efficiency of the eStab-
ishment we settled everything, and
empted the house before the afternoon
Of the following day.
1t was further planned that Miss
Murray, who greatly needed change,
was to proceed at once for her holiday
and that |, who was glad of the oppor-
tunity for quiet study, was to remain.
In the hurry | had not had time to
ask a question about the fate Of Mr..
Marston but rs / accompanied Miss
Murray to the cab and said farewell
She turned back to impart some infor-
nation
AS to Mr.. NIarston. my dear l
hardly know how he lett us. | mad
time to tell him Of our misfortune ard
Of the hasty emptying Of the house.
which was necessary and 10 hi5 him