Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-26

lightfully cool and tempting. Tea was
served to her there, her little trunk
was brought in and unstrapped, and
upon the table she found a book or
two should she wish to pass her time
otherwise than by looking out of the
tiower-framed shaded window. But
by and by sense of loneliness set in.
and to Danish it she stole out for a
walk around the grounds.
Gazing from shaded bench upon
the cliff over the sea an infinite peace
fell upon her spirit. How long she
had sat there she did not know, until
she became conscious that a young
man in summer fannels had come
along the path leading to her eyrie,
and was searching for something he
had lost.
Il beg your pardon he said, taking
off his hat; Il did not know anyone
had succeeded me III my favorite
haunts.'
You are looking for this?" she said,
holding out little compass of gold
and crystal she had picked up, then
forgotten.
Yes. Thank you. 1t represents the
economies of my small sister who sent
it TO me for birthday gift today" he
said, taking the trifie from her finger
tips. L suppose you have just come,
and have not yet seen our hostess"
Cheered by his cordial tone, Felicia
answered as girls Of her race and
bringing up are wont to do, easily,
fearlessly, smiles playing around her
rosy lips and in her friendly eyes; and
at once they were launched upon a
conversation that proved, apparently,
as satisfactory to Duncan Moore as it
certainly was to our poor little confid-
ing Felicia, tongue-tied for so many
hours and aching to communicate her
sensations to somebody.
She at once discovered that Mr..
Moore was, like herself, an inmate of
the house; was spending a fortnight
with the Caldwells, and was already
done to death with the insistence of
Newport hospitality. He, of course,
took this artless and refreshing little
person, whose good looks charmed his
eye, to be guest upon his own plane.
Even if Felicia had suspected his mis-
take, it would not have occurred to her
to do more than laugh at it. Down
south" the young lady engaged to be
governess or companion or secretary
is in all things a member of the fam
lily; and when, as usual, she is we'll
born and well bred, the fact of poverty
is the merest bagatelle, so far as So
cial consideration is concerned. How
could it enter into Felic1as head that
she was henceforth TO be taboo to the
familiar associates of her employer?
Luckily, upon this occasion, she was
spared finding IL out. The maidenly
reserve that in her underiaid man
ner almost coquettish in it's directneSs
prompted her 10 withdraw from the
interview. AS she arose, and Moore
offered TO walk to the house with her,
with the prettiest gesture or a small
white hand she motioned him to re-
main.
But why?' he said, or, al least
when shall 1 talk With you again!
introduced" she exclaimed, vanishing
from his sight.
Moore sat for awhile Oh the forsaken
bench, till shadows Iengthening upon
the lawn, and the purple hight Or even
ing upon the sea, sent MIN within
doors to dress for dinner. When he
came down into the library, where
the house-party met before dinner was
announced, he looked eagerly about
him, but in the various groups saw no
sign of the fairy OF the cliff. AS luck
would have it, his seat at table that
night was far away from Mis-. Cald-
wells, and, until after the men came
in from the smoke-rOOm, he had no
opportunity to make inquiries OF his
hostess.
The young lady VINO arrived this
afternoon?" repeated Mrs. Caldwell,
in bewilderment. You are dreaming.
Nobody new is here. You know they
say | am faithful to the same old
gang; and you are all present, be-
lieve."
Moore shrank a little from her as
he went on in his logged way:
Miss Charlton, mean. The young
lady from Virginia, who came
while you were driving"
Mrs. Caldwell threw back her dark,
well-coiffed head with peal OF laugh
ter.
Il see what you mean now. It's my
new secretary, who's come to replace
that dreadful, pushingt creature l told
you of; and, if you believe me, got in
so late to dress, I have not seen her
yet. How could you make such a mis-
take?"
What mistaken"
-er-suppose that she was one
of my guests?'
Moore, angered by her supercilious
drawl, felt his color rise. Then, re-
straining himself, he turned on his
heel and left her, inwardly resolved
rot to spend another day under the
roof of this pretentious wording.
But when the next day came he did
not go away.
Poor Felicia! 1t was such a sad
awakening! Twenty-four hours spent
in her new capacity were quite sufft-
cient to show her that business, not
friendship, was the platform OH which
she stood. Mrs. Caldwell when, on
the morning following her arrival,
she summoned her latest employe into