Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-23


in a hanson and as i'll luck would
have it, in one of he very worst parts
down went his horse and Reggie was
pitched out. He tried to jump, but got
his foot doubled up under him some
how and sprained his ankle They
helped him into a low public house
just opposite where the accident oc-
curred-a vile place-and he scrubbed
a note to me at once. Fortunately
was in my chambers, owing to this
neuralgia, and I went down to see him
and promised to meet you, Mr.. Hoves-
dean, but he. of course, said nothing
about your daughter. Naturally l
was good deal surprised to see her.
[ couldn't for the moment decide
whether Reggie had been playing me
a trick, or whether it was a genuine
case of surprise"
TITS the latter, I can assure you.
Mr.. Hovesdean said, smiling. Lord
Marlborough hasn't the vaguest idea
that am bringing NY daughter, dare
say you know what the arrangement
was. He was to come out to the states
in the spring. But something has hap
pened, something very unpleasant in
itself, which induced me to change my
mind. I wanted to get out of the
country and settle in Europe some
where for awhile, and so here we are
in England for the present. at any
rate. | fancy the young people won't
object to seeing a little more of one
another"
$50 far as Lord Marlborough is con-
cerned, he can have but one feeling in
I the matter" Mr.. Savage remarked in
low tone. He will naturally be de-
lighted"
by the by" Mr.. Hovesdean asked,
leaning little forward and looking in.
to as much of his vis-a-vis' counte-
nance as the unlighted carriage re-
vealed, have you even been in the
states, Mr.. Savage? I fancied when I
saw you on the platform that your
features were vaguely familiar to me.
Here we have not much opportunity
for studying one another's faces"
1t was we'll for John Savage that he
sat in darkness, for if his companions
had seen the look which flashed across
his face it is more than likely that
their little excursion together would
have been brought to an abrupt conclu-
sion. AS it was, it was fully five sec
onds before he answered, and then his
voice was low and thick. The shock
of Mr.. Hovesdean's innocent question
had not been slight.
mo, my travels have been always
eastward" he said. 81 have never
crossed the Atlantic That was
pleasure which I might have ex-
perienced in the spring." he added,
turning to Miss Hovesdean.
She looked at him with a slight
smile.
you and Lord Marlborough are great
friends, then, I suppose?" she re-
marked
yes I may say that we are init
mate friends" he answered.
There was a short silence; Mr.. Hoves-
dean looked out of The window
What pace your horses travel at
along these narrow Streets he re-
marked. ST must confess that | am
completely out of my bearings. I know
my London fairly we'll, too-better I
expect, than some of you Londoners.'
I'VE are in the slums,' Mr.. Savage
answered. Five minutes more and
We shall be at our destination"
Mr.. Hovesdean rubbed the window
with his coat sleeve and looked out
again.
II should have said that we are get
ting near river" he went on. what
filthy-looking houses and what
Creatures I'm not sure that we ought
to have brought you, Sadie, DEAR he
added, turning toward her.
ct won't hurt me, papa she an
sweTed, gayly. 81 went into some fear
full places in New York with Mr.. and
Mrs Fairlie."
What sort of people are they at the
place where Lord Marlborough was
taken to-" Mr.. Hoyesdean asked.
GA trifie superior 10 their neighbors.'
Mr.. Savage answered. eff they were
not [ should never have dared to have
suggested your daughter accompanying
us. AS it is, I am afraid your first i'm
pressiOns Of London cannot be very
favorable ones, Miss Hovesdean." he
added, turning toward her
81 am afraid" she answered, laugh
ing, 81 have not even looked out of
the window. I'm not going to believe
I'm in London until the proper time
arrives. Isn't that discreet"
Very" answered Mr.. Savage. It
should advise you to close your eyes
very carefully just now. We are
there"
They had turned into dark squalid
street only just wide enough to admit
the carriage. On one side was a rIot
of misunderstanding waste ground
covered with black mud and puddles
and sloping down toward a dark chaos
which from the glenn of some far
away, richly looking lights seemed to
be a river. On the other, the side on
which they were to descend was row
Of high, smoke-blacked tenements.
nearly all apparently empty and many
with the windows smashed to pieces
and in the last stage of dilapidation.
The one before which the carriage had
stopped was story lower than the
rest. and there were several dim lights
in the lower windows. Mr.. Savage
jumped out first and assisted the girl
to alight; Mr.. Hovesdean followed.
+ About a couple of yards to the left