Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-03
aL0YER Of THE Day.
Continued.


you, Graham? Patrice, tell Mary t
bring the tray in and get up fire with
some sticks My dear fellow, In
afraid I've been asleep for a few min
utes. Why, bless my heart, it's II
O'Clock. Servants gone to bed, do you
say, Patrice? | want some whiskey
and soda; you will have some too, Ora
ham,"
I'll go and fetch it from the dining
I'll go andfetch it from the dining
room for you, papa" Patrice said
springing up and making for the door
which was already opened for her by
Sholto Graham.
Let me come and help you he
whispered, and without waiting for her
answer he followed her into the dining
room
May | feel that you will take lit
tie interest in me and my work." he
muttered, as she collected the materials
for compromising Capt. Kelly's evening
draught.
Il shall not be able to help doing it,
she said, simply, "but you will succeed
whether l take an interest in your sue
! cess or not
That success will be sweeter if you
watch my struggles to attain it."
t i shall watch
| Let it be something that YOU have
written yourself Coming, papa! Com
ing, coming, coming! l can't find the
lemon. Do take that tray in, Mr.. Ora
ham, and tell him I'm looking for the
lemonr
Her face was flushed and her eyes
were sparkling with the new-found
happiness, the first draught of which
is more exhilarating than anything
else on earth He felt the potent
fumes of the f1attery her looks and
manner expressed, mounting to his
brain.
! shall tomorrow and ask you 10
honor a very large check that | shall
On aW on your interest in me-" he whis-
rered, and then he bent his head down
till his lips touched her hair.
I love you" he said so fervently
that it Was no wonder Patrice believed
him. Meet me tomorrow by the
round pond in Kensington gardens.
will your
No, you must come here" she said
firmly, and perhaps unreasonably; she
felt shade f1atter in spirit than she
had felt before he made this request.
Very well! I'll call here at s." he
said, quickly, but there was a touch of
annoyance in his tone and on his face.
He was young man who did not like
to be thwarted Patrice read the an
noyance clearly enough, and attributed
it to his fearing that he would not have
her all to himself next day, as he would
if she had gone to meet him by the
round pond.
1t was only the natural and pardon
able selfishness of a lover that made
him look cross for a moment, she felt
sure. The cloud lifted very quickly.
By the time she followed him with the
lemon he was talking and laughing
merrily with the old navel man, who
already liked the good-looking, frank,
friendly young fellow warmly
Sholto Graham compounded the
whisky and soda and lemon quite deft-
ly fer his host, doing it in respectful
attentive way that was almost filial,
Patrice felt. But he said no more
Il at night that were exclusively de-
signed for her alone. Her refusal to
meet him at Kensington gardens had
irritated him, and when Sholto Ora
ham was irritated those about him
knew it.
However, when he said goodnight
to her he gave her a long, reproachful
look, so she went to bed feeling happily
certain that it was because he liked
her so much that he had been a bit
cross when she would not do as he
asked her.
When he called next day at with
the magazines and papers he had
promised her, he was quite his own de-
lightful, lively, amusing, unclouded
self again, and though he said no more
definite WOr Is Of love this day he won
upon her by his deferential, tender
earnestness, more than he would have
d. ne by any display of prematurely
eager ardor. She began to feel proud
of this man, who seemed so real and
strong and self-controlled in his en-
deaVors to gee her to regard him Her
heart sWelled with satisfaction when
he was gone and her stepfather spoke
good words of him. She found herself
recalling certain little tricks of manner
which he had and which she thought
charming in themselves, and more
charming as being the outward express
sion Of certain admirable inner quail
ties which went to the making up of
the dear fellow he was.
| In short, Patrice was going at a fair
pace along the high road to love of
/ the most coniding and devoted order.
! SO the days went on for a month or
! two, and still he came daily and still
! her interest in him deepened.
! Even Capt. Kelly began to think that
/ the pleasant young fellow who passed
! so many hours cheerfulIy in his (the
! captain's) society must have some other
motive in coming than the plausible
one Of bringing him the latest news.
! When first this idea dawned on him
+ his straig htforward blue eyes filled
with emotional moisture. and his
weather-reddened old face paled as he
, realized that this meant losing Pa
tricer' But he soon put this evil con-
sideration behind him, and grew i'm
patient for the daughter of his heart
to conf1de in him.