Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-06-17
TURNING BACK.

1t was a warm OCTOBER morning,
the house door stood wide open, af-
fording a view of rich autumn trees
and smooth green sward, with a faint
blue sky over all. A young girl was
coming slowly down the wide stair
case smiling, with pensive look in
her gray eyes which contradicted the
smile, and glancing rather shyly at
the group of men and women standing
in the center of the big hall.
Lady Manchester came to her as she
reached the last stair and laid a hand
affectiOnately on her shoulder. eve
are all SO sorry to lose you, Hatty,"
she said. 81 hope we shall see you
when we come back to town. Jeff is
going to drive you to the station in
the dog cart. 1t is such 2 heavenly
morning that you must get all the
fresh air you can
The other guests of the house gath
cred round her, saying kind things,
and noting how pretty she looked in
her coat and skirt of soft brown tweed
and sailor hat. One or two exchanged
chances and smiles when they saw her
climb into the dog cart and take her
seat by Jeff Marchester's side. They
knew all about Jeff; but she did not.
She had been spending three weeks
among them, and they had all seen
what was going on; but no one uttered
a word of warning They had re-
marked among themselves that she
was quite little thing, but did not
quite believe she was quite as simnle
as she seemed. And as she was Lady
Marchester's cousin, it was their hos
tess duty to look after her.
The dog cart rolled away down the
avenue, under the fast-yellowing trees.
and through the lodge gate Hatty
remembered that it was a three-mfle
drive to the station and there would
be time for a long talk-one of those
talks she knew so well, for they had
had many. Perhaps this would be the
very last
"Hatty," said the man at Ter side,
4 can't stand this. You don't know
how much you are to me- I onlv mad
minute with you last night
He was looking down at her with
melancholy brown eyes, while he kept
tight hand on the reins. Her heart
was so heavy with unacknowledged
sorrow that she could not speak for a
moment
Let us think of something" he
went on. "Tf I run up to town next
week we must contrive a meeting.
O, | know what You are going to ,sav
your father won't be civil We'll,
I'm not afraid of him; but I don't
want to make things unpleasant for
you altogether"
She had a thrill of JOY and terror
If the meeting next week took place it
must certainly be without the knowl-
edge of her father That Formidable
old man had strongly opposed Ter
visit to the MarchesterS. and had
plainly said that not one of the Mar
chester set should ever set foot within
his doors, How she had succeeded in
getting away from Woburn Square and
down to Wildwood, Hatty scarcely
knew. Some of his old frien IS had
taken her side and told NJ. Warner
that he shut the girl up too much, and
then she had been grudgingly allowed
to go.
TT iS-rather sad to go home"
She smoke in a sweet. shal1y little
voice looking straight before her al
the autumn trees.
you POOR, dear child, Louie told
me that you lived in a sort of convict
prison. But it shan't be always so
All that is wanted is a little pluck on
your part; you'll have to do just whist
tell you. Will it be very difficult tc
trust yourself to me, Hatty?"
mo" said the girl family She was
completely under the spell of his fas-
cination: and yet.-what was 1--we
A vision rose up before her years
spent with him, of being bound % hin
prospect to appal her. Why sh1IlC
he not take care of her and make he1
happy? She had drunk in all the
draught of bliss He was graceful
and attentive-the kind of man anN
woman would have been proud of win
ming; and her three weeks at Mill
wood had gone by in dream Of de
light And now that the inevitable
last day had come she dreaded a re
turn to the old monotonous routine o
home. Her life had been lived 81
evenly, so gravely, so apart from al
emotional influences that she haC
never known what it felt like to ha re
lover.
Lady Manchester had met HIATT,
with her old governess at the Rova
academy and had remembered that tn,
girl vas her second cousin. Jeff wht
was at his sister-in-lGw's side. haC
prompted her to give Hatty an invita-
ton. The beautiful. girlish face ant
soft, serious eyes had won his fancy a
once: he was determined not to los,
sight of anything so fresh and charm
ing. and when she came to Millwooe
he had devoted himself to her from
the first day of her arrival.
'Hatty you must write to me thi
very evening" he said with = THIRTY
of passion in his tone eff don't sc
letter tomorrow morning I shall d,
some desperate thing. How abou
your seryants?''
They are very good and very grim.
she answered with a forlorn littl
smile. ct would not be wise to as
them to post my letter: I must sill
out and drop it into the pillar-bo
myself"
Poor darling" he muttered ~vba