Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-07-29
CHAPTER XII.
"a wicked will,
A woman's will: cankered gran
DANES will"

ny JpNt.
And Lorimer after uttering this
lnmeaning exclamation. was silent out
of sheer dismay. He stood hesitating
and locking in at the door of the
Guldmar's sitting-room, and the
alarming spectacle he saw was the
queenly Thelma down on the floor in
an attitude of grief,-Thelma giving
way to little smothered sobs of dis
tress,-Thelma actually crying! He
urew long breath and stared utterly
bewlldered. 1t was a sight for which
he was unprepared - he was not ac-
customed to womcn's tears. What
should he do? Should he cough gently
to attract her attention, or should he
retire on tip-toe and leave her to in
dulge her grief as long as she would,
without making any attempt to con-
sole her? The latter course seemed
almost brutal yet he was nearly de-
Gliding upon it, when a slight creak of
the door against which he leaned,
caused her to look up suddenly. See
ing him. she lose quickly from her
responding position and faced him,
her cheeks somewhat deeply flushed
and her eyes glittering feverishly.
Mr.. Lorimer!" she exclaimed. fore
ing faint smile to her quivering lips
You here? Why, where are the
others?"
They are coming on after me-"
replied Lorimer, advancing into the
room and automatically ignoring the
girls efforts to hide the tears that
still threatened to have their way.
But | was sent in advance to tell
you not to be frightened. There has
been slight accident"
She grew very pale as it my
father" she asked tremblingly. Sir
Philip"
mo, no." answered Lorimer reas-
suringly. ut is nothing serious. really,
upon my honor! Your fathers all
right.-so is Phil,--Cur lively frierd
Pierre is the victim. The fact is,
we've had some trouble with Sigurd
/ can't think what has come TO the
boy! He was as amiable as possible
when we started, but after we had
climbed about halfway up the noun
tain, he took it into his head to throw
stones about rather recklessly. 1t was
only fun, he said Your father tried
to make him leave off, but lie was OBJ
stinate At last, in a particularly
bright excess of playfulness, be got
hold Of a large flint and nearly put
Pills eye out with it,-Phil lodged it,
ard If IipW STRAIGHT q
ting open his cheek in rather an un-
becoming fashion--Don' look so hor-
rified, Miss Guldmar,-it is really
nothing!"
"Oh, but indeed it is something" she
said, with true womanly anxiety in
her voice. Poor fellow! | am so
sorry! Is he much hurt? Does he suf-
fer
Pierre? Oh, no, not bit of iii
He's as jolly as possible! We bandaged
L.E. Up in very Artistic fashion; he
i>cEs quite interesting, l assure you.
His beauty's spoilt for time, that's
all. Phil thought you might be alarm
ed when you saw us bringing homo
the wounded that is why came on
10 tell you all about It.
But what can be the matter with
Sigurd?" asked the girl, raising her
hand furtively to dash off a few
tear-drops that still hung on her
long lashes. And where is he?"
'Ah, that can't tell you." answered
Lcrimer. He is perfectly incompre-
hensible today. As soon as he saw
the blood flowing from Duprez's cheek.
he uttered howl as # some one had
shot him, and away he rushed into
the woods as fast as he could &c We
called him, and shouted his name till
we were hoarse,-all to no use, He
wouldn't come back. l suppose he'll
find his way home by HIMSELF"
"Oh, yes" said Thelma gravely.
Put when he comes ] will scold him
very much. 1t is not like him to be SO
wild and cruel. He will understand
been"
"Oh, don't break his heart, poor
little chap" said Lorimer easily.
Your father has given him a terrible
scoldng already He hasn't got his
wits about him you know,-he can't
help being queer sometimes. But what
have you been doing with yourself
during our absence?" And he regarded
her with friendly scrutiny. You were
rrying?"
She met his gaze quite frankly.
Yes" she replied. with a plaintive
THRILL in her voice Il could not help
= My heart ached and the tears
came. Somehow l felt that every
thing was wrong.-and that it was
all my fault"
Your fault" murmured Lorimer.
astonished. My dear Miss Guldmar,
what do you mean? What is your
fault"
everything" she answered sadly.
with deep sigh. Il am foolish; and
am sure J often do wrong without
meaning It. Mr.. Dyceworthy has been
here and" she stopped abruptly, and
a wave OF color flushed her face.
I0rimpr laughed lightly nDyce-