Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-01

ter for the woman who had nourished
a passionate weakness for him so long
to think the latter.
You always do yourself injustice by
the unreasonably rash way you speak
of your own feelings and motives" she
said, with the desire to give him an
other chance strongly upon her.
My wretched circumstances must be
my excuse for expressing aloud the
genuine feelings and motives which are
swaying me. I feel as if I could never
hold up my head or look man or wo-
man in the face again. If Providence
removes this ob1iXious burden from
my shoulders I will make fresh start
with name and give woman l love
cause to be proud of me-
IF the woman you love has wo-
mans heart in her body and loves you
the child won't be her barrier between
you. Besides. will take the poor little
burden off your shoulders. I have
fixed income now settled on me by my
husbands old friend, Sir Andrew"
THE devil you have! What made him
set you free and make you indepen-
tent?"
The news of your marriage. As
soon as he heard of it and knew that
you could never be silly enough to
dream of marrying me again, he set
tied a thousand a year on me. l can
bring up your poor little Sholto and
provide for him, and you can be free
to make your bargain with the woman
you love"
mo, l can't; that's just it, he said,
eagerly and irritably, "for you are the
woman want to make name for but
that cursed child steps in
She held her hand out to him. "Shol-
to- she said, and he could not help
thinking that never in his life before
had he seen her look so noble. 81 told
you just now that your child would be
no barrier between you and the woman
you loved, provided she had a womans
heart, and loved you. Poor little fell
low! He only steps in to draw me closer
to you
That's all very good AMI nice from
the mere womanly point of view, but
you can't expect man to look at things
in that light"
His fingers slightly relaxed their
grasp of her hand, and feeling this she
quietly drew it away. There you are.
you see," he grumbled; Eat the first
hint of possible opposition to your fad
about this child you grow cool and let
me feel that I am not all in all with
you. The child has stepped in and be
come bone of contention between us
Already
THE contention is not of my max
ing"
That's what women invariably say
when their pas'ively amiable and (out-
wardly) admirable and praiseWOrthy
selfishness is not absolutely bowed
down to. That's what Patrice SAID
when [ represented to her how unreas-
enable and utterly unjust to me the
point at issue between us was"
He got up and walked about the
room with long strides, looking quite
animated and aglow with his satisfac-
ton at his own eloquence and excellent
powers of argument. She watched him
for minute with much such look as
had been in Patrice's eyes when he told
her that when they married Capt. Kelly
could go to an. asylum for decayed
gentlemen, as he (SEolto) had no fancy
for turning himself into keeper Of
lunatics. Then she asked:
'Will you mind telling me what you
would do with the child in case [ did
brutally give Zip now?"
II should get it taken care OF by
some one whose care would cost me no
thing"
"Bless the little barrier that exists
between u.s." she said, fervently.
To Be Continued.