Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-11
9ortion of the best section of London

her jewels, her laces, her dress, her
carriages and horses. Noted for haT-
ing brought a flower into fashion in
, opposition to a certain beautiful Ouch
| ess' pet malmais0n. Altogether, she
was a very noted, proud and happy
woman overfiowing with affabili.y to-
ward the husband who Rad enabled her
| to compass her hearts desire, and
ready to accede to all his reasonable
wishes.
She was crossing the hall on her way
to the carriage when he met her with
the paper in his hand.
Where are you going, Maggie?"
he asked
She ran off a list of Bond street and
Regent street jewelers., milliners, silk
| MERGERS and dressmakers glibly, and
then added, sweetIy: UNLESS [ can
| drive you anywhere? Shall I? I have
the cobs out this morning"
For answer he handed her the paper
with the finger on the paragraph. She
read it and with the words, Poor old
man. was about to move on to er
stanhope.
You must go and call on that poor
old mans daughter this morning, Mag
gle"
She lifted her starry blue eyes to his
without speaking.
You must go and ask the girl who
is to be your sister if we can be any
help in this trouble that has come upon
her. Sholto ought not to have left us
TO learn it from a newspaper"
She saw he was very much in ear
nest and a little displeased, so she
gave i'll peacefully to his wishes at
once.
Poor Sholto! Certainly I will 60,
as you think I ought to, dear. 1t
really seems as if there was to be moth
ing but trouble through this-this I'M
fortunate engagem emit"
GO and be kind" he said. emphati-
cally. Cry and put yourself in her
place; think how you would like to be
| treated by the sister of the man you
have promised to marry. She is a
very dear young lady, but though she
will treasure up the memory of every
word and look of kindness that is of
! fered her now, she won't. forget the
other thing if that is offered her.
She's a hot-headed, high-spirited girl,
with good Irish blood in her Sholto
| should be very proud Of her"
'You seem to know a great deal
about her." Lady Gwenap said, won
deringly.
Il made it my business 70 find out
all | could when Sholto seemed unwill-
ing to offer me any information. He
ought to have known that a man who
can afford it can always get it. I can
afford itr
Lady Gwenap mad thought of saying
thai she did not know Miss Laugh =
erne's address. But she decided on
leaving this unsaid after Sir Andrew
last remark, and drove off on her mis-
sion of mercy without further protest
On reaching the house and inquiring
for Miss Laugherne, Lady Gwenap was
shown into the drawing-room and re-
ceived in a stately manner by an i'm
perial, blond young beauty, who knock
ed all her preconceived ideas Of Shot,
Il came" the fashionabl lady began,
Ito offer you my sympathy and help
if you will accept 1t, Miss Laugherne.
| have just seen the account of the
terrible shock your father has re-
ceived, and | can assure you, Sir An
drew and l feel most deeply for you"
Il am not Miss Laugherne; | am her
friend, May Thorburn," the imperial
looking beauty replied, partly to Lady
GWenap's relief and partly to her dis
appointment. AS she said afterWard
That girl who looks like a Roman
empress would have crushed Sholto in
to nothingneSs and made me feel small.
| am glad she is only the friend. She
wants a great deal of scope, | should
say. I should always in 1ny mind
place her in marble halls and stately
palaces. She was too grandly large
for me to feel Of the slightest impor-
lance. She dwarfed that little room
and everything in it. But she is beau
ttfulr'
This was Lady Gwenaps verdict on
May Thorburn. Mays on her was
less complimentary.
'No-she's not like her brother"
May said, in reply to an inquiry Ned
made about Lady Gwenap; Equally
selfish, no doubt, but in bright. dsz-
cling, graceful way that makes one
feel she is almost light, faultless in
manner and dress, and-Well. what
more do you want, Ned? Because
that's all there iS ahOJlt hor c,,p
pose she has lungs and liver and
heart, but not one of them will ever
trouble her. They will perform their
necessary functions, which are to en-
able her to live pleasantly, and other
people will not disturb them"
Miss Laugherne is up with her
father" May said to Lady Gwenap;
ne is several shades better; that is to
say, he has recovered consciousness
to the extent Of knowing US all. Do
you wish to send a message to Miss
Langherne?"
Ives, certainly; do you know who
I am? Lady Gwenap, Sholto Ora
hams sister,"
May bent her head in assent.
i Will go and send Patrice down if
she can be spared" she sail quietly.
Then she went away, leaving Lady
Gwenap chatting at the matter-of-
course way in which she was treated.
Patrice sat by the side of the bed on
which Capt. Kelly was lying. As May
! had said, consciousness had come back
to the extent of his knowing the fami-