Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-01
Continued.

Dinner was announced just then
Esperance sat next to COrnelia, and
lad so much to tell her that she got
through the tediously long in1iction
better than she had expected. The
gentlemen did not stay downstairs
long; directly after tea they adjourned
to the observatory, and Miss Grace
Lowdell having expressed wish to
go up TOO, Cornelia and Esperance
followed with her
Esperance was glad TO peep into her
old attic room, now filled with Bella S
playthings, and she could not Tepress
a little SILVER as she remembered how
much she had gone through there.
She held Cornelia' 5 hand more closely,
and crossed the landing quickly to
the observatory, where Claude was
working away at the great cog-wheel
which turned the domed roof, so as to
open it for the telescope, which was
not yet adjusted
Miss Lowdell was enchanted; she
had never been in the observatory
before, and had no idea ingenious
machinery existed there The dean
had called Cornelia to the adjoining
room, and Esperance and Miss Low
dell had just climbed up the flight of
steps on to the little wooden stage,
when sudden and very vivid flash of
lightning startled them both.
"Oh, pray let us get down. said
Miss Lowdell, nervously. I'VE seem so
terribly near to it up here. 1t must
be the beginning of a storm"
'Yes,% said Esperance, with a slight
SILVER as another flash succeeded,
quickly followed by tremendous clap
of thunder.
She had great horror of thunder
storms, and as Claude came halfway
up the steps TO help her down, her
hand felt cold and tremulous.
You must come downstairs, darl-
ing" he said decisively. There is no
use in our being up here till the storm
has passed"
Noel will be so frightened" she
said, pleadingly, don't you think l
might go home to him?'
What! in the middle of the Storm"
TT has not begun to rain yet; and
it is not far; besides, the lightning
will not be worse out-of-doors than it
is here. Cornelia will understand
turning to her cousin, who had just
Tejoined them.
Quite" said Cornelia, kindly, you
must do just what you like, dear"
Then / will go, please, Claude, for
i shall not feel happy about Noel;
you know Marie is very young"
Considerably older than her small
look.
Cornelia and Miss Lowden both
laughed, while Esperance drew her
self up with an expression OF mock
dignity.
st was twenty last birthday; and
you've no business to laugh at me
now | am out Of my teens"
They laughed all the more, however
and it was not until another still vivid
fash startled them all, that they left
the observatory, Cornelia and Miss
Lowdell joining Christabel in the
Z,
perance returned to their hotel.
There was a heavy oppressiveness
about the atmosphere-not single
star was visible-and as they crossed
the open square which led from the
deanery to the Wears Court the
darkness seemed to press almost pain
fully on their sight. They had scarcel!
reached the old gateway when
tash--if fash it could be called
which seemed to them like mass o.
golden-red fire, blazed past them, while
simultaneously came the most appall
ing thunder-clap.
Esperance was half deafened by i
for moment, but her terror was con
euered by her amaze. She had neve
seen or heard anything so grand.
awful Claude put his arm round her
DO not be frightened, darling, tina
is most likely the worst we shall
have"
did the cathedral tower fall?' sh
asked Surely something fell In tina
great crash-something is falling now
Oh, listen!"
Claude turned back toward tn
deanery-the direction from which tn
noise came. The lamp-light was to
dim to reveal much, but the next mo
ment the lightning illumined the oil
house, and in that brief glance the
could see that the observatory ha
been altogether wrecked. The jagge
and irregular outline stood out dark
against the bright sky, then in an IL
stant the black darkness yelled
from their sight.
"Cornelia! my uncle! Oh, Claud
they must be killed." cried Esperanc
in an agony of grief. Let us go back!
Claude was struck dumb by tn
revelation; he could not refuse he
and they hurried back to the hous
where all was confusion. By Il
time they had reached the door MI
Mortlake, with poor little terrific
Bella, had rushed out, Mrs. and Mi
Iowdell hurried after her, while Il
servants had already fed and we
standing on the grass in front of t
house, huddled together in their frigl
"Oh, Esperance, it mas been so te
rible," said Mrs. Mortlake, clinging
her IF it had been ten minut
later Bella would have been upstairs
"Are you all safe?" asked Esperan
shuddering.
Il do not know We were sitti
in the drawing-room when that fe;
full crash came, and the whole hol
seemed TO tremble and vibrate, ant
But Esperance interrupted he
Where is Cornelia?"