Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-11-03
Won by w aiting.
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EDNA LYAIL
Continued.
EDNA LYALL~

The LdrfeW haQ just ceased ringing
when the two cousins started. Bertha
took her cloak and a small bag, just
in case they stayed for the night, she
said. They passed silently through
the Wears Court, then Bertha paused.
Il am just going into the cathedral
for moment she said; Il left my
umbrella in the aisle at afternoon ser
vice-somebody may carry it off if It
is left"
But the great doors will be locked -
said Esperance.
Yes, but | have both the keys. We
will come in here and go out by the
west door-it Will cut off a corner
She quietly opened the massive
door, and locked it behind them. The
light within was already growing dim
owing tc-,h stained-glass windows;
they looked about for the umbrella
walking slowly down the aisle to the
closed gate which led into the nave,
but as it was not to be found, Bertha
unlocked the gate.
Il am afraid we must give it up
she said in a strained unnatural voice;
1.-The only place we did not look in
was the vestry; it is just possible
that one of the vergers may have put
it there; just run and see, will you?"
Esperance obeyed, walking halfway
up the aisle, and trying the yestry
door, but it was fast locked; then she
turned back to rejOin her cousin,
quickening her steps as she saw that
she had gone into the nave. The iron
gate was closed; she supposed Ber
tina had left it on the latch; but no, it
was securely fastened, and pull or
push as she would, the gate would not
yield. Was Bertha playing her a
trick, she wondered She called after
her, feeling half amused, half fright
ened her voice echoed long through
the vaulted roof but there was no re-
ply, only she could see that Bertha
walked more quickly, and the next
moment the great west door closed be-
hind her, the key grated in the lock,
and Esperance was left alone in the
cathedral.
For an instant she stood half petri-
fed with establishment, then glancing
round she saw that Bertha had thrown
down her cloak within the choir aisle,
and beside it little three-cornered
note; she opened this eagerly and
read the few lines, which had evident
ly been written with a trembling
hand:
Forgive me, dear Esperance; Il
would not have left you in this way,
but | feared you suspected me last
night, and we could not bear really toI
implicate grannie; the blame of this
will fall on no one but ourselves. We
shall travel all tonight; tomorrow, by
the time you are released, | think
we shall be married. Once more, fer
give me, and love me still, if you can.
Bertha"
The note fell from Esperance's !
hand, and a great cry of despair rang
through the cathedral. Dertha had
eloped with George, and she, the only
person who knew of it, was perfectly
helplessI The horror of that mo-
ment, the dismay of that discovery
altogether unnerved her She turned
giddy, and sunk down on the cold
stones, her hand pressed against her
temples as if to stay the fearful
thoughts which flashed through her
brain. The cathedral was locked up
for the night; the Yergers had been
their rounds no one would go UP tot
the belfry even, for the curfeW had
been rung. At the deanery no one
would dream that anything was
amiss; they thought them safely at
Mrs. PASSWORDS; they were at this
very moment going on with their usu-
al routine-the dean perhaps in his
observatory, Cornelia and Christabel
quietly reading and working, all with
in five minutes walk of her, and yet It
was as impossible to let them know
those terrible tidings, as if they had
been at the North Pole. And when
the dean did know, would it not al
most break his heart! 1t must, must
he prevented! Again she read through
the note of explanation, and dwelt
once more on the words. I'VE shall
travel all night" They would prob
ably start by the $3.50 express, and
already it must be nearly time for it
even as she thought of it the chimes
struck the half hour, and the distant
shrek of railway whistle made itself
heard. Again that wall of anguish
broke from Esperance, and reverber-
ated through the vast emptiness of the
cathedral; she sprung to her feet, and
a sort of madness seemed to seize her;
she pulled and shook the iron gate as
if she would have torn it from its
hinges, then remembering that this
would only lead to the nave, and more
locked doors, she rushed to the east
ern end of the aisle and knocked and
hammered with all her might at the
south door. But the door was far from
a thoroughfare, and no one was likely
to hear her. Once she caught the
sound of footsteps passing on the
pathway few hundred yards from
her, and knew that it must be the pO-
licemar on his rounds, and she called
and knocked with the strength of de-
spair, but the echoes only Knocked
her voice; the ponderous door seemed
to let no sound penetrate it, and the
footsteps died away in the distance
1t was of no use.
Her hands were all bruised anC
bleeding with the unavailing attempt
she sat down on the step and leaned
her head against the hard, iron-stud
ded door, crying piteously. 1t wa
long past nine now, and she coul
scarcely see; the white pillars began
TO look grim and ghostly in the gath
ering gloom. With a little SILVER sh
reused herself and began to pace IL