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

remaining portion that walking was
very difficult; more than once the
dean turned giddy, and was obliged TO
pause, but at length the worst part
of the descent was over, and they
could see the faces of the watchers
/ IN the hail. They had just reached
| foothold was rather more sure, when
the dean with fresh confidence began
to move more quickly, missed his
footing, grasped hold of Claude,
| slipped down a step or two, but
| finally recovered himself
! Claude, however, could not resist
the sudden shock; the dean was next
to the wall, but he was on the out
side on the very verge of the broken
and shattered stairs. For an instant
/ he struggled hard % right himself,
but in vain; the dean glancing round,
held the wall for protection with one
| hand, and with the other clutched
despairingly at his rescuer. But it
| was useless; Claude fell heavily into
the hall below.
! The noise, the Mortified EXPLANATIONS
of those within the house, and the sud-
/ den movement to the foot of the
! stairs all served to tell Cornelia and
! Esperance that some disaster had
happened. Cornelia at once hurried
/ up the steps, and Esperance in
stinctively followed her, but suddenly
! rAn Nor hat cI,
| Claude not to go into the house, she
stopped herself, though the longing
| to know if he were safe was almost
t irrepressible. 1t was the first time
that her VOW of obedience had di-
rectly claShed with her will; the temp
tation was great, but she resisted it,
not knowing that that simple obedi-
ence was to be her salvation She
| could not have borne the terrible
shock of the sight which greeted Cor
nelia as she fastened forward into the
hall and joined the group standing
beside the staircase. Some one had
helped the dean down in safety, but
Cornelia could hardly think Of him,
she could only gaze as if spellbound
at Claude's motionless, rigid form,
and at the blood flowing fast from a
wound in his head. Was he only stun
ned, or was this? She could not
frame her lips to the question, nor
could any one present have answered
it. Mr.. White hastily dispatched one
of the servants for a doctor, and
Cornelia remembering that Esperance
must be prepared, and spared as much
as possible, returned to the door.
But her heart failed her when she
saw the anXiously expectant face of
the poor little wife-wife was she, or
widow? She held out her hands and
tried to speak, but no words would
come, Esperance gathered the
worst from that, but those awful
moments Of suspense had not been
wasted; she was strong enough to
enuure the anguish that awaited her,
anu instinctively she thought first Of
sparing Cornelia.
"Do not be afraid to tell me- she
said, in strangely calm voice; lit
can not hurt me more than this.
Claude is-?"
Seriously hurt, dear Esperance; he
has fallen and is stunned"
you are not deceiving me? You
are sure?"
Eve hope, darling. We shall be sure
when the doctor comes"
81 must go to him; take me please,
Cornelia,'' and she held out-her hand
feebly to be guided.
But Cornelia would not let her
| come beyond the porch; she dared not
tahe her to the scene OF the accident,
it would be safer, she thought, if
! Claude were moved to the outer
air; and Mr.. White and one of the
servants raised nlm and carried him
out
Esperance had turned cold and
faint, but the sight of her husband re-
! vived her, terrible though 1t was. She
| took off her cloak and spread it on
| the ground of the porch, then signed
to them where to place him, and, sup
porting his head, wiped his face with
her handkerchief The Others looked
on sadly; they had scarcely any hope.
/ Cornelia quite dreaded the arrival of
the doctor, so certain did she feel
that his first words would blast poor
Esperance's hopes.
I Ciaude's death-like pallor, and icy
GOODNESS had, however, misled them,
| the doctor treasured them; he was
still living, but was unconscious from
the effects of concussion of the brain.
The dean, who had been too much
shocked till now to speak, fairly burst
into tears on hearing this; all his
] pomposity vanished, and he sobbed
! like child-"It is my doing-my do
ing."
Cornelias could rot soothe him; but
as Claude was placed on mattress
and borne slowly away to the hotel
Esperance seemed to awake to the
recollection of others, and quickly
perceiying how matters were, begged
her uncle to come back with her. TIC
Cornelia's great relief the dean at once
assented, gave Esperance his arm, and
: walked slowly away from the scene OF
the accident.
The storm had passed over and the
rain had ceased; the air felt delicious
, ly fresh and cool as they passed
through the gateway into the Vicar:
{ Court 1t reused Esperance from the
, emily numbness of feeling into which
!, she had fallen, the wave of grief ant
E desolation surged in >once more upol
e her heart, and it required all he
e strength of will to prevent her from
| breaking down utterly.
loI 11a ,.I WI m!