Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-10-20

to be possible. Regardless OF the
snow he hurried out all bareheaaed.
as he was, threaded his way among
the crowd of carriages, and ran fun
speed across the park to the lodge
gate; 1t was short cut over the
grass, and he easily outstripped me
deanery carriage; leaning breathless-
ly against the gate-post, he waited
till the sound of wheels drew nearer,
and the yellow lamps flashed into
sight, the horses slackened their
pace a little at the turn, and for an
instant he had what he longed for,
a last LOOK at Esperance. She did not
see him, and he wished she would
raise her eyes just for a moment
from something she was looking AZ
earnestly, but sudden sense OF
gladness filled his heart, when as the
carriage turned into the road. the
light fell for a minute on her hands,
and he saw that she was holding a
Christmas rose.
Lady Worthington was no match
maker, and although the union of her
gest itself to her, she would not allow
the idea to influence her words OF ac-
tions; nor, although she strongly sus-
pected that Claude had fallen in love
with his former ideal, would she
make the slightest effort to win his
confidence. He left the Hall on the
following day without saying a word
to her. and although she was little
curious, she wisely kept silence, not
even talking the matter over with
Frances.
Claude went back to town, and
worked hard at his painting, but ow-
ing to the short winter days much OF
his time was necessarily unoccupied,
and mis- thoughts were constantly re-
verting to Esperance. He took fam
cy for going to the afternoon service
at the abbey, that he might be hearing
exactly what she was hearing: he
took in the Guardian" and searched
the columns anxiously for anything
relating to RilcheSter The very
name of Dean Collinson was sufficient
to set all his pulses throbbing, and, he
took the most lively interest in all the
/
whom Esperance had seen, perhaps
shaken hands with.
Won by waiting.
! This did all very we'll for a time:
Parliament was opened, and the Wor-
thingtons returned to town. There
was plenty going on, the days were
growing longer, but yet as the spring
advanced claude grew more and more
restless; the brief illusions in the
Guardian" became only tantalizing;
the Westminster services no longer
satisfied him-he could not even sue
coed in drawing Esperance's face
! from memory, and had it not been for
the hope that he might really be
working for her, his pictures would
have suffered considerably.
The opening of the Academy gave
him some satisfaction. Two of his
pictures were on the line, and were
very favorably spoken of in the cri-
tiques. He wondered if Esperance
ever read the papers, if by chance she
would see those Academy Notes."
By the third week in May both his:
works were sold. Evidently his rep
utation was greatly increased, ana
he felt certain sense of pleasure,
but his restlessness only grew greater.
At length he resolved that he would
tell all to Lady Worthington, feeling
sure that she would be both a safe and
a sympathetic confidanre
Sacrificing for this purpose even
the afternoon light, he started early In
hope of finding Lady Worthington
! disengaged, and before three o'clock
was shown upstairs to her drawing
room. The room was empty, and he
had some minutes to wait. He stood
in one of the windows and looked out
on Kensington Gardens, abstractedly
watching the procession of nurse
maids and children, and the bright
sunlight Pickering through the fresh
green of the trees on to the brown
paths below. Then Lady Worthing-
ton came in with her hearty greeting,
and he was reused from his reverie.
81 was wondering what had become
of you, Claude, you have not been
! here for weeks, and | actually heard
of your successes in the Academy from
some one else"
81 should have come before, but the
truth is | have not been out much
lately; I have had a good deal on
hand" said Claude, rather hesitating-
ly.
And that is the reason you are de-
Ginning so many invitations? Two or
three people have been quite dis
tressed, l know, by your refusal. You
are lion now, you see, and lion
should be gracious, | think. You
must be working too hard"
To be continued.