Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-31
CHAPTER AXVII.


Lord ST. Norman was growing rec
onciled to the fact that his daughter
would never be her own bright self
again.
Il have heard OF people. he said,
one day, to his wife whose features
and appearance generally have under
gone a change, but | have never seen
any enc whose heart and soul have al
tered as Etheps have She has not one
CLEAN of the old. pretty, willful, defiant
pride about her; she used to be all
sunshine, all gayety. | can remember
that at times | felt frightened lest she
should never grow sedate or Womanly.'
She has never been the same since
that illness at st. Inas,' observed
helen, with sigh; Eat times | wish
we had never gene there
1T was a strange affair, Helen, that
capture of the bank forger. 1t must
have distressed you. Did Ethel seem
to think much about it?"
mo; she as taken i'll on the same
day. She did not show any interest in
the matter, so | did not often mention
it
Lord ST. Norman and his wife wee
sitting in Helen's pretty morning-room
al Brookdale House; while they were
speaking Ethel entered. Her father
locked at her with smile.
Speak of an angel" he said, and
you hear the rustic of wings. We were
just speaking of you, Ethel
She seemed to shrink with such SEN
sitive pain from all mention of herself
that Helen was not surprisd to see her
go up to Lord st. Norman. and placing
one hand on his shoulder. say:
do not talk about me, papa; it
grieves me when you do
My dearest Ethel" said her father,
kissing the white hand that lay on his
shoulder, how strange you are. l shall
never understand you. What can give
me greater pleasure than to speak of
your"
The beautiful face grew so sad and
wistful that Helen FASTENED to inter
fere.
We were speaking of that affair at
st. Ina's, Ethel; you remember it. 1
suppose-the capture of that unfortu-
nate Mr.. Nugent?"
Her face grew white, and the shadow
of deadly fear darkened her eyes; her
lips sprang apart with a faint murmur
that did away upon them; ami then
the need for arousing herself occurred
TO her
Il remember it. she said, slowly.
What terrible shock it was to us
all, continued Helen. The unhappy
man had made Lady Station believe
that he was a friend of Lady Della
maine's; we saw him two or three
times every day"
Ethel spoke no word. Lord st. Nor
man was silent for a few minutes. and
then he said:
Did you like him, Hclen?"
He was well-bred, agreeable. and
pleasant, she replied. u liked him
very we'll. l should never have guessed
that he was criminal"
l remember thinking the story a
very sad one. remarked Lord st. Nor
man. "A similar occurrence happened
IN Vienna, but the man there was mar
r1ed; he left wife and children on the
world when he went to prison.
Mr.. Nugent was not married" said
Lady st, Norman, although he puzzled
us all by speaking of his wife. He must
have been wandering in his mind.
Did you like him. EtheI?" asked
Lord St. Norman. wondering again at
the strange silence of his daughter.
No" she replied, with a grave sad
ness in her face and voice; 4 did not
like him
Helen turned quickly to her.
Did you not like him? All. Ethel.
how anxious and nervous l used to be
ever you! Do you remember that I
wared you against him?'
She remembered it so we'll that she
could have cried aloud in her anguish
and sorrow.
Lord St Norman smiled.
/ think your zeal outran your dis
erection there, Helen. Ethel. who is too
proud to smile upon the most eligible
men In London, would not waste a
look, | should imagine, upon one who
was not eligible
He stopped suddenly, for the beauti-
full. colorless face wore such an ex-
preston of pain that he was startled
by 1t; he remembered what his wife
had said-uothing ever distressed
Ethel SO greatly as talking to her about
herself. Thinking to disturb her
thoughts. he asked:
Why did you not like him, Ethel
this unfortunate MANI"
She was silent for some seconds. and