Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-04-26

some, pleasant, clever Mr.. Nugent in
felon's cell"
Ethel listened to every word. Fortu-
nately no one spoke to her, for all pow
er OF speech had gone from her. A
great, binding mist came before her
eyes, shutting out the shining sea, the
green lawn, the blooming fowers-a
olood-red mist; roar as of rushing
waters filled her ears, her face grew
white and cold as the face of the dead
She would have fallen but for the des-
perate grasp with which she chung to
the woodwork of the window.
| The anguish Of each moment seemed
tendless; the light, careless voices dis
cussed every detail of the event, and
told how Laurie Nugent, the man she
had married, was a forger and a
| thief
How did she live through it? In
after years her wonder was that the
shock did not kill her. 1t was her hus-
band that they had carried away to
prison. The CLEAN Of the wedding
ring on her hand caught her attention
and turned her faint with a cold. ter
rlble dread. There was the purple
orulse made by the gravestone only
three hours ago. Oh, fatal hour-fatal
omen! This was the revenge for
which she had parted with her liberty.
her freedom-for which she had mar
rled IN secret, to repent at leisure. This
was her revenge-revenge which had
recoiled most terribly on herself. This
sweet, plying woman was the one she
mad intended to crush under her feet,
and the man no was to have helped
her triumph was forger and a thief
Another great, gaspingA sigh; her
strength seemed to be leaving her; her
heart beat painfully; her limbs trem-
oled. Did ever summer sun shine on
such a woeful, despairing face?
Ethel said Miss Digby, you must
De tired after your long wax. The bell
will ring directly for luncheon, and you
win want to arrange your Dress
She dared not turn round lest that
CHASTITY face should be exposed to
view.
You had better go to your own
room, my dear" suggested Helen. 81
expect to hear the bell ring every min
ute"
Slowly-for the strange trembling
had not left her limbs-Ethel walked
away, and neither OF the ladies noticed
that she CROPPED with her hands before
her, as one suddenly struck blind.
She had just strength to reach her
own room. She caught one glimpse of
her face in the mirror, where so short
a time since she had a vision of fair,
youthful, blushing loneliness. She saw
white face there now, with pale,
trembling lips, and a look of woeful
fear in the violet eyes. It was as
though some blight had fallen over the
proud young beauty and laid it low.
She stood for a few minutes looking
at that CHASTITY face, and before her.
in letters of fire, she saw the words
forger and thief" Look where she
would, turn where she would, the fiery
letters were there, burning her eyes.
burning her brain.
"Forger and thief" Oh, cruel fate
cruel cheat, cruel destinyl She took
the wedding ring from her finger, and
trampled it, with a passionate cry of
anger and scorn under her foot. She
Ethel Gordon,-one Of the grand old |
Gordons of Fountayne-married to q
torger and a thief! She, one of the
dauntless race whose warriors had |
died on the battlefield, and whose wo-
men had held their own in times of
deadliest danger and peril-a grand. |
debonair race who had laughed at all |
things low and mean-she, the wife of |
a thief, of man who had passed under |
false name, who had worn a disguise. |
who had fled from justice when DUR
suit was hot after him, who had not |
scrupled to sacrifice her young life. |
her young beauty, her future to his |
selfish love! Yes, she, Ethel-Gordon |
no lOnger-was the wife of a criminal. |
Low, passionate cries came from
her lips-cries Of hopeless, impatient
despair. She tried in vain to stop
thenl-she buried her face in her
hands; but if she had not so cried she
must have died.
To he Confined