Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-09-13

ter into his own firm, make every ef-
scrt TO prove her innocence.
A week Of sickening suspense went
by, and no answer to her telegram
came to cheer her anxious heart.
Thinking that her first message must
have missed him, she sent another,
begging for but one word telling her
il he could come to her; or. If he could
net, for advice regarding what she
should do.
Then she wrote a. second letter, go
ing more fully into details, but being
very careful not to betray the secret
OF their marriage, fer sac meant to be
loyal to her prcmi.s to h.m-she would
never Lisp 1t unsil he care back to give
her permission to do so.
One, two weeks raised. and still
there came no word from her loved
che.
! Grazia was in despair, for the time
was drawing near when she must un-
deggo a public examination, and there
had as yet been no lawyer engaged to
conduct her case.
| Finally, feeling that she must delay
no longer, Grazia resolved to give the
matter into the care of Wilder & Co
! She was sure that her husband would
approve Of this sten, and in case he
should return, he could throw himself
into the work with the advantage OF
having it somewhat prepared for him.
She found Mr.. r. NJ. Wilder, the
senior member of the firm, very
shrewd and energetic gentleman, and
experienced a sense of great relief in
throwing all responsibility upon him;
for he gave himself heartily to the
work before him, and assured her that
she need have no fear of the result
she was sure to be acquitted, for it
would be impossible for the state to
find evidence sufficient to convict her.
This was, of course, very encourage
! ing, and but for the cruel suspense
which she experienced regarding the
uDaceountable silence of her husband
Grazia would have felt reasonably Sc
rene while awaiting the trial before
her.
What could it mean? she asked ner-
self every hour in the day and brooded
over it through many sleepless night.
Surely Lloyd must have learned
through the papers, and the cores
pondence with his firm, something of
the terrible tragedy which was threat
ening her life and happiness, even if
her own kilograms and letters had
missed him, which she thought hardly
possible.
1t was very hard, she thought, very
unkind, very heartless, If he did know
and willfully neglected to espouse the
cause OF his own wife.
At first she utterly refused to put any
such construction upon his protracted
silence. She believed him to be good
aud true; she believed that he loved
her with his whole heart, or he never
would have been so persistent in his
efforts to win her. She trusted him,
nd hoped against hope, until at length
something occurred that suddenly
utcnched every ray that had hitherto
i.Iuminod her eXISte1 ce.
One morning Mr.. Wilder was late in
kaeplag an appointnert with her, and
finally came busting into her room two
hours after she had ceased to expect
nm.
''You really must excuse my tardi-
ness, Miss Kingsley" ne remarked, as
"a hui1isdly threw CIT his coat and be-
sen rapidly separating some papers
iron a package of legal Documents;
but business presses so upon rs now
that we are very much crowded for
tine-pagticulag.y as one merber Of
ne firm Is necessarily absent for a
While"
Grazia's heart bounded irto her
cheat at this observation, and a wave
d color swept up to her temples, for
ae knew that he referred to Lloyd.
Eat his remcrks gave her an oppor-
tunity which she had long desired.
You mean Mr.. Langnan. l pre-
sumo, she remarked, in a quiet tone,
when she could command herself suf-
felently to speak.
Yes" responded the gentleman.
shooting a covert glance at his client,
for it had just occurred to him that he
had heard 1t limited that his junior
partner had been somewhat attentive
to the beautiful Miss Kingsley. Yes.
he was recently called west by the sud
den death of his father" he concluded,
with a secret regret that he had re-
ferred to the gentleman in her pres
ence.
docs Mr.. Langham intend to re-
main long in the west?" Grazia in
luired. with downcast eyes. while her
slender fingers were interlocked with
spasmodic tension that left them sore
'or hours afterward.
"Ahem! yes; his intention, at first,
was TO be absent about three months,
out recent letter received from him
asks Tor an extension of three, perhaps
six months longer" Mr.. Wilder an
iwered. but somehow not daring to
ook al his companion as he gave this
Grazia did not bstray by the slight |