Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-04-19

out ner pretty JeWeIed watch, Sir Leon
ards last present, and looked ct it; i
was five minutes past nine. She
could walk to St Ina's easily in hal
an hour, so that she had plenty o.
time to dream by the brook that was
ripping near her.
Amid the glory of the golden sun
shine and the CLEAN of the deep green
foliage she sat down to rest and tC
dream. The flowers were blooming
around her, the air was full of music
and perfume, the brook was fastening
onward, and she lost herself in the
keen, passionate delight which natures
beauty ever gave her. She surrendered
herself to her dream. Had she done
right, after all? Would Sir Leonard
be pleased when he saw her handsome
| husband, or would he be cross? She
remembered that he had never looked
angrily on her yet, and she said to her.
self, with smile, that be never would.
Then her fancy strayed to Helen Digby
Helen, whom she was so soon and so
surely to triumph over-Helen, who
was so soon to be deprived of all her
unjustlyg gained advantages.
Ethel was so noble and generous by
nature that she could not rejoice over
| the downfall of her enemy She had
married in haste purposely to crush
her, but the generous heart could go no
further. When once Helen Digby was
crushed, then Ethels own hand would
raise her. Only qet her give up the alb
surd idea of marrying Sir Leonard and
reigning at Fountayne, and Ethel
would do anything for her. She was
not one of those who would puruse a
Worsted foe, or triumph maliciously
over fallen enemy. She was too true
a Gordon for that Even now, when
the hour of her triumph and revenge
was at hand, she half repented. Yet
she said to herself that Helen Digby
had provoked her own fate. She should
not have come between her and her
fathers lOve-betWeen her and her do
main of Fountayne.
The beauty of the morning deepened;
the sun shone more brightly, the bees
hummed more loudly The time was
passing, and still she sat by the brook,
her a sudden revelation of the sanctity
Of marriage-how, henceforth and for
ever, she was to be true to Laurie; to
love, honor and obey him; to seek
happiness by his side; and was almost
frightened at what she had done.
II wish" she sad to herself, that l
had thought more of the sanctity of
marriage and less of revenge!"
Suddenly she remembered the time,
and, looking again at her watch, found
it half-past ten. She must walk to St.
lna's by eleven. Good-by to the leafy
shade, the ripping brook, the blooming
flowers, the sweetly singing birds.
She FASTENED through the woods. The
wind stirred the rich brown hair. and
brought a lovely color into her face
In the distance she saw the shining
waters of the restless sea; and she
said to herself the hour of her triumph
and her enemy's downfall was at hand.
She reached the grounds of the no ell,
and, crossing the lawn, it struck her
that there was an unusual stir and sub
dued excitement about the place.
The visitors were standing in groups
of twos and threes talking eagerly and
earnestly.
She caught a glimpse of the mana
ger; his face was pale and anxious.
AS she approached the principal en-
trance, she heard him say:
Il would not have had such dis
grace to the house for any amount of
money"
She smiled to herself, little dreaming
what that disgrace was.
| When she entered the hall, the man
ager and his wife and several of the
servants were gathered together. and
were talking in low tones.
At the end of the hall she saw a 20
! liceman, and farther on she caught a
| glimpse of some one bound and hand
cuffed-she could not distinguish who
IL
thought to herself and she entered the
drawing-room on the left She hardly
gave another thought to the matter.
Some of the servants have been do
ing wrong" she concluded. q hope it
| is not that dark-eyed Jane"
There was a large pier-glass in the
room, and her attention was caught bv
her own picturesque beauty. The wind
had arranged the rich brown hair after
its own fashion; it had brought love-
ly color into her face, and a bright
light into her eyes; she smiled as she
looked at herself, and the smile died
away slowly. Long years were to pass
before she ever saw the same proud
beauty on her face again.
Where was Miss Digby, and where
was her husband, Laurie Nugent?
He was to have been here at
| eleven" she thought.
She listened, thinking that she heard
his footstep, but the sound died away.
/ 1t seemed useless to wait any longer
She rossed the hall again to go to the
room where Miss Digby usually sat,
and as she passed along she heard a
man, whom she knew afterward to
have been a detective, say:
He must be taken to London:
have my orders. If he continues to re-
sist he must be strapped down. Go he
must and SHALL"