Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-23
Continued.

90 cut, and no one mus know it.
shall be absent some short time. vii
you sit in my room here and wait TO
me, and let me in when I return"
Il will do all you wish, miss" she re
Piled. "No one shall know that yol
are out, and no one shall enter you
room while you are away. I will wal
for you. I can let you in by one Of tn
side doors. ] will get the key"
Whatever Lisette may have thought
she said nothing.
II suppose" said Ethel, that th'
poor man who was wounded today lies
in the cottage?"
eyes; he has a woman from tnf
village to nurse him. If you are going
she saw his face, all white and cold il
on a large cloak and a thick vail, sc
that you may not be recognized?"
Ethel thought the suggestion a good
one. She had not removed the rich
Jewels. nor the silk dinner-dress
There was no time to be lost in chang
ing them now. She wrapped herself
in a large dark travelling cloak, and hit
her white, beautiful face with thick
vail
you will be careful" she said tc
Lisette; and then, unpreceived and IN
noticed, she quilted the house.
The clock over the stables was strik
ing ten. She did not feel quite sure
whether she knew the way to The
cottage, yet it could not be far distant
from the house. It was at theentrance
to the woods, she remembered, and the
walk to the woods had not seemed tC
her a long one. She hurried on
Presently the deep baying of a hound
startled her She said to herself:
q must not lose courage. | must go
He is dying. l must see him, or lie
will not rest in his grave"
But the night was dark, and the way
was strange-she took the wrong path.
She grew confused and frightened
More than once she fancied that she
heard her husbands voice crying
out, miss, would it not be better to put
ETHEL Ethel" and she imagined that
death, floating before her.
at is only fancy" she said to her
self; but her nervous fears increased,
Every whisper of the wind. every
rustic of the leaves. thrilled her heart
with a new and strange fear. She was
confused, frightened, beWildered. She
stood still, hesitating for one minute
whether she would cry out or not; and
then, to her infinite relief, she saw a
tall figure just before her-the figure OF
a man. He was evidently smoking, fol-
the fragrance of a cigar reached her
1t was wonderful how quickly her
fears were disoelled.
"Who is it?" she asked herself
Let it be who it may, must not be
seen"
She turned away, hoping not to be
seen; but quick footsteps followed her
and presently Sir Oscars voice said
calmly:
"Ethel, know you. l saw you some
minutes since and came to meet you
| should recognize your figure and
your walk anywhere. You could never
hide yourself from me-"
She stood quite still at the first
sound of his voice; all her strength
seemed to desert her.
Il came out, as 1 DO every night" he
said, Ito smoke a cigar. The night is
so calm, and sweet. and still, that
have wandered father than intended
But you, Ethel, what are you doing in
the woods alone at this hour of night?
You must not ask me" she replied
family.
But | shah do so, Ethel. Your
voice is faint, your hands are cold. and
your face, your beautiful face, is SC
white, dear. You are in trouble. Let
me help you"
1t was a great relief to her. The
kind words of the sympathizing voice
we're so welcome that she broke down
She chung to his strong arm, and wept
aloud.
Ethel, my darling" he said, you
are in trouble. Thust me; let me helT
you. What is love worth if the one
who loves cannot be trusted? I viii
keep all you say to me as sacred az
though it were my own secret, and my
life depended on it. Trust me, Ethel.
She stood silent for a few minutes
while the night-wind moaned around
her, and the great branches Of the
trees swayed above her What ought
she to do? If she refused to trust him
then he would not let her go any
farther, and poor Laurie-Laurie WHO
had loved her so dearly-must die
without her pardon. If she wished tC
see him, she must trust Sir Oscar; anC
if she trusted him, and told him all
then he would never love her again;
she would lose his respect and esteem
with his love.
4 must see Laurie" she thought
Living. I might hate him; dying,
must forgive him.
ETHEL" said Sir Oscar, try to thinl
that am your brother. If you had {
brother of your own, you know how
you would trust him. Do the same
with me-
You will never like me again." sh'
confessed; you will despise me-"
q shall love you until I die, ethel
Only trust me, try me, prove me. L
your walk connected with that SAM
secret which stands between me ant
my love-"
YES" she replied. "Oh, Oscar
whether you love me or not, canno
help it now. l must tell you ALL"
Her beautiful head bent in unutter
able shame, her face wet with droop
ing tears, she told hor story of he
folly Of so Ions ago-the secret, hur