Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-30

| She wept silently as they went home
in the silence Of the night together
When the towers Of the Hall appeared
in sight. she turned to him.
| How am I to thank you, Sir Oscar"
she said. What should I have done
without your"
Il want no thanks, Ethel" he re-
piled; 4 am only too happy that in the
hour of your distress 1 was by your
side"
Once more she stood alone in her
| room. Lisette had been most faithful;
no one knew Of her mistress absence,
and she was there to open the door.
She looked wonderingly at the beauti
full white face before her.
I am afraid you have walked too
far, miss" she said; you seem quite
exhausted"
4 am very tired" acknowledged
ethel. But 1 need not keep you any
longer"
The maid went away, and she was
left alone. She did not stop to remove
her jewels, nor to take off the siIken
dress.
She lay down on the pretty white
bed, exhausted beyond the power OF
words to tell.
It was over at last; the strain of long
years, the torture Of silence and sus-
pense, the terrible secret, the weight
Of which had been greater than she
could bear-it was all ended.
Laurie Darlington, the man she had
married, lay dead. There was no
| more to fear from him. He could
injure her no more, and the secret of
her folly would be buried with him.
She was free. She felt like one who
has been for years in a dark prison,
and suddenly finds himself in the
broad, open light of day. She could
only repeat to herself over and over
again that her long torture was ended
that she was free.
For the first time since that terrible
dreamless sleep-the sleep of ex-
haustion-and the rest was so deep and
SO sweet that she was almost sorry
when the light of day awoke her. 1t
was a rest SO sweet she would fain
have slept on.
1t was so new and strange to awake
without deadly fear as her companion
without dreading what the day
| might bring forth.
A new sensation of life came over
her. The tortures of shame and sor-
row, the long, hopeless despair, were
ended at last.
She did not leave her room that day.
1t was a respite. She wanted to calm
her thoughts, to still the tumult of
heart and soul before she met the
people again. Lady st. Norman ad
vised rest; it would quite restore her,
she said. The fainting fit that had
| alarmed them was caused, no doubt,
by oyer-fatigue.
When she came down stairs on the
| following Gay Sir Oscar was the first
| person she saw.
Are you better. Ethel?" he asked.
Il have been very anxious about you,
A faint flush frightened her face.
1t was new and sweet to be cared for
by him.
Il am quite we'll" she repned; and
she was both pleased and touched to
notice how from the distance, as il
were, he seemed to watch over her.
He said little to her, and that pleased
her best while her heart was filled
with memories of the dead man.
She was tried almost past her
strength that evening when she heard
Lord Leighton tell how he had heard
from the nurse that some of his friends
had been to see the dying man.
"They told me also" he continued,
that on his breast was found a bunch
him, but l cannot help thinking that
the clew to the mystery Of the mans
life lay in those faded flowers"
He was buried in the church-yard at
HOIme, and Sir Oscar Charlotte said he
would place a tombstone over the
grave. Years afterward, when Ethel
| went to see it, she was touched to find
that passion-fowers grew round it.
She never forgot the morning of
Laurie Carringtons funeral-a beauti-
full summer morning, when the sun
shone and nature wore its brightest
garb. Several of the servants from the
park attended, and some of the
visitors went also.
Ethel" said Sir Oscar, would you
wish to go to the funeral tomorrow"
Il do not know" she replied; 4
have not decided"
IF you wish to go, I will make it
easy for you by asking you to go with
me-"
She raised her eyes to his face with
that look of implicit trust which
always touched him so deeply.
L will do whatever you think is
right she said.
Then I should say go. 1t is the
last and only mark of respect you can
pay him. Go, Ethel; it is the right
thing to do"
She went; he made it easy for her
as he said, by making his request
, during breakfast in the presence OF
} Lady st. Norman. who. looking at tbs
beautiful, sorrowful face added
kindly:
Go, my dear; the walk in the sun,
shine will do you good"
l So, while the sun poured down his
E warmth and light, while the summer
e wind made music in the trees, while
i the birds sang and the flower:
bloomed, they laid poor, erring Lauri,
e Darlington in his grave; and, of al
: those who from sympathy or kindness