Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-04-26

here with him."
mo, ii was all nonsense" affirmed
| the lady-visitor. Every one is won
dering, though, why, when he was in
such deadly danger, he should have re-
NAMED here so long. My husband talks
81 going away at once. 1t has been
shock to us, for we really liked the
young man. He was pleasant, hand
some. and well-bred, with a certain
natural elegance of his own which
made conversation with. him very
agreeable" and, aster few more
words, the lady departed to discuss
with some one else "the terrible story
of this Mr.. Nugent."
Il am afraid" said Lady Station. as
the door closed, that we have been
very imprudent. Helen. / wish we had
never allowed Mr.. Nugent, or Caring
ton, to speak to u.s.
There has been no harm done, for
tunately," returned Miss Digby. 81
am thankful matters are no worse The
incident has made me very miserable.
| / cannot bear TO think OF that hand
some, pleasant, clever Mr.. Nugent in a
felon's CELL"
| Ethel listened to every word Fortu-
nately no one spoke to her, for all pow
I r of speech had gone from her. A
great, binding mist came before her
eyes, shutting out the shining sea, the
green lawn, the blooming flowers-a
blood-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
endless; 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
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
rible dread. There was the purple
bruise 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
ried 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
had intended to crush under her feet,
and the man WAC was to have helped
her triumph was forger and thief.
Another great, gasping sigh; her
strength seemed to be leaving her; her
heart beat painfully; her limbs trem-
bled. Did ever summer sun shine on
such a woeful, despairing face?
Ethel" said Miss Digby, you must
be tired after your long wax. The bell
will ring directly for luncheon, and you
will 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. II
expect to hear the bell ring every min
ute."
Slowly-for the strange trembling
lhad 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
time since she had vision of fair,
youthful, blushing loneliness. She saw
a white face there now, with pale,
trembling lips, and look of woeful
fear in the violet eyes. 1t 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 destiny! She took
the wedding ring from her finger, and
trampled it., with passionate cry of
anger and scorn under her foot She
Ethel Corridor. one of the grand old
Gordons of Fountayne-married to a
forger and theft She, one of the
dauntless race whose warriors had
died ON the battlefield. aud 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
thief, of a man who had passed under
false name, who had worn a disguise,
who had fed from justice when pur-
suit was hot after him, who had not
scrupled to sacrifice her young life.
her young beauty, ner 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
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