Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-03-01
BERTHA M. CLAY.
zIz1El[zIiEElIEIIlEllIzls:


morning to come, that she might see
it,
Laurie Nugent was wise enough
to see that he must not presume upon
the kindness of the ladies' He passed
them several times that day; on each
occasion it was with a polite bow, but
without a word
Lady Station commented upon his
discreet. well-bred manner.
Some men would have been insult
ferable after our kindness" she said,
laughingly, to Miss Digby; but he
really seems almost timid and afraid
of intruding. | am rather inclined to
like him, Helen"
Miss Digby looked at him-he was
walking down the terrace
Il do not know" she returned, half
doubtfully; there is something in his
face that | can hardly like or trust"
His face is handsome enough" OBJ
served Lady Station.
There is something in it cannot
tell what-that does not please me-
opposed Miss Digby. ct is not face
that l should trust"
Ethel was listening intently to the
conversation; as usual, the spirit of
contradiction was aroused within her.
Whatever Miss Digby said must be
wrong
She said nothing, but resolved in her
own mind to show her disbelief in
Miss Digby's words.
A false face! 1t was the handsomest
she had ever seen; and the remem-
brance of that one glance from the
dark eyes made her heart beat 1t was
a break in the mOnotony of her life;
it was something agreeable to think
of-the first dawning of that sun which
was to shine so brightly for time, and
then destroy her
Laurie Nugent succeeded beyond his
widest hopes. Fortune attends those
who know how to wait" he sa4. to
himself, and he never lost sight of the
fact; he knew now to wait with pa
tience
For the next two or three days he de-
voted himself exclusively to Lady Stat
ton and Miss Digby, only acknowledge
ing by bow the presence of the beau
tiful Ethel.
He was well satisfied with the
progress he had made, when one day.
as he was talking to Lady Station,
Ethel came to ask some questions of
Miss Digby
Then Mr.. Nugent looked from one to
the other in such evident expectation
of an introduction, that the elder lady
could not possibly refuse it,
There were few words spoken when
Ethel Gordon was introduced to her
fate, but those few were as a death
warrant
Mr.. Nugent bowed low, murmuring
something which she did not hear
trembled, the proud, frank eyes
dropped before his, and the beautiful
face flushed, and then grew strangely
pale. 1t was almost a solemn moment
to her, for it seemed like the compile
ton of some vague, beautiful dream.
1t was a relief to her to hasten
away, and then Lady Station wondered
is she had done a wise thing.
1t must be all right" she said: "he
is Lady Delamaine's friend. If he were
not man of good means. he would not
be staying here. A gentlemen | Know
| him tn be; besides, he shows no sign
of adn.iring Ethel Gordon"
plainly; her heart beat, her hands
She forgot all about the introduce
ton few minutes afterward. and
Laurie Nugent smiled to think how
easily he had succeeded in winning all
he wanted
He could speak to Miss Gordon now,
when he met her in the grounds with
out any breach of etiquette; and al
ready he had grown to love her SC
dearly, so entirely, that speaking to her
! became the one great need of his life.
For he owned the mastery of the pas
slonate love that had taken possession
of him so suddenly. He had at first adj
mired only the Deautiful face he had
| looked at; but, watching it until its
| loneliness had stolen into his heart, he
! learned to love it with a force and in
tensity that frightened himself.
Love came to Laurie Nugent like a
fierce tornado. that swayed his heart
and soul as the whirlwind sways the
| trees.
He said to himself that, cost what it
would, let his life be what it might. let
right or wrong rule, let the price be
high or low, he would win her-he
would make her his own.
There was nothing he would not have
done to succeed; he would have hest
tated at no crime, stopped at no wrong.
With such a love, there was little
chance of escape for its object.
CHAPTER XI.