Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-18
Continued.

Continued.
Look she cried. If | really had
any influence over him, ought not
this to be enough to restrain him-the
fact that | have sold the very ring. off
my fingers to help him? l tell my
husband | don't care to wear jeWelry-
he thinks what trinkets / once mad
are locked up in my dressing-case.
But they are not. they were SOLD,
long ago, to pay Ned's debts"
But how did you manage 60 dispose
OF them without your husband
knowIedge?'
"Oh, Ned goes to Liverpool once
month, sometimes oftener, on my hus-
bands business. He sold them.
10 pay his own debts 1t was an
infamous thing to do"
Don't tell him l told you, she said,
frightened by his tone. 1T is all right
now. | assure you it is all right now.
I only told you this to show that l am
not the heartless creature you seemed
to think ne. But now, now cant you
understand how it is | want to get
away ont OF this wicked deceit | an
forced to practice, this life OF little lies
and excuses, which make Inc ashamed
to look ny husband in the face? In a
few minutes he will be here. lie al
ways comes to me before eleven TO
wish me good morning. Cant you
persuade him that if he would only
to ariC
the south of France, ne would get
quite well and strong himself, and
should cat and sleep again as we'll as
ever, and we could come together
again, and end by being a regular
Darby and joan"
IF you can't persuade him to do
what you wish, Lady Kildonan, l am
afraid nobody can. AS for your hus-
bands health, I seriously think you
nave the care of that in your own
hands If you were to put a stop to
his night studies, and were to take
him with you on your long drives, it
would lot as you fear, try him too
much, but would, on the contrary,
brace him up and tire him just suffi-
GENTLY to make him too sleepy for that
killing and unnecessary night-WOIn ne is
so much attached to-
Lady Kildonan could rot conceal her
distaste to this proposal
Really" she said with irritation
"one would think ! was to blame for
sht!"
y showing you
If you care
care, Lady Kill
are by taking
lg drive every
the least,
,,,m uu my best to in
duce him to finish his cure at some
foreign springs"
future gain with the present sacrifice
"Springs!" she echoed at last with
sigh. You don't mean some place
where there is just pump and an
inn? Because one might as we'll be
here"
NO, I don't" said Armathwaite
smiling, Il mean a place with big
hotels, and bands, and balls and a
promenade which shows off pretty
dresses and-their wearers.''
Agreed" she said hastily, and she
gave him her hand to close the bar
gain just as a slow rat-tat was heard
on her door. She ran to open it her
self, and received her husband with
an effusiveness which, to Judge by the
flush it brought to his plain face, was
as unusual as it was evidently wei
come. She had prepared for his visit
during the last few minutes by twist
ing up her disordered hair into a loose
coil which she deftly harpooned with
a quantity of little gilt pits. He took
off his spectacues as she led him for
ward, leaning on his arm with a 1.-the,
Embarrassing inclination which had
the appearance OF rendering him stiff
ard constrained but which caused
his grey eyes to glow with a tender
light as he glanced shyly down upon
her. To Armathwaite, as they ad-
vanced, they made a beautiful picture
until Lord KildOnan withdrew his
hands with the doctor, and lightly
ratted her shoulder with his left as he
did so. At the affection ate touch. Lady
Kildonan gave a slight but malicious
grimaCe and shrug of the insulted
shoulder. both directed to Arma-
thwaite and unseen by her husband.
In an instant the young mans admira-
4 - i 1~s-
as surely as if he himself had been
the victim of the heartless trick: all
the faisehood that disloyal women can
use to their masters seemed to be en-
bodied in that hypocritical caress,
and he felt on the instant in arms for
his sex the more that he felt inclined
to doubt whether a few minutes previ-
Ously be himself had not had a narrow
escape. The rugged face Of the elder
~ Scotchm"n, beaming with honesty
and kindness, seemed to him, in this
new frame Of mind. to show only more
attraction. but absolutely more beauty.
than the fair features Of wife who
could be Indifferent to so much affec-
ton
Lord Kildonan's one thought. find
ing the doctor so early with his wife,
was anxiety lest she should have heon
i'll without letting him know. She
told him. sinking again into her chair
by the fire. that it was nothing more
serious than her old enemy. sleenless-
ness; that she had sent for DR.. Arma-
thwaite as soon as she was up. for
fear he should be leaving Branksome.
and that he had oiNnr hn1, q narncor;r,