Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-04
q Woman S F ace
FLORENCE WARDEN


you on your guard" she continued,
brightly, land if you don't want to
have me flung at your head from
morning till night, you will, if you
haven't got one already, invent
fiancee to whom you are madly at
tached, with whom you correspond
regularly, and whom you are only
waiting for a favorable opportunity
to install here as your bride"
At this fiction they both laughed
heartily; and with extravagant sug-
gestions as to the devices to which
they would be driven if Mrs. Peele
should insist on inviting the fancee
to stay at Branksome, they cementeo
their friendship and closed a firm al
lance. Mrs. Peele, when she joined
them a little later, had evidently re-
ceived full instructions from her huS
band, and was majestically cordial;
while the friendly relations establish
ed between the newcomer and her
daughter, to the mischievous amuse-
ment of both, gave her undisguised
pleasure. ArmathWaite did not see
the doctor again that night; but when
he retired to the prim and neat little
room which had been prepared for
him, after an evening of pleasant,
sympathetic talk, which to a sisterless
man was full of charm, he felt that if
he had spent days in imagining ali
ideal career, he could not have formed
a in Gnfirnlu n bic toCfp
than that which had sprung up under
his feet by what seemed a series of
miracles AS for the difficulties and
dangers spoken of by DR.. Peele, it
was natural enough that to a young
man they should appear merely as
fresh interests; and knowing as he
did that the promised secrets con-
cerned the two beautiful women who
had filled his thoughts SO entirely
since he first saw them, he was madly
eager for the doctors disclosures, and
hoped that he might be sent for by
the invalid early on the following
morning. But this hope was dispelled
by an unexpected circumstance,
which caused him to begin his profess
sional duties with less delay than he
had foreseen.
Next morning, breakfast was scarce
ly over, and Mrs. Peele, having bullied
her visitor numerically for not eating
marmalade, had only just marched
from the room, armed with a clanking
bunch of keys, to attend to her house
hold duties, when small groom drove
up to the house in dog-cart and de-
livered a note for DR.. Peele. This note
was sent down by the doctor to Arma-
thwaite to read. 1t was from Lady
Kildonan, and contained only a few
lines to say that one of the house
maids had cut her hand badly and if
the doctor could not come himself he
was to sent DR.. Armathwaite. The
young man read this, and his face
flushed with dozen different
emotions. Mile, who was filling the
seed-trough for her canary, looked at
him furtively as he glanced through
the note, which she herself had
brought down to him.
Have you read it," he asked.
Yes. Papa read 1t to me-.
"And what did he say?"
"He said he supposed you must 60"
And what did you say?"
81 didn't say anything, but
thought"
WHAT"
THAT she was beginning pretty
SOON"
Armathwaite burst out laughing.
ooh, you ill-natured little thing.
shouldn't have thought it of you
Or. Armathwaite, it is not i'll
nature for a plain woman not to see
the faults in a handsome one. 1t re-
lieves my feelings, and makes no
difference to yours. Lady Kildonan is
a born coquette, fond of excitement,
dying Of ennui because her husband
makes her live in the country. She
looks upon every stranger that comes
to the neighborhood as her legitimate
prey; she even condescended to turn
the head of papa's unfortunate as
sistant, who couldn't hear her name
mentioned without falling a-trembliug
From gentleman to peasant, she won't
be content till every man worships
her, and you may be sure she won't
let you off,
Mile gave him a sagacious nod,
while Armathwaite buttoned up his
coat gravely.
81 don't think I'm one of the
worshipping Sort" he said. Lady
Kildonan has my heartiest admiration,
but 1 fiatter myself it's not so easy to
turn the head of true-born York
shireman."
well, I hope not" said Mile
doubtfully.
Armathwaite got into the dog-carl
and drove off with a slight feeling of
irritation towards Mile for her OBJ
stinate persistence in an injurious
doubt. But he pres emily reflected that
the girl could not possibly know the
reasons he had for looking with sus-
picion and mistrust upon the beauty,
nor the secret partisanship with which
he regarded her sweeter rival, Alma
CrosmOnt. He would let it be plainly
seen this very morning that the doctor
busy with professional duties of today
was very different person from the
idle guest of the day before and make
her understand once for all that he was
no ladies' physician, with hours to
waste in listening to lisping accounts
of trifling ailments, but a straight
forward and practical man with his
heart in the duties of his work
1t was another beautiful and bright
morning, but the young man scarcely