Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-09-11

two years OF age, dressed in a sap
phire-blue velvet gown as plain as a
habit, with square-cut bodice. From
her neck to her feet hung long gauzy
dark-blue drapery ike a night-cloud,
which glistened with bright drops, the
colours OF which changed as she
moved. The skin of her face ana neck
| was fair with warm, pinkish healthy
fairness; her ey ebrows and eyes were
dark; and her hair, which seemed TO
be abundant to the verge of unman-
! ageableness, was a gold-brown where
it fell over the forehead, and a brown
lsh-gold where it lay in coils on the
top OF her head. Her features were
regular, but not strikingly handsome;
and Armatwaite's first impulse in
spite of the admiration OF her appear
ance, and certain attribute which
old-fashioned people call elegance.
was one of distinct disappointment
| The poetry was gone from her In
this handsome dinnerdress she might
! be the central figure of novel: in the
hooded cloak, with the snowf1akes in
her hair, she might have been the
heroine OF an epic. At least so Arma-
thWaite thought as he looked from the
crown of bright hair on her head to
the train of glossy velvet which. seem
ing to have sprung into existence
suddenly, now lay curled round her
feet. The transformation mitigated
the faint disappointment he felt when.
| glancing at her hands, he saw that
she wore wedding-ring. Her manner
| 100 seemed to have changed with aer
dress; instead of the grave, distracted
| silence which had awed and charmed
him, she now seemed to fall naturally
and easily into a pretty, but more
conventional, mood of graceful apol-
ogy for her unconventinal conduct.
Il am afraid you must think me a
lunatic for carrying you off in this
unceremonious way" she said kindly,
but with great deal of dignity. 81
believe some of the villagers declare
that this house was once a lunatic
asylum, and I am sure, after the way
IN which you have been treated. Won
Will not fail to agree with them. Did
you not take me for mad-woman %
she asked in suddenly serious tone.
looking steadily, almost anxiously. up
for his answer.
No, madam, certainly I did not "
| said Armathwaite heartily.
The lady seemed relieved and a
| touch OF her old earnest and pensive
manner came back upon her as. In
| stead of Immediately speaking again.
she fixed ingenuously searching ewes
| upon the strangers face, and after
gazing at hin intently for some mo-
ments, withdrew them, leaving Arma-
thwaite, much to his own surprise, in
the peaceful conviction that she was
| deeply interested in and satisfied with
| her own impressions.
For the lady saw a broad-shoul-
dered, deep-chested man, about seven
| and-twenty years of age, Just over six
feet in height, erect and muscular. of
the handsomest type of North-countrv
Englishmen, fair-skinned, blue-eyed,
| with clear-cut aquiline features, a
| moustache of the colour which in
| women's hair is called golden. and
hair shade darker already worn a.
little on the temples. He had the
open, honest expression which belongs
to this physical type irrespectively of
| character, and certain grave kindli-
ness of glance not so common or so
apt to be misleading. Frank Arma-
thwaite was altogether a person on
whom both men and women instinct
lively looked with favour, but It had
never before happened to him to read
that favour expressed so frankly and
so seriously in the eyes of any human
being as in those of this mysterious
unknown lady.
Come into the drawing room" she
said when her inspection was over.
II will introduce you to Mr.. Crosmont.
Yours is Dr.
She paused and looked down, knit
ting her brows as if she had forgot
ten. More astonished than ever. the
young Yorkshireman supplied the in
formation in low voice
"Armathwaite Frank Arma-
thwaite"
She repeated it after him slowly.
however. as if the name was new to
her, For the first time the very
natural suggestion flashed across his
half-benumbed mind that physician
had been sent for to see DR.. Peele.
and that Mrs. Crosmont had mistaken
this chance traveller for the expected
visitor.
81 am afraid. madam he said,
standing still as she invited him to
follow her to the narrower part CT the
long hall, on to which a row of doors
opened on the left-hand side, that I
have had the good fortune to receive
welcome not intended for me. MY
visit to Branksome-if indeed 7 shall
ever get there's quite a chance one"
But the lady. standing also quite
still, and watching his face as he
spoke gave curious smile.
'Chance!" she repeated softly: and
then after a short pause she added
gravely and courteously. wei. call
it chance If you like. you are welcome
all the same"
To he Continued