Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-04
q Woman' S F F ace
FLORENCE WARDEN
Continued.

full charm to a blaze like this said
Armathwaite lazily from out of the
coy depths of his chair.
And he sat gazing into the mass of
dark rocks and glowing caverns,
watching the spiral flames as they shot
up amidst clouds of black smoke, un-
til he fell into that pleasant dreamy
state induced by warmth and light
after cold and darkness, and began to
fancy that he felt again the rough
jolting of the market cart, that he
heard the jingling of the sleighbells,
the sharp trot of the horse on the
frozen snow, and the lady's bright
laughter; that he saw again the beau
tiful sparkling face peering ont from
it's nest of rich furs. But then, even
as his open eyes seemed to gaze upon
the tints of rose and cream and the
red, moist lips, the face appeared sud-
denly to change, the vivid colouring
to fade and grow duller, the bright
blue Of the eyes to melt into a soft
brown, the classical, sensuous mouth
to alter in outline, and the whole
countenance, while it seemed to recede
before his fixed and eager gaze, so
that it's very features were dim and
hardly to be discerned, assumed an
expression of mournful, desperate
longing that sent throb Of impulsive
compassion through the young mans
heart. He tried to move, uneaSily |
conscious that his most strange and
touching experience was only the re-
suit Of a rather disorganized magma
ton; but he seemed to feel that he
was pOWerless, while at the very same
moment the face changed once more,
and became near and clear to him;
he was gazing again at the handsome,
happy face OF Lady Kildonan. And an
impulse of another sort, of strong,
hearty, involuntary admiration, moved
the young man as the face reappeared
in his fancy, only to change again in
moment to the shadowy unknown
countenance that seemed, this second
time, to be further off and DINNER in
outline than ever, while the sense of
sadness with which the vision filled |
him was stronger than before.
Another and wilder gust of wind |
shrieked round the house, and shook
the Window-sashes in their frames. |
and stared about him like a man who
is Weakened from a heavy sleep by a |
violent shock. He listened to the |
dying wall of the blast which had
reused him, and glanced at the fire, |
the flames of which were now rising
more steadily from the glowing mass
of coal. He was alone in the room. |
The loud tick of the clock on the
high mantlepiece above his head
caused him strange irritation, while |
the remOter sounds of t. : voice of the !
landlord in the hall, the laughter |
which came family from the bar, or
step OF maid upon the stairs, seemed |
to fall upon his ears like noises heard |
in a dream. Hardly knowing what
he did, and conscious only of an odd
murmur in his head, which seemed to
direct his movements in spite of
himself, he walked towards the near
est window, unfastened the shutters,
and was on the point of throwing up
the sash, when the grave waiter hav-
ing heard the clatter of the falling
bar, entered the room and came I'D to
him.
you had better not open the Win
dow, sir" suggested the man, re
specially. "The wind blows on this
side of the house, and the room would
be half full of snow in a minute
The traveller desisted from his at
tempt at the first word, but he stood
with his face close to the glass. peer
ing steadily out into the blackness of
the night, from which the large white
snowfakes seemed to detach them
selves as they were whirled against
the window, and falling, swelled the
high drift upon the ledge.
''You are right" he said, after a
pause. Then he added in brisker
tone, 'You know DR.. Peele of Brauk-
some?"
"Oh, yes, sir; everybody in the Sc
parts knows DR.. Peele."
How far is it to his house from
here?"
-Four miles, sir. l should say. It's
just through Branksome, and up to
the left little way
Have you a saddle horse you could
let me have? IL have decided that
had better not wait till the morning:
must get to Branksome tonight
There was some anxiety in mis-
manner which the grave waiter in
terpreted according to his knowledge
Il hope, SIR he began with some
concern, that you haven't been sent
for to the poor old doctor! We hea~ |
it was nothing more than bad cold.
There isn't man in the district but
would be sorry to hear that anything
had happened to DR.. Peele"
mo, no, haven't been sent fer:
that's all right" answered Armath-
waite quickly. But I knew him years
ago and-Just see about the horse
as fast as you can, will you?'
The waiter withdrew, and Armath
waite, again possessed by the over
towering restlessness which had
driven him like an evil spirit through
out the day. prepared for his col
ride with an irritable consciousness
that he was making fool of him
self He had ordered the horse or
the spur of an impulse he could no
define, but which he had in vain at
tempted to resist Left to himself
he at first thought he would counter
mand the order, as common sens
loudly suggested. This Dr. Peele
SO far from being a very dear oil
friend of his, was a man he had onl
met few times, and whom he scarce