Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-08-28
q Woman' S FFace
FLORENCE WARDEN

brought him thus far on his journey
now logged up, and stopped for him tt
mount into it again.
well, what dost think O. t. leddy?'
asked the old man with interest.
Why, she-she is very handsome
the doctor answered stupidity; and he
turned to get up into the cart again.
AS he did so he caught sight OF
something on the snow-covered ground
at a little distance from his feet. With
a quickened pulse, and yet with a con
science-prick, he made two steps for.
ward, and discovered that it was in.
deed, as a sense even keener than his
bodily vision had told him, the same
little handkerchief that he had. re-
stored to it's owner a few moments be
fore. An odd coincidence surely, that
she had dropped it again SO soon! Or
was it a little vile to secure that call
seemed so obstinately bent? Which
eve it might be, it was not in flesh
and blood of sever and twenty to re-
sist any longer the chance of another
glimpse Of this lakeside goddess. He
got into the cart silently, wondering
more than ever at the strange in
1uence which seemed to have been at
work upon him that day, and SO eff
fectually to have made havoc with his
usually sober and practical nature,
that he thought less of the appoint
ment at Glasgow, with the practice for
which he was signing, than of the
scrap of lace and cambria he had
hastily hidden in one of lis coat
pockets from the curious eyes of his
peasant companion.
CHAPTER II.
h cart, with it's oddly-assorted &C.
cupants, logged on without further in
cident until, emerging from the
m~onotonous road, with it's enclosing
walls of bare and steep hills, the old
man announced that they were now
nigh t. village" There had been lit
tie conversation between them since
the adventure with the sleigh, the vii
lager having been satisfied with the
strangers full acquiescence in the
local admiration of Lady Kildonan's
beauty. A trifing incident, however,
again brought forward the topic.
They had come to a point where a
steep and narrow lane joined the
main road. Just within the lane
stood a tumbledown stone cottage,
from the door of which, at the moment
the cart logged by, a man was issu-
ing. The occupants of the cart saw
his figure against the faint light of the
interior of the cottage, and the old
man said:
Eth, but there's my lady's groom
a leavin' something good for Door old
mad Peg, I'll warrant There's an
ovid Irishwoman lives in that cottage,
sir, as won't let t. parson come nigh
her, bein' one O. them as worships t.
saints, as they call EN-. And she
amt far wrong, for she's found as
good as a saint to look after her.
There's hardly a winters day goes by
but what my lady brings a pretty sub
stantial blessing of half a pound O.
tea or whatnot to t ovid woman. Good
evenin' to you, Mr.. Martin"
The man, thus addressed, answered
very shortly Good evening"" and hur-
ried on towards the spot a few yards
further on, where his mistress was
waiting in the sleigh. The young doc
tor peered out at him in the darkness
c%uriously, possessed with the odd idea
h a the man was Disgusting his
voice. AS they passed the sleigh
the doctor heard the groom say some
thing about Peggy's humble duty, and
she had been laid up since yesterday
with the rheumatiz'; and then a new
idea concerning the mans voice oc-
Cured to him. A moment later the
sleigh scudded rapidly by and it's lam
terms were lost to sight by a turn in
the road, though the jingling of it's
bells was heard in fact for some min
utes, and in the doctors fancy for
some hours longer.
Il should think this admiration OF
yours, this Lady Kildonan, must find it
rather dull in winter time to be shut
up in a country house with a book.
worm for a husband"
DolA. SSlOSu Tie Olu HAL, anu lie
stopped to give an admiring laugh
Dull! You don't know Lady Kildonan
Did We not see her face? Shed enjoy
herself in the county gaol would hel
la~dyship, bless her!"
Il suppose they keep the house full
of visitors?"
mo, not so much that; his lord
ships too quietlike a man for that
But she goes ridin' an drivin' about
as you've seer her, and she's sunshine
in herself, she is. She's settled dowr
a bit since her marriage, as a lady
should, but Lord, the pranks she anG
young Master Ned, the dentists son
used to play. They kept the country
side alive, did those two. They say
he went nigh distracted when hel
father married her to Lord KiIdonan.'
"She was married against her will
them"
well some said one thing, som
another. But I don't think myself sh'
was t sort O. lass to be drove to mar
riage more Mt aught else she'd NJ
mind to. An she was proud, and 'u(
never have married t o of a dentist
though young Master Ned, as w
called him then, had a college school
ing like t. best of EN-"
"And what became of him?"
ooh. he went to Lon'on, and whel
he came back he brought a wife wi
him. And her ladyship didn't forge
her old playmate, for she got him I
post of agent to his Iordship.''