Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-04

been a golden guina The hurt
turned out to be trifling one, as
indeed he had expected. Having
bound up the wounded hand and given
the simple directions necessary, he
was hurrying out of the house when a
footman ran after him and requested
him to stop, as her ladyship desired
TO speak to him. Armathwaite
hesitated, inclined to offer an excuse,
when Lady Kildonan's maid, middle
aged and astute-looking person, futter-
ed down the hall and said she had
been sent to show him up to her
mistress's room.
Us Lady Kildonan ill?" asked
Armathwaite.
mot very i'll, but she thought she
would like to see you, sir
| There was no choice left for him
He followed the woman up the wide
staircase, along an oak-pannelled
gallery large enough and handsome
enough for ballroom, to a door at
which she knocked softly.
Come in" cried Lady Kildonan S
voice, which was as bright as ever
The next moment he found him
self in a room the colouring and
decoration of which suggested to him
the inside of a sea-shell, adorned with
hangings of pale satin, and carpeted
with thick soft velvet which looked
like sea-moss. The lace curtains
drawn close, were lined with pale
rose coloured silk, through which the
bright sunlight came pleasantly sub
dued; in a tiny fireplace, tiled with
paintings Of flowers, burnt a small
fire. Close to it, lying lack in a large
easy-chair, her head resting on a
SATIN cushion, was Lady Kildonan
The illness concerning which she had
to consult the doctor was luckily not
serious enough to dim the brightness
of her eyes, or to render less dazzling
the lustre of her brilliant complexion
On the other hand, it was grave
enough to permit her to appear in a
white cashmere wrapper, with he1
hair loosely knotted together and a
black lace mantilla round her head, q
costume beautifully suited to an in
valid in perfect health, such as
Armathwaite at once described her tC
be.
Standing at the threshold of the
door as the lady languidly beckoned
him in, the young doctor, with a haze
Of memories and resolutions before
his eyes, wished that he had not come
CHAPTER XII.
If Lady Kildonan did not look like
an invalid, she knew how to assume
the airs of one; and it was with the
most affecting langour that she
turned her pretty head on the cushion
which supported it as the young
doctor entered.
"Oh, DR.. Armathwaite, how do you
do? I'm so glad you've come What
a lucky thing that you hadn't left
Branksome before my messenger
reached you!"
And, apparently exhausted by the
effort of shaking hands and inviting
him to a chair beside her, she drew
a long sigh, and let her arms fall at
her sides with the abandonment OF
utter lassitude.
Il feel just like that" said she, ris.
ing her blue eyes and dropping the
White lids over them again i'm,
mediately, to indicate the complete
ness of the physical prostration from
which she was suffering.
He felt her pulse as a matter OF
form, and could almost have laughed
at the barefaced nature of the fraud
she was carrying on so beautifully
Luckily, he was sitting with his back
to the light, which fell full on the
lady, so that any indiscreet incredulity
which might peep out in his face could
not be noticed by his interesting
patient.
Il see," he said, with becoming
gravity. Your case is very serious. "
Neat little hypocrite as she was,
this decision was too much for her
equanimity. She opened her eyes to
their full extent, and gazed at him
with that childlike expression which
only blue eyes have, and asked him in
a soft tone of establishment what he
thought was the matter with her
To be continued.