Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-11

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 a wedding-ring Her manner
too seemed to have changed with her
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 unconventional conduct
Il am afraid you must think me a
| lunatic for carrying you off in this
unceremonious way she said kindly,
but with a great deal of dignity. q
believe some of the villagers declare
that this house was once a lunatic
asylum, and am sure, after the way
in which you have been treated, you
will not fail to agree with them Did
you not take me for a mad-woman? p"
she asked in a suddenly serious tone,
looking steadily, almost anxiously, up
for his answer.
mo, 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 eyes
upon the strangers face, and after
gazing at hiEs 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 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 country
Englishmen, fair-skinned, blue-eyed,
with clear-cut aquiline features,
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 a certain grave kindli-
ness of glance not SO common or so
apt to be misleading. Frank Arma-
thwaite was altogether a person on
irc CT
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.
81 will introduce you to Mr.. Crosmont.
Yours is Dr.
She paused and locked 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 1t after MIN 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 a physician
had been sent for to see DR.. Peele
and that Mrs. Crosmont had mistaken
this chance traveller for the expected
visitor.
T am afraid, madam" he said,
standing still as she invited him to
follow her to the narrower part of the
long hall, on to which a row of doors
opened on the left-hand side, chat
have had the good fortune to receive
a welcome not intended for me. My
visit to Branksome-if indeed I shall
ever get there's quite chance one"
But the lady, standing also quite
still, and watching his face as he
| spoke, gave a curious smile.
"Chance'" she repeated softly; and
then after a short pause she added
gravely and courteously, well, call
it chance if you like, you are welcome
all the same"
To be Continued.