Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-05-29

tic admirer. We had most enjoyable
conversation. Several times tried
my best to draw Lady Culmore into it.;
but, when | spoke to her, he remained
silent. If she made any comment, he
did not reply; SO, from sheer pity for
her embarrassment, I refrained from
appealing to her. Still it seemed
strange There was the husband, in
tellectual, a deep thinker, fluent speak
er. delightful companion; here was the
wife, fair and beautiful as the morn
ing star; between them was gulf
that no human power could bridge.
I liked Sir Rudolph. I could see NO
fault in him; but l noticed one thing
No matter what we said, no matter how
the subject engrossed him, the shade
of sorrow and sadness never left his
face nor died from his dark eyes
Something of pity for the estranged
wife filled my heart. Surely she must
suffer terribly! He was so kind, SC
gentle in his manner to me-to her SC
cold, so silent. To me it became sc
painful at last that I said to myself
that anything would be better than
! for Sir Rudolph to spend his evening
with us.
What was the mystery? Even as he
talked to me over and over again
asked myself this question. I could
see no fault in either, nor could | see
in either any cause, any reason for the
GOODNESS that existed.
1t struck ten at last. The storm had
abated. Sir Rudolph arose.
you will not be afraid now" he
said, regarding me with a kindly
smile. he wind has fallen, and the
rain has ceased
| looked instinctively at Lady Cul
more. His glance followed mine; but
the expression of his face changed
completely as his eyes rested on her
Then, with a bow. he was gone; and
she turned away with an expression
of mortal anguish On her face.
CHAPTER ".
If Sir Rudolph did not like his wife
why did he not leave her? If she had
done him any wrong, why did he not
punish her? If there was anything
against her of which he knew, why did
he not charge her with it? Any mode
of life must be better than this.
AS the days passed on, I saw nc
difference, no relaxation of severity
and GOODNESS on his part, no lessening
of the passionate love and bootless
worship on hers. 1t would be always
so, I supposed. I wondered in a dull
kind of way at times whether I should
spend my whole life in the contempla.
ton Of mystery that I could not I'm.
derstand. Neither husband nor wife
ever spoke of each other, or T might
have gathered something Of the truth
from what they said Sir Rudolph
talked to me for hours together on
| every conceivable subject, and helped
him occasionally with some transla
tons; but never once during the time
we spent together did he ever mention
the name of his wife. I was but young
and had the natural curiosity of youth
must say [ longed to know the mys-
terry Of the household in which | lived
The new year came and was well
coined much as Christmas had been
At times asked myself if I should re-
main at Ullamere. if I should not 20
out into the world, escape from this
atmosphere of melancholy; but, odd to
say, estranged as they were. was
growing most warmly attached to both
to the wretched husband and the
miserable wife. I did not know which
liked best, or which I pitied the
more.
January, with it's ice and snow. came
to an end; February, with its faint
CLEANS of sunshine, passed; March
came in like lion. 1t was we'll for
me that the beauties of nature had
power to soothe and charm. | watched
eagerly for the spring, thinking that
the glory and the tenderness of it must
surely II some measure chase away
the horrible gloom. But there came
an evening in March the very recol-
lection of which chills my heart. There
was no storm, no tempest of rain, but
the wind was blowing as had never
heard it. [ love the wind; love It, be
it the softest breath that stirs the
roses and lifts the sprays of jasmine,
or the mighty blast that rends the
giant branches and bends the sturdy
oak.
That evening it came in great gusts
from the hills, like the roar of artillery.
afterward seeming to die away WITH a
long-drawn sobbing souaa refund the
house. was not afraid. This was
what I liked, and when l went to my
room, instead of going to sleep like a
sensible girl, I opened my window the
better to hear it, for my heart and soul
rejoiced in it.
Suddenly l heard the sound of foot
steps in the corridor. Some one tried
the handle of my door gently and
cautiously, I did not know fear. but I
must confess that at the sound of the
handle turning my heart beat fast. |
went to the door and opened it. To my
surprise, there stood Lady GILMORE,
wrapped in long blue dressing-gown.
her hair hanging over her shoulders.
her face white as death, her eyes full
of fear. Even in that moment could
not help noticing the whiteness of the
hands that held the taper.
Il am disturbing you, Miss Forster"
she said; but I am afraid-oh, so
sorely afraid! Will you come with
me?''N
Yes, Lady GILMORE But what
frightenS you?" I asked