Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-06
CHAPTER XIV.

I7HF Eh NNtss
1t was nearly four o'clock in the
morning when Ante was awakened
by a loud ringing at the door. Sleep
had come at last to her weary eyes,
and now she started up out of bad
| dream, in which she was standing
beside the water, where Leo was
struggling in vain to reach the shore;
she stood there with bound hands.
and feet chained, powerless to help
him. He bound her thus himself; he
would not be saved by her.
She sat up, with her heart beating
violently. Had she been mistaken?
Did the bell really ring?
The bell rang again, hurriedly.
anxiously, as if there had been an
accident. She was dressed in a
moment.
Was it fire?
Shu-,.ing feet ran past along the
! corridor down the stairs; the porter
was hurrying to open the door
Ante, with trembling hands,
fastened the belt Of her blouse; there
was a knock already. She unbolted
the door, and the porter stood before
her with a pale, terrified face.
Madame Jussnitz-ah, my God.
dear madame, don't be frightened,
there has been another accident-the
forester is downstairs-the master,
oh, my God-he-"
Ante stared at the old man as if
she did not understand word. Then
she heard the forester's voice.
Frau Jussnitz," he said. coming
into the circle of light that streamed
out of Antics room, Herr Jussnitz
has had an accident like that he had
before and he must have help at
once. My wife said you had a
doctor in the house-Frau Jussnitz,
Iyou must not faint"
i He sprang forward and supported
the tOttering figure But Ante had
already recovered. Wake the Herr
Doctor" she ordered. shortly, "and
have the horses put to the carriage.
: How long drive is it, Herr Foster?"
She had thrown the door of her
room wlue open and was looking for
shawIs and wraps. The porter hur-
ried away.
"Three-quarters of an hour, if you
do not spare the horses, Frau Juss-
nitz."
Take additional horses" she call
ed out to the porter. and then hurried
to the room where her child was
| sleeping At that moment the door
opened, and Hilda stood before her.
Ante took the trembling girl by the
hand and drew her into the room.
There sleeps the child" she said
in great agitation; guard it, for 1
must go to him
What has happened? For Heavens
sake. dear Frau JussnitZ, tell me
what it is" entreated the terrified
girl
Ante stopped a moment in her hur-
ried movements.
He has tried to take his life, -
she said, hoarsely.
Maiberg entered the room just as
Hilda with a low cry sank down
fainting..
Hanna" cried the young wife to
the housekeeper, who, wakened out
of her slumbers by the unusual noise,
had just come in. take care of the
young lady; we have no time, we
must gO-Maiberg, GOMEZ"
And she hurried downstairs. Mai
berg called back some instructions
had just come round.
DO not spare the horses said
Ante to the coachman. Then she
got in, followed by Maiberg and the
} forester, and the carriage dashed off.
Maiberg. who sat beside the young
wife, felt the trembling and shuddei
ing that shook her frame from time
! to time But no word OF complaint
or of self-reproach, as he feared
crossed her lips. She put a few
questions to the forester. but she
spoke with difficulty.
: 1T is only that he has lost so much
blood Frau Jussnitz; my poor
Dorchen did not know what to do
and this time, you see, this time il
: is worse" said the man.
| She was silent They began tt
, climb the steep hill. but they still
went rapidly. She leaned out of the
carriage window. I'VE have only
: reached the dollhouse" she muir
INJURED.
so soon?" exclaimed the forester
5 then we shall not be much longer"
? Still 4..tle while. and then The
, painting horses stopped before tn,
e low house, from whose windows tn,
4 red lamp-light shone out into thu
I gray dawn of the April morning
h Ante got out and hurried UP TIL
}, steps to the door, followed by tn,
/ forester.
upstairs, Frau Jussnitz, upstairs:
l. he whispered.
t And she climbed up the stee
+ stair. At every step she leane
e heavily on the banisters, as if tn
a boards were swaying beneath he
feet, as if the boards were totterin
n over her head. She had only on
e. wish, one prayer that he might sti
n live, if only for a few minutes &C
just God, only long enough for me t
Y. ask him why, why he has done thi
thing to me-only long enough I
let me press his hand, only that
ID Oh, have mercy"
S. The forester's wife was stand1n
Id on the threshold; she moved asia
he for the pale wife. He is III
n conscious" she whispered, stoopir
ne to pick UP the fur cloak which ha
Id slipped from Antics shoulders; the
she shut the door behind her. ST