Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-18
q Woman' S F ace
FLORENCE WARDEN

which was, it was also easy TO SCI
, quite unexpected on his side
But il you once let the world kno'
how they may expect to be treate
!, here, you will be overrun with them,
said Armathwaite, gratefully.
Mr.. Crosmont glanced inquiringl
at the lady who seemed for the me
ment rather disconnected; at least
she answered with her eyes cas-
down.
Il was at the corner of the road b,
the lake, when I saw someone makinE
straight for the water; in another mo
1nent he would have been in, would
you not?" she ended, turning appeal
ingly to the young doctor.
Indeed l should" said Arma
| thwaite, earnestly. 81 had lost my
way altogether. You saved my life.
''But what were you doing out
there by the lake on night like this p
asked Mr.. Crosmont, not at all salts.
fed.
ooh, never mind, daddy, it was only
one of my pranks; these high winds
! always get into my head, you know
and blow all the brains away
''Were you waiting for Edwin?o he
! then asked in very gentle and sym
pathetic tone.
She hesitated like schoolgirl
then raised her head with what seemed
to be an impulse of straightforward
almost defiant honesty.
mo-
HIM, thought not" muttered Mr..
! Crosmont, and then he turned again
to the visitor. ''Do you know the lake
| country well?" he asked. "It is
rather a risky thing to travel about
here at night if you do not"
ct is my first visit; and 1 can't
| hope to see much of it, for tomorrow
afternoon I must be in Glasgow"
AS he said this, some impulse he did
not recognise made him to look at
Mrs. Crosmont. She was sitting on a
sofa, and was unrolling one corner of
large piece Of some bright-colored
needlework. The moment his glance
fell upon her she slowly raised her
eyes until they met his, and at the
same time he felt a conviction break
in suddenly upon his mind that the
next evening would find him still in
the lake country. And then again
came upon him the same unaccOunt-
able impulse that had before moved
him, his present surroundings dimly
fading till he saw again before him
the flashing eyes and superb beauty
of Lady Kildonan. This intuition was
instantly followed by & fierce impulse
of rebellion against the will that dared
own. He looked a second time at the
lady, this time with a strongly antage-
nistic feeling; again he met her eyes,
but his irritation melted instantly, for
he saw only very sweet woman's
face wearing a plaintive and, as it
seemed to him, beseeching expression
Armathwaite, who was sitting in front
of the fire between his host and host
ess, felt that, in spite of all the ex-
element of his journey and of his
introduction to this kindly household,
he was going off again into a strange
and feverish reverie like that which
had possessed him at the Mereside
hotel early in the evening. He made
an attempt to rise, but so clumsily
that it attracted the attention of his
companions, and at a sign from the
lady, Mr.. Crosmont put his arm
within that of the young man, and
suggesting that the room was too
warm after the keen night air, led him
off to have a glass of wine. Anna
| thwaite felt grateful for this kindness
and indignant with himself for need
ing it. A proverb among his acquaint-
ances for power alike of mind and of
muscle how on earth came he to
double up morally and physically
under the puny influences of warm
room and a woman's not particularly
! handsome eyes?
He felt uetter as soon as he got
into the cooler air of the hall, or out
of the radius of the eye; he was not
sure which was the restorative. Al
any rate, by the time they had
, reached the dining-room, and Mr.. Cros
mont had poured him out a glass OF
sherry, he was himself again, was
secretly scoffing at his feverish anC
ridiculous fancy concerning a kind
hearted lady who had saved his life
and treated him with unexampleC
hospitality, and was wondering hare
what it was that. in spite of the mu
tual affection of it's master and mis-
tress, the charm of the old rooms
and the warm kindness of the wei
come he had received, made a fals'
! note in the harmony, and impressed
him, stranger that he was, with TIL
belief that in this peaceful-seei
! household there was something wrong
In the dining-room he noted circum
: stance, however, which might pos
) siblv afford a clue to the mystery.
The end of the long, wide dining
, table nearest to the fire was laid TO
dinner for one person. Was Their
: some third member of the househol
: whose presence was discord! VIII
= was Edwin of whom mention ha
y been made? Two dogs lay stretche
D on the rug by the fire, a Newtount
: land and a retriever; they raised thei
d heads as the gentlemen entered, CAV
a languid wag of the tail in greetln
e to the one they knew, and relapse
into a comfortable doze.
). Are you fond of animals?' aske
= Mr. Crosmont. as he walked to til
Y hearth-rug where the dogs were lyin:
We'll, think I like any dog bette
y than most human beings, and a GOO
It horse better than my best friend