Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-04-29
IRENE'S vow
BY CHARLOTTE M. BRAEME.
BY CHARLOTTE M. BRAEME.

She looked up. Lady Estmere lay faint
ing on the terrace, with a group of cleo
trifed ladies around her, and the gentle
men We're all bending over the dog, the
duke foremost among them.
Irene" he called, excitedly, ''come
here"
She rose. though her limbs trembled SC
that she could hardly walk. Tall, state
y, with her rich dress and trailing laces,
with her diamonds and her white face,
she FASTENED to him. The group Of men
made way for her.
Col. Leighton held the dog in his arms,
and the duke held a white pocket hand
4erchief stained with blood
See. Irene" he cried; Il am sure
am right. Sir Hubert is lying some
where wounded in the woods, and this
dog has found him. He has managed 10
lie this round his neck, and send him a
messenger TO us"
He stopped abruptly. for the CHASTITY
pallor of his wife's fa.e startled him.
DO NOT be afraid, my darling" he
cried; he must be living or he could not
have done this"
But in her heart she was crying out
that heaven had helped him--had taken
her vengeance from her.
1T must be So" '.,fhe duke il quite
right" Messengers should be sent at
| once were the cries she heard all round
her; and the duke opened the handker-
chief, that all might see it. There was
his name plainly worked in one corner,
and near the work was great crimson
t stain. 1t was quite evident that some
enc had tied it round the dogs neck.
There was great excitement among the
group; some Of the women were weeping
Ike children, and strong men had grown
pale. The duchess stood by, cold, silent,
aotiOnless as stone.
The duke went up tofI.ady Estmere.
Take courage, my dear" he said, kind
! ly; Il feel sure now that all will be well.
| Hubert has certainly met with some
accident, but we shall find him and bring
him home for you to nurse. Cheer up
and get well FOR his sake. Irene" he
! continued, see, my darling, that Lady
Estmere is attended to-" but the duchess
stood by motionless-she neither moved
Tor spoke.
| Then the duke ordered all the keepers,
| all the men servants in the house to be
called together, and a regular, orderly
| search to be instituted.
/ They found him. although more than
once the men, with the coolnel at their
head, had been tempted to give up the
chase.
| They followed the LITTLE dog, although
| IL seemed useless. Sir Hubert, they
said to each other, would never be able
ID wander through this tangle.
But they found him, and when Col
leighton tried to raise him his head fell
Ike a dead weight on his arm.
He is dead" cried the coolnel; 1--WE
have come too late"
But one of the men laid his hand on
Sir Hulberts breast.
He is not dead; his heart BEATS" ne
said.
The accident was patent to all--in fall
ing the trigge. OF his gun had caught in
the branches of tree, and the whole
contents were lodged in his side; they
could see. also, that his ankle had been
broken. How long, they asked each 9TH
e., had be been lying here so cruelty
wounded here-alone?
He could hardly live until they reached
home. His face was CHASTITY white, and
his lips burned with cruel thirst But
what seemed the most strange was this
THAT they found on one of his bruised,
cold hands a woman's wedding ring.