Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-09-11

! his shaggy name, to which the snow
flakes chung in cold, damp mass.
"He was my horse, my own horse,
and | had to sell him." she said very
quietly, as she recovered herself, and,
unfastening the horses bride, pro
| ceeded to lead him back to the road
"Mr. Greenfell, at the hotel, is very
kind to him, know; but he will
never be so happy again as he was
with me. No, let me lead him, please;
like it."
Armathwaite could only walk by
her side in silence. He scarcely dared
10 put questions to this strange Wom-
an with weird sad eyes, who, after
saving his life, seemed to have taken
possession of him body and soul, and
to deem it unnecessary to enlighten
him as to the disposal she meant to
make of either. They left the trees
and the uneven ground behind them
and, the wind being now at their
backs and the snow therefore less
binding, Armathwaite could distin-
guish without difficulty the point at
which he had reached the level road.
This said the lady, Indicating
the way from left to right, lis the
high road from Mereside to Drank
some.'
She crossed it without further com
ment than her companions polite If
rather futile "Oh, indeed" and thew
began to re-ascend the steep road on
which he had come to grief. One thing
the young man knew without asking.
this mysterious lady who had appar-
entity been on the lookout for human
flotsam and jetsam on this bolster
Gus night, came from the gloomy
house which had aroused his attention
half an hour before Dwelling and
occupant fitted each other like the
nautilus and its shell The soft brown
eyes of the woman-they were brown
he could swear, though he had had no
chance of OFFICIALLY assuring himself
OF the fact-had just the same sad
dened, desolate attraction as the large
window through which he had seen a
dim light flltering weakly between the
dark leaves of the plants in the little
conservatory.
AS he had expected, the lady. who
seemed to think further conversation
superfluous, stopped before the heavy
iron gates and pulled the handle of a
long rusty chain which hung beside
them. This Immediately set jangling
Dell, the funeral tones OF which
struck as great a chill into Arma-
thwaite as If It had been the passing
bell for his own soul. She then
pushed open one side of the gate. led
the horse in, and invited the appar-
emily less important human creature
10 enter also Armathwaite thought.
as he watched her playing affection
ately with the bride of her old favor
lite, that she had forgotten the rider in
the interest of this meeting with the
horse. and had led him home as an
accidental adjunct of the animal to be
considered at her leisure. But the
appearance at the door of a young
maid-servant who seemed struck with
amazelnent at the spectacle before
her. reused the lady from her abb
Straction. while an old mastiff ran
down the steps and licked her hand.
She turned to the stranger and said
very graciously:
Are you anxious to get to Drank
some tonight? You would hardly be
able to see DR., Peele before morning.
and we should be very happy to give
his friend shelter for the night"
Armathwaite felt SO certain that he
had not mentioned DR.. Peele's name,
and therefore so utterly amazed at the
lady's knowing his destination, that
he stammered and answered in a low.
shy tone with great confusion. She
entered the house with grave gest-
ure of invitation to him to follow, and
told the servant to take the horse to
the stables. Just as the girl was about
To obey her order, she turned quickly
aud asked in harder voice as your
master in?"
Not yet, ma'am,' answered she,
and she went out, closing the door be-
hind her, to the grey horse, which
stood patiently and placidly waiting
at the foot of the steps from which
his old mistress had so often mounted
him, Armathwaite was too much alb
sorbed by his interest in the lady
herself to examine very infinitely the
hall in which he was standing. He
perceived that it was long. wide and
lofty, that one wall was well-lined
! with whips and guns and fishing
tackle, and that there was a hat-and.
coat stand covered with masculine
/ garments. This was interesting. mas
much as all these things must belong
to the lady's relations. concerning
whom Armathwaite longed to know
/ more. He hoped. as young man
instinctively hopes on making &C.
uuaintance in romantic manner with
an attractive woman, that she was not
married, and in spite of a certain dis
eouraging dignity in bearing and re-
pose in her manner, he had an unde-
Enable conviction that she was free.
He offered to help her as she Olsen
numbered herself of her outer gar.
ment. which proved TO be unmistak-
ably n French cavalry cloak She