Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-04-02
q Woman' S Faee
FLORENCE WARDEN

your word to me you will make nc
more experiments upon her in the
meantime?"
antly given hand in grasp as un-
yielding as if his own fingers had
been steel.
Yes" muttered the agent shortly,
hardly forming the. word.
But for all that the making OF the
promise seemed to give him relief, and
as he withdrew his hand he raised his
head and looked the doctor for the
first time more steadily in the face.
He disliked and feared Armathwaite,
| but a doggedness surprising even his
own inspired him with respect, and
he had brought himself to a point
where his own will was absolutely
! powerless, and he had to seek the as
s.stance of stronger one as helpless
ly as a child. He seemed to breathe
more freely as, retreating to the
furthest window, he stood watching
the movements of the other man with
fascinated eyes. Armathwaite cool
and stolid as he looked, was at least
as much excited as Crosmont himself.
command of his healthy faculties, and
/ unhinged by months of wearing pas
sion and anxiety, he was in complete
command of his halthy faculties, and
full of purpose so earnest, so devoted.
that he felt strung up to a pitch of
force and energy he had never known
before as he looked down upon the
unconscious woman who had drawn
him to her rescue, and whose destiny
had been in this unexpected manner
thrown into his hands. He had no
fear for the result, no fear but that
the loyal and chivalrous devotion he
felt for this helpless woman would be
force strong enough to bring her
back to life and health and perhaps
happiness. No obstacle, not even the
mad passion for another woman of
selfish and cruel husband, seemed. at
that moment, sufficiently serious to
stand in the way of his energy and his
hopes.
1t was with look on his face which
would have become the priest as well
as the doctor that he took both the
livid listless hands in his left. while
ne passed his right palm several
times swiftly and firmly down her
arms from shoulder to wrist. She was
sensitive to the very first toucb
Ven, after a few moments. he asked
in low voice: Are you awake"
she opened her eyes and smiled feeblv
at him in answer, keeping her gaze
hXed on his face with scarcely more
apparent recognition than lost child
shows to a stranger who is kind TO II
Crosmont, who was watching the pro-
ceedings intently from the window
burst into a loud expression of relief
as he came forward. But at the sound
or his voice, of his noisy tread, Alma
sprang up into a sitting posture, with
the old look of gloom and sadness in
her eyes.
i thought | was dead" she muir
INJURED, In weak and broken voice.
Then. with shudder, she closed her
eyes and sank back again.
We'll, you're a ID ungrateful
woman" burst out Crosmont sullen.
~ and, with half-angry. half-con-
temptuous nod to the doctor he
swung himself out of the room. bang
ing the door with violence which
made the corridor echo and the win
dows rattle
The noise seemed to rack his wife's
frame. She twisted her neck and
curved her limbs in acute pain. and
1t was not until after the last faint
sound OF his heavy tread had dieu
away in the distance that the con,
tracted muscles of her face relaxed.
and that, in silence and absolute stiD.
ness, the sensation of suffering sub,
sided and gradually gave place to
feelings of curiosity and surprise
Armathwaite stlll held her hands. and
tried TO chafe some warmth into
them; but he said nothing. being
anxious to let her collect her thoughts
undisturbed, so that he might pr. sent.
ly find out how much she remembered
of the incidents of her loug sleep.
The expression of her face grew
gradually puzzled and troubled. At
last she asked in the same weak
voice as before:
Why are you here? Have l been
.m?"
mo. but you have been asleep so
long that your husband got anxious"
She laughed. not bitterly, but with
the involuntary amusement produced
/ by homogeneous ideas.
so he asked me to come in and
see you"
He asked you to Gomez"
Yes"
This fact seemed surprising enough
to require lengthy digestion.
You didn't come of your own
accord, then?"
No. | was coming out OF house
/ a few doors OF when Mr.. Crosmont
met me and asked me TO call"
THAT is strange In my dreams
YOU seemed TO be with me. following
me-oh' long time, 1t made me
| feel safe
You had dreams?"
yes. a long, strange dream that