Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-03-05
q Uoman' S Face
FLORENCE WARDEN

ed, the hgure remained before him
until the idea crossed his brain that
it might be really the physical pres
ence, and not merely mental image
of the woman who occupied his
thoughts that he was following. He
now perceived for the first time that
he had left Mereside behind MIN, and
was skirting the head of the lake, al
ways in the wake of the dim figure
which, lost from time to time either in
the physical darkness or in the con-
fusion of his mind, constantly reap
peared and led the way with steadi-
ness and swiftness which seemed in
compatible with the possibility of it's
proving to be Mrs. Crosmont in the
! flesh. He was walking at his best
pace, but yet he failed to make the
slightest apjpreciable difference in the
distance between them. When for a
few minute she broke into a run, he
! lost sight of the figure altogether, and
it was not until he had stopped and
peered about on all sides in the gloom
| that he at last discerned the object of
which he was in search, fainter than
ever against the bare trees at the bot
tom of the hill on which the residence
of Lady Kildonan stood. The Crags!
Armathwaite's heart beat faster as the
conviction stole upon him that it was
no phantom of an excited imagination
that he was following. The figure
glided along under the steep cliff, pass
ing by the winding roadway which led
to the house. and seeming to pause for
an instant, as he had expected, before
the group of damp and struggling
bushes that blocked the secret path
up the hill.
He redoubled his pace, and reached
the clump of bushes while the
branches were still swinging. Brush
ing his way through them in his turn
he began the ascent CT the hill; this
was by no means easy, for the rain
had made the clayey soil loose and
slippery. On close inspection he
discerned in the darkness long
smooth lines made by the sliding back
of smaller feet than his. but he saw
no sign of the figure he was following
When he had reached the point where
the rough steps began, however, he
heard a sharp "click," like the snap of
a lock; he FASTENED his pace. but on
arriving at the gate which had barred
his passage before, he found it secure
" shut and impossible, while a last
glimpse that he caught of fluttering
drapery far above him among the trees
on the brow of the hill, was seen so
family, and passed so swiftly, that it
might almost have been the flight of a
wide-winged bat through the gloom
Armathwaite stood for a few moments
at the gate, and speedily decided on
his course of action He descended
the hill, pushed his way out into the
road and drawing his pipe from his
pocket, proceeded to fill and light it;
then buttoning his coat, and turning up
his collar, he began to march up and
down between the entrance TO the pri-
vate path and the foot of the drive,
| keeping a sharp watch On both points
| For four hours he paced up and down
in the darkness, without sight or sound
of a living creature BY midnight
! the drizzle had ceased ard the wind
had gone Down; the mo0a, hung with
rainy haze, shone cut over the black
hills, and threw sllver-gray ish lines
upon the lake, on which the mist still
lowered. The dark tufts ard patches
of trees ard brushwood when fringed
its shores broke up the outline CT the
water with blurred and ragged belt
and here and there white villa gleam-
ed out. locking from the opposite shore
like a tombstone in valley of shad.
ows To man in Armathwaite's
present mood the scene was unspeak-
ably gloomy and depressing. He felt,
as he glanced from the turrets to The
Crags, just visible from one point of
the read below, to the corner where
Crosmonts house stood on the oppo-
site shore of the lake, as if. instead of
keeping watch for the living. he were
/ guarding the homes of the dead, So
strong a hold, indeed, had these SOM
, hre fancies taken upon him when.
p after four hours dreary pacing up and
t found that it was just past two O'Clock
: that as he approached the entrance ia
the private path ard found himself face
|, to face with woman who was fore,
d ing her way out through the bushes
= he uttered short, hoarse cry, as if he
\ had been confronted by a corpse.
Il II was Alma Crosmont. In tht
: weak white moonlight she locke,
d haggard and death like with deep
j" dark burrows under eyes which stare,
-" out before them and saw nothing, dr.,
{, lips slightly parted, and a dull expires
II sion which never changed. She az
I peared neither to see nor hear the MAJ
standing in front of her, but cam
Is straight on with her hands held a lii
e tie in front of her. as If cropping to fin
C. her way. When quite close to hir
1t she took a step aside to avoid his pc,
t, son, and as she passed at flying pac
% he noticed thather breathing was heav
1t and stertorous. like that of a person i
l.. | a danp tnracff,,l sleNO IIa f,,rOn1 n u