Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-01-01

thwaite neither saw nor heard any
thing very clear, for the vision of the
face by the fire came to him again,
the bright blue eyes fading into the
soft brown ones and re-appearing, the
one face always pressing close to his,
the other retiring before he could we'll
distinguish it. They were no portrait
picture, to which he could give names;
but thee was enough individuality
about them for him to recognize the
types, to warm to the one, to feel alter
nately fascinated and repealed by the
other. And SO, in strange, semi
ecstatic state, docile to the impulse
which drove him, he walked on until
he drew near the outskirts Of Mere
side, and stopped at the junction of
the higher and the lower roads,
But at sight of the square walls of
the house on the hill he abruptly woke
out Of fis hazy imaginings, and found
the cold water of actually quenching
his visionary ardoc. His unaccount-
able impulse seemed suddenly to have
died of indulgence, and here he was,
young man with career and a rep
utation in his hands, risking them both
by as ineXplicable an escapade as was
ever perpetrated by one Of the poor
lunatics who had been the inmates OF
that house yeas ago. He stood for a
moment irresolute, and then, firmly
making up his mind to conquer the
mad impulse which impelled him to
M oh
hazards, he walked up the hill with
the intention of passing the house,
cleaning what scant information he
| could from a careful inspection Of the
| eXteriO~, and then when he had
reached the village itself, returning by
the lower road. As he assembled the
hill he found his pulses throbbing
faster and his steps growing quicker
until, having passed the iron gates
and come under the high outer wall,
| he looked up and stood still with fear
at the sight which met his eyes. Tow
ards the north end of the house, where
the ivy grew thickest, a sash-window
had been thrown open; and peering
out of the heavy green mass Arma-
thwa1te saw the face of Alma Cros-
mont, staring across the lake at the
hills opposite with unnaturally wide
open eyes, while her hands clutched
the leaves which hung over the win
dow, trying with feverish eagerness to
tear them down. She did not see him;
she seemed to see nothing nearer than
the tops Of the distant hills. Without
any furthe. hesitation he went quickly
back, passed through the iron gates
up to the house, rang the bell, and
asked for Mrs. Crosmont 1t was the
big and bonny Nanny who opened the
door, and after saying that her mis-
tress was lying down and could not be
distu, bed, considered the visitor at
tentively for a moment with her head
on one side, and then added, with a
sympathetic shake of the head:
"She isn't we'll"
Armathwaite instantly made up his
mind for a bold stroke
NO" said he, Il know that That is
why have come. 1 have been sent
for to see Mrs. Crosmont. | come
from DR.. Peele. Will you ask her if
she can see me?"
Nanny looked puzzled and doubtful
Then she evidently deliberated with
herself, and finally made up her mind
with a rush.
Come along" she cried. ''lf [ lose
this place I can get a better one any
day"
And with majestic defiance Of fate
in the carriage of her head, but an ex-
cusable feminine timidity in the cor
ners OF her eyes, she led the way up
stairs with subdued footsteps, and
along the irregular corridor to the door
Of one OF the front rooms near the
north end. Here doubt and hesitation
seemed again to assail her. She looked
from the door to the doctor, and said,
in the Kissing and far-carrying whisper
of the Uneducated:
She's locked in. Master was afraid
of her getting about and firing her
self, so he's just turned the key
Armathwaite's blood boiled
"All tight" he said quietly; 'TIl
take upon myself tn responsibility of
unlocking it."
And he knocked at the door twice.
At the second knock Almas voice
asked slowly:
who is it?'
ut is l, DR.. Armathwaite. | have
come to see you. May I come in?''
To be continued