Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-09-17

grave, musical tones. 4 am AFRAID
startled you"
Joan, keeping her face turned from
the moonlight, shook her head
NO" she said, in a low voice, and
prepared to go on; but the earl bowed
will you be so good as to tell me
where | shall find the caretaker of the
placer" he asked.
Joan, still with averted face, pointed
to a small building at the end of tbs
house.
"Therei" she replied.
Thanks" he said, gravely. prot
ably you are her daughter"
mo, am not" said Joan.
AS she spoke he moved slightly, 81
as to see her face, and a momentary
expression of surprise and interest
shone in his eyes as they rested upor
hers.
Il beg your pardon again" he said
slowly. Il though that the fact OF
you being here at this time in the
evening warranted my conjecture
Please forgive me-"
/ There is nothing to forgive" said
Joan. Those are the caretaker's
rooms;" and, with an inclination of
the head she was going to take flight
again, but, womanlike, she stopped to
add, II often come here. The place
is usually deserted and did not know
anyone would be here tonight"
Il quite understand" he said, his
eyes fixed on hers. You were coming
to see the view, and my presence has
you away am stranger here and
am now going. Please remain" and
he turned as if to leave her.
Joan paused. She abhorred a false
hood. and to let him go under the i'm
preston that she had only just ar
rived was more than her conscience
would permit. She opened her lips to
make full confession of her caves.
dropping, when he spoke first and in
terrupted her.
Perhaps it Is | who ought to give
some explanation of my presence
here" he said, courteously. my
name is Villiars, and l have inherited
the place, Not having seen it for
many years, l came down to take a
look at it and try and decide whether
liked it sufficiently well to live in
it,"
IL know" said Joan, nerving her
self. Il have been here some time,
my lord. was on the terrace when
the old gentleman-Mr. Craddock, he
called himself-came out of the house.
was frightenj, and-and hid behind
that lion. ! would have gone" she
went on, hurriedly, butt am
ashamed to say did not l am very
sorry. 1t is only right I should tell
YOU"
ut is not necessary" he said, with
smile. 81 knew you were there"
and he pointed to her late hiding place.
you knew | was there all the time
and and-you allowed me to re-
main?"
please reflect before you censure
me. What was | to do? | am, so to
speak, the host here; a lady was
honoring me by paying my property a
visit; | had no right to object, or to
disturb her.
And you purposely permitted me to
Ito hear all"
why not?" he said. 1--WE talked of
no secrets. Again, what could | do?
If | had spoken to you. Mr.. Craddock
would have been aware OF your
presence, and | think that would not
have been pleasant for you!"
II beg your pardon" she said, in a
low, hurried voice Il see now, you
were considerable. IL am grateful"
'Oh, no." he said, gently; there is
no cause for that"
! Good night" said Joan, swiftly, and
she turned to hurry away.
"Good-will you wait one other
moment?" he said.
Joan would have given much to have
shaken her head and fled homeward,
but there was something. an indefin,
able tone of command in the master
full voice, gentle as 1t was. that made
her stop against her will.
You spoke of gratitude" he said.
| DO not acknowledge that there
should BE any. VIII you repay me for
my-what shall say-consideration?"
and he laughed grimly.
Joan turned her eyes upon him ques-
tioningly, and taking her silence and
her look as consent. he said:
You heard me tell Mr.. Craddock
that | was quite undecided as to my
future movements? am still undecid-
ed, viii you nelp me to arrive at a
decision?"
~" exclaimed Joan, knitting her
brows.
Yes. Who could be better fitted to
help me? We are strangers, and you
will be what no friend who knew me
could be. impartial and unprejudiced.
will not detain you long. Will you
come up to the terrace
Joan stood for a moment uncertain.
Lord Villiars watched her, a curious
interested expression in his dark eyes.
My reason for asking you to return
to the terrace is twofold one" he