Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-16
q Uoman' S F F ace
FLORENCE WARDEN
Continued.
with the object


"Of getting you out of your diff
iculties, if you were in any
Crosmont began to walk up and
down the small space at his com
mand, with his usual heavy tread
hanging his head, and evidently much
disturbed.
What shall I tell herr" Arma.
thwaite asked at last.
Tell her she's a fool" said eros
mont roughly; but even in his coarse
words and tone there were signs of a
kindIier emotion mo, tell her." he
said, stopping short and lowering his
voice, that if | were in difficulties
her money would get me out of, I'd
take it, No, no, better tell her moth
ing" he added in a harder voice. mo
good to get spooney on her now
And again he began to march up
and down the little room with reck-
less air. ArmathWaite rose, much
moved, and leaned aginst the mantel-
piece in his turn.
why is it no good? he asked, in
a low, mellow voice 4 should say
it was good, very good, to take the
first opportunity to get right when
one has somehow got wrong. You
mustn't mind my preaching the
doctor and the parson have to get
their vocations a little mixed up
sometimes, because they both see so
much into the province of the other:
Look here; there's a woman not a
hundred miles away sickening for
want of kindness-reaI kindness.
And here are you, quite as much in
want of sympathy as she, pulling
yourself all to pieces, and all for
what? No good to yourself or to any
body You'll be wreck before you
know where you are at the rate
you're going"
4 am a wretch" said Grosmont
shortly, stopping to froWn at him. I'm
not going to abuse you. | don't believe
you're a bad fellow. But you must
mind your own business. And | think
that-after tOday'-he seemed to get
the words out with difficulty-''you
hal better discontinue your visits for
the present. Only for the present,
mind II am going to take your adj
vice, and be doctor myself to my wife.
Il am obliged to you for your serv-
ices, though, very much obliged And
| Shall send for you again before
long.
lie had opened the door, and was al
roady- I9aJipo tho WOW oil tbn COR
ridOr ArmathWaite was forced to
follow. but he felt that as he passed
the draWingrOom door his heart ached
and throbbed with a sudden, passion
ate impulse which seemd to make him
giddy and sick, and filled him with a
wild fear that Crosmont had pene-
trated into depths Of his being uu-
known even to himself. He recovered
himself and got back to saner
thoughts, however, when he took the
hand the agent held out, and read
shame and not suspicion in his look
On consideration of this scene with
the agent and its result, ArmathWaite
resolved to 60 up to The Crags next
day, and try to learn there the reason
Of his abrupt dismissal On the fol-
lowing afternoon, therefore, he made
a pretext to call at the great house,
ana see the philologist After a few
minutes conversation with Lord
KiIdonan, who was always. much de-
lighted by a visit from his fayOrite,
he fancied he had made a discovery.
For the old Scotchman, while COM
menting with some anxiety upon the
appearance of a work on words which
seemed to have usurped some of his
own ground, said that he would get
Ned Crosmont to obtain it for him in
Liverpool, as he was going up there
that evening. Whereupon Armath-
waite grew suddenly silent, stupid,
and unsympathetic upon the subject
Of philology, looked at his watch, and
presently took his leave with some
abruptness
1t was half-past four o'clock. Cros-
mont never started on his journey to
Liverpool until after dark. The only
two late trains from Branksome were
the 6:10 and the 7:40, therefore it
would by one Of these that he would
go.
Il may be in time to give him a
warning word" thought Frank, as he
hurried along the road towards Mere
side.