Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-09-10

faults the present Lord Villiars was a
considerable improvement upon those
of his race who had gone before
him.
Colonel Oliver and the Carnfords,
who lived in villa at the foot Of the
hill, were never tired talking about
MIN; and it was believed that if there
was anyone in the universe whom
| Colonel Oliver considered his
superior in intellect and the conduct
of billiard cue, il was Stuart ViIliars.
OF course, only faint rumors CT his
character as set forth fully by fame
had reached Joan, but she knew that
| he was a wild and reckless man, and
she wondered-not knowing that the
earl was dead and that Villiars was
the heir she wonderd where he was,
and whether he ever thought Of the
beautiful place which his ancestors
made their home.
IF this place were mine" she muir
INJURED, half aloud, Il should love every
stone in it, Why, | love it now as it
is; |, who am a stranger with no part
or lot in it." and she turned and look
ed along the front that stretched
toward the sea.
AS she did so, she started and put
her hand up to her eyes, for she
fancied that she saw light flash from
one of the windows.
That it was no fancy, but fact, be-
came evident the next moment, for the
light appeared at the next window,
, and gradually passed from window to
window until it reached the great
oriel which lighted the central hall.
With a spring she reached the steps,
and was about TO run down them,
when sue heard the bolts of the huge
door creak back and the key turn in
the lock.
| to her old position, and, crouching
down in the deep shadow, as complete
ly hidden as if she had been inside the
stone lion, she fixed her eyes upon the
door
The locks were old and rusty, and
the key turned slowly, and it seemed
an age before the door opened.
| But it was swung back at last, and
there emerged, not a couple of stall
wart burglars with the usual para
phernalia of fur caps and crowbars,
but little old man.
He had lantern in one hand and
the keys in the other; and deliberately
extingCishing the light. which was
that which Joan had seen through the
windows, he turned and locked the
door
! Then he came with queer, quick
hobble to within almost hands reach
of her. and taking out a snuff-box,
down the house.
Strange, strange!" he muttered.
Can | have left any place unsearch-
ed? Did the old fool change his mind
at the last moment? Did he burn it?
If So why did he come here-why did
he write to me? Curse the rheu-
matism! If it hadn't been for that III
have been by his side, as | always had
been, and-merciful heaven!" he
broke off to what's that?"
And Joan saw him swung around as
If he had been shot.
She turned her head to look, and a
thrill ran through her
Unobserved by either of them, al
most noiselessly in fact, a man had
come from behinl the distant corner
of the terrace and stood leaning
against the baustrade looking up at
the house.
For a moment or two he stood per-
fectly motionless, his face turned from
her. The figure was tall and wrapped
in travelling ulster.
The air and bearing of the figure,
even as it leant against the balustrade
in perfect incidence, were eloquent
of command, and Joan was picturing
to herself what the face might be
like when he turned and the moon
light falling full upon his features,
made further conjecture unnecessary.
1t was strikingly handsome face,
the handsomest Joan had even seen;
slightly pale, with a heavy mustache
and large grave eyes: it was the face
of gentleman, an aristocrat
! Joan, though she knew so little OF
the world, recognized the hallmark by
instinct
The next instant she heard his
voice He had caught sight of the
shrunken figure of the old man stand
ing in the moonlight, and there rose
quiet demand from the proud lips
"Who goes there?"
"Merciful heaven!" gasped the old
man. lit is the earl!
Joan looked around with the wild
hope of flight, but it was impossible
unless she wished to be seen; and for
some strong though underlined reason
Joan felt that she would give much
suffer much, rather than glide out into
the moonlight under the CLEAN OF
those lordly eyes.
She must watt
To be Continued.