Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-05-21
Continued.

Inc CTdSS, DuC on the LnlrQ, the DAY
Of the dinner-party, he was shocked
and surprised to see Lord Kildonan's
phaeton stopping before the mouse of
the woman who, according to Uncle
Hugh, was in the habit of going to
Liverpool in the train by which Ned
Crosmont travelled Lord Kildonan
was quite alone, having dispensed with
the services of a groom. He was de-
scending from the carriage at the mo-
ment when he caught sight of the
young doctor, and waiting for him to
come up, he asked if he had few
minutes to spare.
yes, | am quite at your service"
said Frank, very much impressed by
the marked alteration he noticed in
the old lords manner.
"Win you get into the phaeton,
then, and when | have made a call,
which won't take me long, we will
drive little way together"
Frank agreed, and watched the old
ScOtchman attentively as he knocked
at the door of the house, which was
opened by a tall, espectable-looking
woman, with hard, mean face. Lord
Kildonan seemed to have grown sud-
denly older; his head was more bent
his step was slower, but his gait had
lost all it's usual ambling awkward
ness, and his face and manner, while
missing much of the old easy good
humour had gained an unsuspected
dignity. Frank waited for his reap
pearance with much anxiety and cur
iosity as to the means by which this
change had been brought about; but
he did not learn the whole truth until
much later.
The fact was that Mr.. Hugh Cros-
mont, growing more and more indig-
nant as the news he received from the
Lake side showed that his nephew was
getting day by day more harassed and
morose, while his wife, under his
treatment, lost daily more of life and
energy, made up his mind, since advice
and warnings to Ned were alike use
less, to communicate to Lord Kildonan
himself his surmises that all was not
right with the young agent. He had
a very high opinion of the old Scotch
mans rectitude and sense of justice,
and believed that he would judge the
indiscretions of youth with mildDess.
Uncle Hugh was not without doubts
whether, if he investigated deeply,
Lord Kildonan might not find errors
in the agents accounts; but he felt
certain that these would only become
graver by delay, and that the sooner
the growing evil was stopped, the bet
ter it would be for landlord, tenants,
the agents wife and the agent himself.
SO he wrote a careful and guarded let
ter to Lord KildOnan reminding him
that he had done a rather incautious
thing in putting so much responsible
ity upon such inexperienced shoulders
as Ned's, expressing fear that the
young fellow had got under the in
fiuence of injudiciously-chosen COM
panions, and recording the fact, for
what it was worth, that he had seen
woman, whose address Uncle Hugh
gave, go up in the same train with
him on his journeys to Liverpool. He
recommended his nephew to merciful
consideration, not only on account of
his youth and of his undOubted in
dustry and energy but because of the
deep depression and anxiety from
which it was evident that he was af-
fecting his bodily health. 1t was al
together a kind and manly letter; and
Lord Kildonan, who received it on the
Saturday morning, was moved by it,
not merely into emotion, but into &C
ton.
Forgetting the extreme feebleness
of his health, in which he had been en-
cOuraged to believe, he spent that day
in driving about the estate, personally
collecting details as to the treatment
of the tenants, and the next, after
asking for a dispensatiOn for such
employment of the Sabbath, in cOllat-
ing such information as he had OBJ
tanned, as a preliminary to asking
Ned CrOsmont for the books, as he in
tended to do in such a manner as to
allay suspicion. On the Monday morn
ing he telegraphed to two banks at
Liverpool where he kept drawing
account, and where he kept various
securities, for a statement of his af-
fairs with them. By return telegram
came information which left him in no
doubt that certain Of the securities
had been withdrawn without his
knowledge, ridiculously easy matter,
since Lord Kildonan had allowed them
to be entered in his agents name. 1t
was at this point Of his Investigations
that Lord Kildonan, already much
shaken by his discoveries, had availed
himself of the information given by
Uncle Hugh to visit the woman who
it might be presumed, had Influenced
Ned in his misdeeds. He was in the
house altogether about twenty min
utes, during which Frank ATmath-
waite waited in the phaeton with
much Impotence and anxiety.
When at last the house-door opened
and Lord Kildonan appeared, after
the first glance Frank scarcely dared
to look at him. If he had looked
changed that morning, now he seemed
to be transformed. Hardly trace OF
the Lord Kildonan of a week ago was
left in this erect, determined old man,
with hard, cold eyes. and mouth shut
like hasp Behind him stood the
woman, holding the door wide open
with great obsequiousness, and look
inc extremely we'll satisfied with the
result of the interview. She even