Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-30

could retreat On the other hand the
lamp, with its dark green shade, cast
only small circle of bright light on
the table. and a still smaller one On
the ceiling above He withdrew into
the darkest corner of the room and
waited, standing upright and as still
as a statue.
The door-handle ratified and turned
and the door itself was pushed open
so very slowly that Armathwaite had
to battle with an impulse to take
three strides forward, pull it towards
him, and look round it at the intruder
At last a figure appeared, looking
hardly more solid than a shadow in
the gloom that filled every corner OF
the apartment beyond the little ring OF
the lamps light-a woman's figure
moving slowly and lightly over the
floor towards the inner room. Armath.
waite remained motionless until she
had drawn the curtain aside on its
rings and passed through; then he
stepped out from his corner and
passed to the other side of the room
AS he did so he saw in the gloom the
lady bend down over the head of the
sofa and kiss the forehead of the re.
cumbent man. -
Good night, my darling" he heard
Lord Kildonan murmur. And then
followed a soft woman's whisper:
Good night" A moment later the
curtain moved again, and the lady
returned, passing close by where he
stood without turning her head. She
crossed the room, opened the door,
and went out into the gallery, and it
was not until her footsteps had died
away that Armathwaite began to
breathe naturally again. He was still
standing with his face turned in the
direction of the closed door when he
was startled to hear Lord Kildonan's
voice behind him. The doctor con-
fronted the elder man with an express
sion of deep, unmistakable alarm.
"Why, what ais ye?" asked the old
Scotchman, and coming closer he
peered into the young mans face.
eye look as scared as lass, and your
face is wet and your hands are cold,
and altogether We look as if ye'd seen
a ghost. Did ye fall asleep, maybe,
and TAX my wife for a ghost?"
mo, indeed, I did not! 1 was afraid
finding me here might brighten her
ladyship, that was ALL" answered
Armathwaite, with smile which was
rather forced though he looked much
relieved. 'You had better not go out
into the draughty passages now,
Lord Kildonan," he continued, as the
elder man made his way to the door,
eff you want to send a message to her
| ladyship, let me take it,
Lord Kildonan looked rather sur
prised, but he turned back again, rub
bling his eyes and yawning as he shook
his head.
mo, no; I've nothing to say to her
that won't keep till tomorrow, and
tonight I'm so sleepy myself I'm fear
ing I shall ma keep awake much
longer-if, indeed, I'm quite awake
noo," he said dreamily as he sat down
in his large chair at the table and
rested his head on his hand. "There
was something so sweet in the touch
Of her lips on my face tonight, some
thing so tender, so gentle,' he muir
INJURED aloud-but to himself, not to
| the doctor-"that | thocht maybe she
felt kinder to me and began to feel
=" After a pause, he tossed his head
up suddenly, and passed his hands
over his head. "Ah, I'm an old fule, and
it's all the whisky, ma doot! But,
young man, wish ye were here to
mix my whisky every night, for we've
given me the sweetest dream I've had
for months past, though it did but
last for a minute!"
| Armathwaite shivered as he took
the hand Lord Kildonan held out to
him, gently helped him to rise, and led
him to his bedroom door. Then the
doctor disposed himself for a little
rest on the sofa, but not to sleep.
Sometimes in his hosts little suite of
rooms, sometimes softly pacing the gal
leries and corridors of the big house, he
kept watch until the morning. Stand
ing like a sentinel under the great
armour trophies in the hall, upon
which floating oil-lamp cast,
through the hours Of the night. faint
and murky light; mounting the wide
staircase in the shadow of ponderous
and doubtful old masters; creeping,
with the soft steps of a cat, along the
carpeted corridors of the upper floor;
and finally gazing with straining eyes,
as the struggling morning began to
dawn, through a small window which
commanded a view of the steep hill
and the entrance to the secret path
way; Armathwaite passed night so
| fraught with excitement, with doubt
and fear, with anger and yearning
pity, that when the morning broke
fully, and found him lying in an IN
easy sleep on the little sofa, old Lord
Kildonan, trotting in to look at him
and find out how he had slept, was
shocked at his appearance.
"Bless mel" he murmured to him
self, as without disturbing Frank he
crept back again with ungainly, cauti-
Gus steps, THAT young man works
too hard at his profession, or else hehas
not as clear a conscience as l should
have thought. In the morning light
he looks as old as do myself, though
I'm bound to say he doesn't look as
ugly"
But he could not know that he was
cooioo tho offoc+ of bic own urOn cS