Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-12-17
SO NEARLY LOST
II SSEEsE
By CHlELxs GAnvIon

said Royce; and he crossed over to
nm and inquired about his leg.
me table was lad tor supper, and
Emily iooAed from II to Royce.
"Youll stay and have some supper,
MIR. Roger" she said.
he accepted ,ne invitation with a
bow Fortune was clearly on his side.
But fer the TWO accidents-ol the at
tack by the drunken exquisite and the
slipping down steps-he might have
waved for months before he could
have gained an entrance TO the house.
Ine supper was plain enough, bu,
Royce noticed that it was elegantly
served. Joan had taught them some
tnIng Of her own refinement. He va
an acute tactIcian. Some men would
nave fahen into ,-.a mistake OF paying
her marked attention. He scarcely
addressed her, deyo.ing himself az
parently entirely TO l4n.ly and the old
man, and only by chance, as 1t seemed,
d4d no speak to Joan.
Il hope your leg Wal soon get BETTE
Mr. Harwood," he SAID. but am
afraid you will not be able to use ii
for a day or two. | shall take it as a
great favor if you will permit me to
see Miss Emily safe in her cab when
she leaves the theater until you aie
able TO go on duty again"
ooh, Miss Emily can take care of
herself" said the young lady.
IL know that" said Royce, with q
smile Il asked it as a favor. | pass
the theater about closing time on the
way home from my club" he added,
unblushingly, ''and | shall look cut
for you"
The old man expressed his thanks,
and Emily nodded, but Joan said moth
ing.
He shook hands with tho father and
daughter. just clasped Joan's ex-
tended fingers respectfully, and then
took leave of them.
When Joan got upstairs to her own
room--a pretty little apartment
daintily furnished-the handsome face
of Mr.. Mordaunt Royce haunted her,
and his voice rang vaguely in her ears
not pleasantly, Lut with a persistence
which refused to be put aside.
She looked at herself in the glass
with faint shudder, and holding W
her right hand, regarded it with a
doubtful smile.
II can feel his fingers round mine,
she murmured, half annoyed, half per
: picked by the idea; "and as If they
were not to be shaken off,"
Then there flashed upon her mind
the remembrance of the man she haC
loved. She would have given her sou
! for him-would have asserted his
truth and faith in the face of heaven;
. and he had been treacherous and false
ana striven to ruin her, body and soul.
i IAN men are wicked and base" she
murmured. flush upon her face, hel
lips set tightly. why should this
man. Mordaunt Royce, be any different
from the rest? | hate them all-al
save one!-and him l should hate
more than all others!"
CHAPTER XIV.
Moroaunt Royce found himself in
the moonlight, with strange sense OF
| bewilderment.
J Something had happened to him!
He had discovered Joan Ormsby, and
} the game by which he was to win two
/ millions had begun. Yes: but some
, thing more than that had happened to
him. What was it? In all his life he
had never felt so strangely: his
usually clear brain seemed clouded
and misty; he could not sketch out
his course as was usual with him
his mind refused to work, as it were.
He tried to work out his scheme as
he paced along the now silent and de
serted streets. but no could not
succeed in concentrating his attention
upon his plot, because there rose be,
fore HIM the face of the girl he was
going to entrap. Her beauty had
taken his senses and benumbed his
brain,
The following evening. about eight
O'Clock. he went down to the Crescent
and called upon Mr.. Harwood He
knew that the girls were at the
theater, of course, ana he felt that
Joan would appreciate his delicaey in
calling while ,aey were out.
The old man was pleased TO see him,
and much honored by visit from such
a swell as Mr.. Mordaunt Royce: and
Royce put on us most genial manner
and smoked cigar. aud d. ana htt.s
whisky and water. chatting with the
old masAmaker as il he had known
him for years
He sat with him for an hour. then
when he rose to go he said:
Well. I hope you will soon be
better, Mr. Harwood I'm afraid you'll
get rather moped aud sore kept a
prisoner in the honse. When you can
bear 70 be moved you must let me
take yen for drive. I'VE got very
easy phseton that won. shake you.
You must go down to Richmond with
me- and have BIT Of lunch. It's as
pleasant down there In winter as il is
IN tAe summer. almost"
Really. you're very kind. sir" said
tie old man, gratefully. But l
sheuldn't ike to take up your time"
rinie.' laughed Royce. EsnlalIy.
7 have 10 much Of that don't know