Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-05-14

loud aside, which Mile affected to
ignore.
| Now l have a very strong sus-
picion," pursued Mile, that if he had
been allowed to remain quietly at Ned
Crosmont's, he would have remained
, so wrapt up in his little one that he
would have had never a thought to
spare for poor me. So l should like it
to be understood" continued the girl
merrily, but with a cetain under-cur-
rent of good-humored determination
that he will be allowed to philandeI,
however paternally, around a lady
who, l am not in position to deny,
rejoices in much straighter nose
than my good but plain visage can
boast"
''Oh, Mile, how can you be so IN
kind. Are you going to make dear old
Uncle Hugh dislike me?" cried poor
Alma, in really plaintive accents.
Il don't know, madam. 1t depends
a good deal upon your own conduct.
For l must tell you that he is no
! longer to be dear old Uncle Hugh l
am going to make a dashing young
fellow of him, to put little more TO-
nance into the thing So if you will.
remember this, and treat him, not as
kind old fogey-friend to be kissed
and petted, but as gay young
lutheran like my neighbour on the
left, and she gave laughing glance
at Armathwaite-"why then, 1 will
spare you, and write you out an order
to view my property. and say nothing
wOse Of you than that you are a good
creature enough, but frivolous. That's
the trump card Of US plain women you
know" said Mile. Everyone who is
better-lOOking is eaten up by frivol-
ity. So now l have put you on your
guard"
They all laughed, and Frank affect
ed much sympathy for the bridegroom
of such jealous termagant, and they
kept up a lively chatter, which cheered
Alma, until within few minutes Of
the time of Mrs. Peele's return. Frank
her return Journey AS he led her down
the garden-path towards it, he heard
her breathe a little sigh, and when he
! had helped her into the vehicle, he
stayed a moment by the door to beg
her not to be unhappy, and to ask
what troubled her. After little hes
; itation she said:
"That-that Mile said just now
about Uncle Hugh-she can't have
meant it, could she?"
tt almost think she did-a little, -
he answered reluctantly You see
poor, dear, good old Mile knows she
isn't handsome, and-and you are a
dangerous rival, even as a daughter
Mrs. Crosmont'
But Uncle Hugh, Uncle Hugh is
the only person in all the world who
loves me- murmured the poor lady in
a broken, scarcely audible voice.
| This was too much for Armath-
waite; he felt his very heart wrung
He thrust a strong warm hand into
, the carriage, and arrested hers On its
way to dry her eyes.
"Oh, l shouldn't think that
shouldn't trouble about that" he
whispered, gruf1ly. eff you haven't
got an uncle why-why there are
brothers about, you know, lots Of
! brothers, good brothers, who would
, who would punch a mans head, or do
anything kind; they would, indeed.
Don't cry. Promise to-hold up, and
-and-and-thing will all come right
: they will indeed"
Alma squeezed his hand violently,
and gave him a grateful look out of
her fearful eyes He smiled back at her.
biting his lip, and shut up the window
for her very softly, as if he had been
packing some fragile toy. He stood
for moment watching the fly as It
! drove off.
81 wish they wouldn't look like
that" he said to himself, in a vexed
! tone-"I do wish they wouldn't. 1t
makes a fool of a man. If she does
! it again, II shall have to go away.
It's quite as much as l can do not to
be a COMPOUNDED ass now-quite"
| And he re-entered the house briskly,
trying valiantly to shake off that odd,
unwelcome sensation
| To be continued.