Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-03-12
GWoman' S Face
FLORENCE WARDEN

80 ~e
don't know whether l am right"
You are always right-dear, good
old Millie," said Frank, huskily. THAT
escapade is a secret. Of course; but it
is not a discreditable one, believe me-"
Mile was very sweet and SYM
pathetic, but she was not g~uileless
enough to be satisfied like that.
Il hope it is not" she said, with
emphasis.
Wont you believe me?"
Il don't know much about secrets"
she answered, obviously; "but have
my theories. | incline to think that
a woman's secrets are generally not
much to her credit, and that a mans
are still less to his. And that when a
man and a woman have the same
secret, it's very much to the discredit
of both of them"
And if there IS no woman in the
case?"
eff there were not, l should not be
troubling you now"
Miss Peele, you are doing me the
greatest injustice"
Indeed, l hope that nobody else
may. But I am afraid you will find
that I am not more %censorious than
my neighbours"
Armathwaite turned ashy white.
The thought that he might have been
seen following Alma Crosmont on her
midnight walk, and of the hideous cOn
struction which would be put upon
such an incident, u~nnerved him com
pletely.
"Millie, Mile, this is not like you!"
he said at last, in a very low voice.
Indeed, Frank, | had hoped it was
not like you"
And do you mean to say you think
it impossible for any man, ever in
whom you had the greatest confidence,
to have a secret connected with a
woman in which there was nothing
but what was honorable to both?"
1T depends on the woman" said
she, rather CURLY.
What with such a woman AS"
He stopped just in time, but.his tone
Of hot Indignation was eloquent
enough. Miles face relaxed into a
smile. She came a step nearer to
him and whispered apologetically, and,
at the same time, with great relief:
That's all right! Oh, Frank, l was
so dreadfuIly afraid it was-somebody
else"
1t was now Armathwaite's turn tc
be cold, for he saw hat he had been
tricked.
Il hadn't given you credit for sc
much ingenuity, Miss Peele," he said
getting very red.
ooh, l couldn't help it, Frank! Let
me explain, and then perhaps, you
won't be SO angry" she %entreated, de.
tanning him as he turned to walk away,
sit down here and listen to me fO1
two minutes" He obeyed very re
Iuctantly, taking his place beside he1
in the window-seat, to the great de
light of poor Mrs. Peele, who had
heard nothing yet about the lOve-leu
ter, and who still fondly cherished the
hope of SETTLING" Mile by marrying
her to the man who was to be hel
fathers successor. The girl Their
went on: There are living here two
women so pretty and attractive that
man can't know them both and be in
| sensible to both unless he is restrained
by some other strong attraction
Though they are both married, they
are only the more dangerous, as
neither is married happily. You came
here quite free, and a good deal in
clined to be bored by your surround
ings. From the very first evening I
knowing all this, knowing how strange
ly you had met both ladies on your
arrival, and guessing that they in
1uenced you in your decision to stay
couldn't help watching for some re
suit of it all. Some little things
noticed very soon. Any allusion tt
The Crags or to Ned Crosmont's in
terested and excited you; you grew
every day more distracted and indif
ferent to other things, more on the
alert to those two. | grew desperately
anxious to know which of the two haC
the greatest interest for you. FRS
| thought the one, then | feared the
other; | could never be sure; ant
when-when you went out-at nigh
II was afraid"
Her voice had sunk to a timit
whisper, and she hung her head. Aftel
a few moments silence, during which
! he caressed her head affectionately
| she spoke again, looking him full il
the eyes with earnest frankness.
"You must not think me bold il
speaking to you like this, Frank.
! have never had a brother, and you
seemed to become one to me directly
! and 7 felt as l should have felt if yol
had been a sailor out on the sea il
a great storm. You might have the
! chance to do something SO brave, 81
! noble. that l should be proud of it al
nv life: but you might, on the othe.
! hand. be swept overheard without be
inc able to make an effort to save
yourself. And so was afraid"
And you are satisfied now" askeC
Armathwaite rather puzzled.
yes"
But you know very little more thar
you did before!"
Il know this, that it is the good in
1uence, and not the bad, which is owe
you"
81 see, then, you look upon me as
mere shuttle-cock, good or bad accord
! ing to the hands it is played with"
"Well, you know, many a brave maj