Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-07-02
Continued.

man Lord Kildonan declined to go. He
examined the late agents papers and
went through his books, and whatever
errors he found he took the blame of,
as indeed he felt bound to do when he
discovered that Crosmont had in no
way enriched himself by his breach Of
trust. Every penny he could spare
from his own salary, or squeeze out Of
supposed insolvent tenants, or alb
stract by any means from any source,
had been squandeIed by Lady XII.
.donan at the gambling-table in the
half-dozen clandestine visits she had
paid to Liverpool during the course of
the winter.
There were graver accusations than
these Whispered against the late agent,
and there were half score OF tongues
about which a word from tn master
would now have set going. But not a
word would Lord K;ldonan hear. The
dead man could not answer, and there
fore he must not be accused. AS for
the living partner Of the wrong he had
done, she should be arraigned when
her health permitted; but she could
1T be questioned upon facts which
the present had passed out OF her
nd, leaving nothing but blank be-
ID
III, while her limbs regained some Of
cir vigour. and her face much of its
auty, Lady Kildonan remained men,
ly in exactly the same state OF
ildish oblivion OF everything but
occupation of the moment, both
..er husband and tho doctor agreed re-
luctantly enough, that some attempt
must be made to brlhg her back to rea-
son and remembrance. Armathwaite,
therefore. on the occasion of one of his
visits about three weeks after the ac-
cident. led the conversation in such a
manner as TO introduce the name Of
Ned Crosmont.
ooh. yes" she said, smiling, 81
haven't seen Ned today. But he is
going to drive me into Branksome this
afternoon to get some new tennis
balls"
Armathwaite laid his hand upon her
arm. Listen to me. Lady Kildonan,
he said very gravely, foreseeing al
ready that his words would have lit.
tie effect; II have something very sad
to tell you about Mr.. Crosmont. He is
i'll. seriously ILL.,"
She looked with child-like stare in
to his face and shook her head.
ed" she said confidently, as IL after a
moments thought. II saw him yester-
day--no. this morning-at any rate.
quite recently. though l can't remem-
Der for the moment exactly when 1t
was" she added, holding her hand to
her forehead and looking rather pug
zled, "But he's quite well, know"
He made few more efforts to bring
her memory back, bnt quite in vain:
the terrible events which had had
such fatal consequences both to her
and to Crosmont had faded out OF her
mind so utterly that not even vague
sense as of an evil dream remained be-
hind
Then Lord Kildonan sent for tw
eminent physicians, who came dow
from TOWN to consult upon her cast
But there was nothing to be done ana
they/could hold out little hope OF a
cye( Both brain and spine were az.
fected. and the once active and 1.-the
limbed Lady Kildonan was now re-
duced. by the shock to mind and body,
to the condition of lame child She
could walk about the house, but II was
with fatigue and difficulty which
quickly became HNin. and gradually
she grew used to depending upon her
husbands arm for support, and to al
lowing him to drive her about the
country in her little pony-carriage. The
old Seotchman was as patient with her.
as tender, as watchful, as a mother
over weakly babe. No caprice could
irritate. no petulance weary him. He
was no longer the yearning. timid,
over-indulgent husband; he was the
kind. wise. devoted father of an in.
valid child. She had so completely
lost her memory that her lameness
was wholly unaccountable to her. and
caused her the plaintive bewilderment
of an animal that has got injured in a
trap. But when cloud came over
her face on finding that, after a few
steps. she was tired and must rest. the
assurance from her husband that she
would be "all right in a few days"
would always bring the smiles back TO
her face again.
So her punishment. tragic as it
seemed to the onlookers. fell lightly
upon her, Her buoyant animal ma
ture. shaken free, by the shock she had
sustained, of the vice which had been
her ruin. helped her to bear her affiic-
ton with the resignation OF lame
dog, who, forgetting quickly the SEN
sations of the old days when he
secured the fields after rabbits, and
leaped up ioyously as high as his mas
ter's shoulders, takes quietly 10 the
peaceful joys of the warm hearth anf
the sunny doorstep, and dozes the n
mainder OF his life away in comfort
able content.