Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-03-07

morning feed. and great sob, which
seemed 10 shake the wheie of his massive
frame, escaped from his chest.
As he rode mp ,he tgJad avenue leading
through tae park at LGngdale, his keen
ewes distinguished ahe erect figure of the
young earl pacing up and down the ter
race. The earl at the same time caught
sight 81 aim, and he at once descended
the steps with evident perturbation in
his lace as6 manner.
is there anything wrong anything
the nFatuer at Heathcote-with Minnie ?"
he gssped. Il have not been able to
sheep SIl night for heavy feeling of ds
preston of coming evil, which took all
desire of sleep from me, ] was just
about to send messenger up to the
farm"
Without reply, the farmer slowly dis
mounted. and then. drawing Minnie's let
ter from his breast pocket, placed it IN
the hand of the eXpectant bridegroom.
She has gone" he said hoarsely.
Your letter may explain more fully, but
in mine she only says she has been conf
PEELED to leave us through some act of
folly of her own"
Langdale looked at the letter he held
1 in his hand. and then at the farmer, in a
! half -dazed manner.
What do you say" he asked. "She
! is gone? Where has she gone to? Why
! don't YOU answer. man? Have you sud
denly become bereft of Your senses 2
| Don't YOU know this is her wedding day.
| that today she becomes Countess of
! Langdale? No touch of scandal must
besmirch that name, man, so hasten
after her and bring her back"
Read" groaned the old man, pointing
to the letter.
! This seemed to bring back the earl To
! his senses. and he tore open the envelope.
when small, gittering object fell on
/ the gravel at his feet.
/ Mechanically he stopped and picked it
up. and an exclamation of dismay burst
/ from his lips, for he recognized the
chaste diamond hoop he had given her as
an engagement ring but a few short
! weeks before.
Then he turned to the letter itself, but
4 though he read it over and over again
he was as puzzled to arrive at its mean
ing rs John Merton had been on reading
/ his own,
w nat ta3tS she SAY ASKED lUt
farmer nj last, unable TO longer restrain
his impatience.
Il will read it TO you. and if you can
solve the mystery, ! pray you do so
John Merton, | never thought there could
be any mystery attached to Minnie but
il seems I was mistaken. Heaven only
knows how much! There Is a mystery
here. black and te1Tible-a mystery whicg
~
ulate unless it can be solved. And solved
ii shall be, l swear, as surely as my
name j. Walter Sayille. She talks lightly
of leaving us, but she cannot get very
far: we live in the days of private detec
tiYes and telegraphs. We shall have hei
back with us within twenty four hours
Mr. Merton, and then we shall learn tht
meaning OF her mad flight
Perhaps it would he better we never
did So" said the other modify. Minnie
my daughter, pure, and open, and above
suspicion, is all the werld to me. but my
heart as steeled against any other, NJ
one at whom the finger of suspicion cal
point must ever call me father"
What do you mean, MertOn?" de
manded the earl pough1y.
Simply what ] say, Lord Langdale
By her conduct and by her words she hal
caused grave doubts to arise I'M my mind
and T.
Silence, old mani 9ou are in you
Idotage1" the other cried fiercely DO no
utter words now that in The future yo,
may-nay, willbe ashamed of YoI
know your daughter is as pure, as spot
less. as any babe in its cradle, and how
dare Won, her father, be the first to rails,
your voice against her fair fame? ] haC
thought TO be proud of you az "a noble
type of the trueborn Englishman, but
now | am ashamed of You"
Perhaps | am wrong, my lord. / hav,
not read your letter said the distracted
father "'As heaven is my witness,
would sooner have my tongue torn out
by the roots than | would utter one WORD
against my child; but in my letter she
accuses herself in words that, / fear. car
convey but one meaning"
Let me see your letter. Here is mine ,
said the earl.
Minnies letter to I.angdale was shorter
than that to her father, and only tended
to confirm his conviction that, previous
to meeting his lordship, she had beer
| guilty of a secret ENHANCEMENT with
some person she had been ashamed te
acknowledge openly, and that this per.
son, possessing some hold upon her. ha d
appeared upon the scene at the very last
moment and forbidden her marriage.
TO BE CONTINUED.
La