Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-05-28
Continued.

COuLIIu6u'
She looked more brilliantly beautiful
than he had ever before seen her;
dressed in p~earIy-white silk embroider-
ed with gold, a little more handsomely,
without doubt, than most ladies who
give dinner-parties in the country, she
looked more like an idealized picture
of a queen than q fesh-and-blood
provincial beauty. Armathwaite felt,
as he looked at her. that he could not
stand by and see this lovely woman
u her dainty head into a moose, even
if it were prepared by the most
cruelty deceived husband in the world,
without an effort TO make her avoid
her danger. He hoped with all his
heart, as he ran towards him, that she
was going to OverWhelm him with ac-
cusations, r~epreaches, to tell him that
she had discovered that a trap had
been set for her, and to taunt him
with being concerned in it.
He was disappointed, ashamed, mis-
cradle, when she reached him in an
atmosphere of faint perfume from the
dLoiC1S OI liz VI CooI, III ILL ooL DONll
her hands into his with a laughing
welcome.
Il am glad you have come first. l
told you a quarter Of an hour earlier
than the others that you might be here
first, because l want to talk to you.
Sit here"
She half swung him round, being
nearly as muscular as she was grace
full. on to the sofa where she had been
sitting, and placed herself beside
him.
Now" she said, don't you think
am sweet to you, considering that
you spend your time persuading my
husband that I want to poison him,
and inventing all sorts of other &C
cusations against me quite as base
less?"
But she did not look sweet; she
looked reckless and fercely defiant,
and her hands burned with fever,
while on his close inspection in the
candlelight Armathwaite saw that the
brilliant glow Of her eyes and cheeks
was hectic and unwhOlesOme.
81 have never brought an accusation
of any kind against you, Lady Kill
DOMAIN" Then he added, boldly, look.
ing her straight in the face, Nobody
accuses you; but your own acts do"
What acts what acts? I don't
understand you" she said, restively
curving her white throat with a proud
bend.
ooh, Lady Kildonan, you are toe
clever to misunderstood me-"
Indeed, you overrate my intelli
gence as much as you undervalue both
my integrity and my humility. For
| am not a woman to be lectured. And
to tell you the truth. lectures are
thrown away upon me. I am not like
other women; upon them, like harps.
you can produce, with a little skill
any air you will. | am like an
Aeolian lyre-wild, irresponsible, that
sounds only to the music of the winds
And perhaps the worst wind, the f1erc
set, the most destructive, plays the best
upon me. I tell you, don't care;
must live my life as I will, or as the
winds will. Do you understand"
She rose. and looked down upon him
with wilful. imperial h%aughtiness,
leaning with her hand upon the high
carved white marble manteIpiece.
81 wish I did not" said Frank
gravely.
"And now" she went on, more light
~, without a moments heed of the
solemnity and anxiety of his man
ner, care you or are you not curious tc
know why wanted to see you?"
Il should be very glad to know
said Frank, rising too, that he might
look down instead of up at her.
"Well then, I want to see YOU as g
patient. am really i'll at last. CON
not sleep. or when Y do I have frioht
full dreams. My hands always burr
like this" She laid a hot palm on the
back of his hand. MY head is always
hot and heavy, and I cannot keeI
still. I seem just for these last few
days to be on fire day and night too.
feel as if something would burst in my
head. Now that cart be right. and i
is what your beautiful peaceful cOun
try life has brought me to. I tell you
the ennui of it is so great that I dom
care what happens TO change it, as my
husband will find some dav, and be
fore very long. too. if he doesn't TAX,
care. DO you believe me now when
tell you must go away. I must have
a change, and that if he won't take me
T."
Armathwaite interrupted her.
eyes, yes; don't 20 on or YOU will
say more than you mean. Listen.
see that you are not well. that the
life you are leading is not GOOD fo1
you. But whose fault is that?"
"Yours-my husband's-mv father.
the fault of everyone who wishes o,
has wished to keep me in this stag
nant place." burst out the lady Will
passion.
mo, Lady Kilfonar; it is your own
I can't talk platitUdes to YOU now
You have made excitements for your
self of the most dangerous kind"
She started, and tu med in a momen
quite white.
"What-what do you know? No
what do You mean?" she stammered
drawing her breath heavily. "Hov
dare your"
81 am only daring to tell you tn,
truth. You are running your health