Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-04-15

smiled into her muff with an air Of
happy power.
1.-The further he goes, the further
he'll have to come back, so I won't
look round" said the astute and expe-
rienced Miss Dennison; land the slow
er he is coming back the gurer he'll be
of missing his train. If he thinks he's
going to catch it tonight, when want
him to stay here, he's very much mis-
taken, the ridiculous old thing!"
Miss Denison began to reperuse the
boarding; it sheltered her pleasantly
from the wind.
"A hundred pounds reward!'
An unassuming little notice caught
her eyes. "Vivyella" as a subject is
capable Of exhaustion. Miss Dennison
welcomed change in literature with
alacrity.
AS she read Miss Dennison's face
portrayed curious panorama Of ex-
preston; her cheeks paled gradually.
The little notice bore a crown, and
was couched In terse and simple Ian
guage; it was an earnest invitation to
a one-eyed gentleman to return to his
sorrowing friends and guardians at the
convict prison across the marshes. It
concluded with thoughtful warning
to lonely and unprotected travellers as
to the gentleman's unprepossessing ap-
pearance and playful disposition.
Miss Dennison reread the bill with
interest no longer histrionic. The sea
mist was rising on the marshes. The
autumn dusk was suddenly closing in.
The charms Of meditation in the lonely
landscape seemed suddenly to have lost
their SAVIOR. Miss Dennison looked up
and down the road. Her despised be-
trothed had vanished into the mist.
The light Of the station glimmered
vaguely far on the horizon. On the
other side, three miles Of deserted road
lay between her and her hotel. In the
direction of the station lay nearer safe
ty-but humiliation; for we'll did Miss
Denison know that her strength lay
in her invulnerability. Let her once
lay down her scepter and her reign of
tyranny was over forever. For six
months she had enjoyed despotism;
was she now to eat humble pie and
cry out for protection? With Napo-
leonic resolution Miss Dennison turned
in the direction Of the hotel.
She took five steps; then far away
on the distant marshland, she saw
moving shadow. For the first moment
she assured herself it was but a fan
tasy of her imagination. Then the
shadow came nearer and resolved it
self into human figure-a shutting,
clumsy furtive figure, creeping with
bent head along the wall which sep
arated the barren pastures. Miss Den
niSon stood, arrested. The wind moan
ed and whistled around the boarding,
but she heard it not. Her eyes were
fixed on the strange figure advancing
from the mist. Presently it hesitated
and stopped short. Had it seen her?
Suddenly, with a cat-like swiftness, the
figure left the shelter of the wall, and
into the open field. With curious, swift
strides, it was covering the intervening
ground; in a few minutes it would
strike the open road beside her.
Miss Dennison cast one wild glance
along the road In vain. Then, with
a sudden shrek, she was beating a re-
treat toward the station as fast as fear
and the kindly wind could carry her.
Somewhere behind her a hoarse
voice shouted; somewhere behind her.
heavy footsteps fastened. With blind
eyes, Miss Denison fed on. Now the
lights of the station twinkled in the
gained which led there. Now-oh, rap
ture!-a tall, broad-shouldered and de-
spised betrothed turned and stood
amazed in the roadway, to see Minerva
fallen from her pedestal and running
after him!
"Save me!' said Miss Dennlson, and
flung herself, penitent, submissive,
reathless, In his arms.
Darling! here's some one coming
past! Wait a second till he's passed
us!'
Miss Dennison's betrothed, though a
lover, was an Englsshman.
Miss Denison opened her eyes faint
~.
Hes got your boa. See, he's COM
ing up to YOU"
Two embarrassed young people stood
still while a still more embarrassed
policeman approached them sheepish-
ly.
IT called to the young lady, but you
didn't seem to hear, miss. You drop
ped it just by boarding. was coming
across marsh and I see the wind take
it, and caught 1t as it flew across the
ratings yonder."
Miss DennisOn smiled Whitley; Miss
Dennison's betrothed thanked the po-
liceman more substantially. The po-
liceman continued to the station with
contentment in his tread.