Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-11-24
CHAPTER XIV.

~ AOsioSdA4IBly, lOf she 0du cOuUueu 10
him her dread of the awful occasion.
You are an old friend Of theirs, are
YOU not| Bertha was saying to the
captain. eve all think Miss Mailing
quite charming. l took to her from the
flrst; but, do you know, she is not easy
TO get on with. OF course she is all one
could wish as a hostess; but it is impos-
slble TO gush with her. She has a way
Of sitting all one says and showing up
anything that is absurd without certainly
IN the least intending to give offense.
1ou would hardly believe it. | dare say,
but L have adopted the habit of trying
to talk seriously when she is listening"
i think that is the greatest compli-
ment you could pay her. Will you adopt
the same practice with me?"
Il should not dare" she replied, with
mock gravity. "If | were to get a repu-
tation for seriousness | should probably
die an old maid. Men always prefer
frivolous takers for their wives There
IS the dinner bell. Are you to take me
DOWN."
Later in the evening Miss Collins drop
ped INTO a quiet corner and discussed
the things with the utmost freedom with
an intimate friend whom she had not
seen since the end Of the season. She
was describing the breaking UP of the
party when Pauiine's intended marriage
Lad been discovered.
Now tell me-could there be ANYTHING
more ridiculous than her running away
from her own house and marrying, or
Trying 10 marry, man secretly, when
thefe was no one to prevent her doing
II openly! My dear, you should have
seen our faces when Mrs. Seton read
us the note she had left behind, as we
cropped IN, one after another to lunch
con. AT first everybody looked very sur
prlsed and then the absurdity of the
whole proceeding struck us Why could
she not have been married properly? No
one could have OBJECTED to her marry
Ing that good-looking artist if she chose
to do so"
was she very much gone on him ?"
lawfully! 1t must have been a terri
bic blow to her when her husband turn
ed up"
Rather! Isn't It odd, his being
here:"
4 don't think so. He was very good
to Sir Godfrey when he was in lass
aliiuent circumstances, | believe"
MSS "Cciil Dlt mixed. From what
| could make out, he had believed him
ser Wldower, just as she had thought
herse1 a widow, until they met in the
church. Don't you think it probable
mat, While he was under the impression
that his wife was dead, he may have
mad liking for Miss Mallng?"
! believe you are right" Bertha re-
Piled, theoretically, "for l saw him look
ing at her before dinner with his heart
in his eyes"
1T IS certainly very strange that he
should have fallen In love with the girl
who was being kept out of her right
position by his own wife! 1t looks like
the finger of Fate, doesn't Though
which way the finger is pointing | can't
see"
As the guests, one after another, took
their departure Ethel felt her burden
tightening Her first party had been an
unqualified success, but she was none the
less glad to have it over Lord Sum-
mers stayed behind, talking earnestly
with Sir Godfrey.
l admit / was disappointed when !
heard that she had taken the family
jewels with her" he said, in aIlusion
to Pauline. I'm afraid she has iuber-
lted some of her fathers want of nrin-
clple, The Luftons were never particu-
larry distinguished for honesty. What
do you mean to do about it, Geoffrev p"
Nothing openly. l am In communio,-
ton with her waiting maid. who had
promised to let me know If there is anv
idea on Pauline's part of selling them
and | shall, unknown TO her, become the
purchaser"
An excellent idea and very eenar-
Gus one. BY the bye, as things have
turned out, how fortunate it is that the
engagement between our charming Ethel
and young Dornton was-"
He stopped suddenly as Ethel and
Pelllng came back from bidding farewell
TO Miss Collins. They both caught tha
drift of his words, and Ethel glanced at
FEELINGS face; but it was calmly nm
conscious. Thinking this a good opening
to talk of Jack, he said:
IF you are not too tired, I want r.
show YOU delightful style of title maze
that l came across this morning, 7
thought You might elaborate the idea for
for your Central Africa 1t is on this
table somewhere"
Il am afraid my share of Central
Africa will not be anything to be proud
Of" he replied with smile.
That is nonsense, and you know If
Captain Polling. l have made up nv
mind that your sketches are to be the
principal attraction of the book. If is
really unkind of you to make light of
your work after all our interest in itr'
That is just it." he returned. laDgb- |
ingly. I have become so accustomed
to working in company that l find |
can't move a step by myself"
You would not be offended Mt any
thing I should say for your good?"
Go on he said, and waited with
knitted brows for what she had to say.
Ethel, in her short life, had often had |
unpleasant tasks to perform but never
one so unpleasant as this
Gut OF your own mouth shall you be |
Judged, she began. smiling at him to |
hlde the trembling of her lips You |
say you have become so used to working |
IN company that you cannot move a step |
by yourself; but l say you must take the !
one needful step by yourself that will Sc
cure YOU good company to work in for |
the rest Of your life. Go to Paris Al |
once seek out your wife, and give her tba !
protection of your presence She will |
yield. You must not Judge her bv her !
words when You last met You had her |
at 4 cruel disadvantage. Think what an |
awful shock your sudden appearance |
must have been to her! 1t is very. very |
hard for me to say this to you, after all |
your kindness to us in the past; but you |
will not misjudge my motive l am |
speaking for your good. BY and by. when !
you are quite happy with each other, you |
will be thankful to me for sending you !