Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-02-14
CHAPTER IIl.-fcontinued.l


than usual, and had not brought his sis
ter Esther. who was to have met him at
the Golden Cross" He had come home
by way of Elsfeld, having something to
deliver there, and had given a lift to
old Shepherd Wakeling; but that could
nave naught to do with it.
1t was now getting dark, and the
squire every moment grew more and
more uneasy. Keep all this nonsense to
yourself now, Grips" he said, as he
slowed the bag under a tub, and care
iuiiy covered his daughters hair, and
tne piece of paper, with straining sieve;
~ might annoy me very much if this
Joke went any further, you know.
can trust Thomas to hold his tongue, and
nope can trust you, neighbor Cripps."
Tour honor knoweth what | be" an
s"ered the loyal carrier. Ever since
We're boy-but there, they all knows
what / be-"
master Grips, with his brain "a good
piece doiled," as he afterwards said of
-, MADE his way back to the cart. lie
.ooX up the reins, and made little -four
ISM with his brass-bound whip, and Dob
ON put up his head, and started with
MS most convenient foot.
dunno what to make of this here
START; said Grips to himself, and his
morse and cart, as soon as he had smit-
ten his broad chest long enough to arouse
circulation. Seemeth to me a queer
thing truly But l never were hand
at riddle. Wugg then, Dobbin. Wun'not
go home to-nightT'
Meanwhile the old SQUIRE. with a
troubled mind, kept talking and walking
about, and listening for the rumble of
bis sisters carriage, the clank of horses
noofs, and the ring of wheels upon the
frozen road. He could not believe that
any one in the world would hurt his dar-
ing Oracle. Everybody loved her so,
and the whole parish was SO fond of her,
and she had such way of easing every
ones perplexities, that if any villain
burst even think of touching a hair of
her blessed head-yet whose hair was it
whose hair was it? And such a guam
tity as never could have been cut with
Der consent!
This is too much! cannot bear it,
he said to himself, after many a turn,
and anxious search of the distance;
"Joan's carriage should have been here
long ago. My darling wouiu have made
them keep their time. l cannot stop
here; l must go to meet them. But /
Heavy snow-clouds had been gathering
all the afternoon; and as he passed
through a side gate into the lane, and
turned his mares head eastward, the for
ward fakes were borne by the sharp
wind into his white whskers. I'VE shall
have coarse night of it, | doubt" he
said to himself, as he buttoned his coat.
At every turn of the lane he hoped to
cic oA
after corner he turned, and met no car
riage, no cart, no horse, nor even so
much as man afoot; only the snow
getting thicker and sharper, and the
wind beginning to wall to it.
Fear struck colder to his heart than
frost, as he turned the last corner of his
way, without meeting presence or token
of his sister or darling daughter. In the
deepening snow he drew his horse up
under the two great yew trees that over
hung his sisters gate, and fumbled in
the dark for The handle. The bell in
the porch of the house changed deeply,
and the mastiff heavily bayed at him:
but he had to make the bell clang thrice
before any servant appeared.
''Who be you thereT' at last a gruff
voice asked, without stretch OF courtesy
open the gate, you young oaf," cried
the Squire. II suppose are one of
the new lot. Ell? No 20 know me,
Worth Oglander"
"Why couldn't you have said so then?'
the surly fellow answered, as he slowly
opened one leaf of the gate.
Such a fellow wouldn't be with me
half a day. Are you too big for your
work, sir? Run on before me, you pie
crust in pumps, or you shall taste my
whip, SIR
The footman, for once in his life, took
his feet up and ran in buster of rage
and terror to the front door. Mr.. Og-
lander struck his mare, aud she started
SO that he scarcely pulled her head up
under the coigne of his sisters porch.
What is all this, ] would beg to
know? If you think to brighten me, you
are mistaken. Oh, Worth. is it? Worth,
whatever do you mean by making such
g commotionT
Three or four frightened maids were
peeping, safe in the gloom of the en-
trance hall: while the lady of the house
came forward bravely in the lamp light.
Il will speak to You presently, JOAN"
said the Squire, as he vainly searched,
with falling heart, for some dear face
behind her. Here. Bob, know you at
any rate; take the old mare to the sta
ble."
Then, with a sign to his sister, he fol-
lowed her softly into the dining ROOM
At a glance he saw that she had dined
alone and he fell into chair and could
not speak.
Have you brought back the stock
ings? Why, how i'll you look! The cold
has been too much for you, brother. You
should not have come out. What was
Grace doing to let"
where is my daughter Grace?"
"Your daughter Gracel My niece
Grace! Why, at home in her fathers
house, to be sure! Worth, are your wits
wandering
when did Grace leave your
"At 3 O'clock yesterday. How can
you ask, when you sent in such hot haste
for herr Yc., might be quite sure that
she would not linger , thought it rather
let me tell you"
II never sent for Grace. / have not
seen her"
M-s. hermitage looked at her brother
steadily, with one hand fencing her fore
head. He answered her gaze with such
eyes that she came up TO him, and began
TO tremhle,
Il tell you, Joan, never sent for
Grace If you don't know where she is
e-none but God knows"
Il have told you ALL" his sister an
swered catching her breath at every
word almost-'a letter came from you,
overruling the whole of our arrangement
you were not i'll; but you wanted her
for some particular purpose. She was to
walk. and you would meet her; and walk
she did, poor darling. And / was SO
hurt that l would not send"
You let her so, John. You let her
60, 1t was piece of your proud tenn
per. Her death lies at your door. And
SO win mine"
Mr.. 0glf lder was very sorry. as soon
ms lie had spoken thus urjustly; but the
deep pang of the heart deyoured any
uualms Of conscience.
Are You sure that you let her go
-,,ra SNa = NOT in TbfS