Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-10-24
CHAPTER V

Before leaving the city George OBJ
tanned a promise from his friend, Sigis-
mund Smith. Whatever tidings Mr..
Smith should at any time hear about
the Sleafords he was to communicate
Immediately to the young surgeon of
Graybridge.
George Gilbert's last words had rela-
ton to this subject; and all the way
home he kept debating in his mind
whether it was likely the Sleafords had
really gone to California, or whether the
idea had been merely thrown out with
a view to the mystifcation of the irate
landlord.
II hope that foolish Sigismund won't
meet Miss Sleaford again." George
thought, very grayely; she might be
silly enough to marry her, and I'm sure
she'd never make a good wife for any
man"
Early in the following spring the
young man received a letter from his
very discurs:vely about his own pros
poets and schemes, and gave his friend
a brief synopsis of the romance he had
just begun. George skinned lightly
enough over this part of the letter; out
as he turned the leaf by and by, he saw a
name that brought the blood to his face.
He was vexed with himself for that in
voluntary blush, and sorely puzzled to
know why he should be so startled by
an unexpected sight of Isabel Sleafords
name.
you made me promise to tell you
anything that turned up about the Slea-
ford's," Sigismund wrote. You'll be
very much surprised to hear that Miss
Sleaford came to me the other day here
in my chambers, and asked me if l
could help her in any way to get her
living. She wanted me to recommend
her as a nursery governess, or something
of that kind, If knew of any family in
want of such a person. She was stay
ing with a sister of her stepmother, she
told me; but she couldn't be a burden
on her any longer. Mrs Sleaford and
the boys have gone to live in Texas.
Poor Sleaford is dead. You'll be as
much astonished as | was to hear this.
Isabel did not tell me this at first: but |
saw that she was dressed in black, and
when l asked her about her father she
burst out crying and sobbed as if her
heart would break. l should like to
have ascertained what the poor fellow
died of and all about it-for Sleaford
was not an old man, and one of the
most powerful looking fellows l ever
saw-but ! could not torture lizzie with
questions while she was in such a state
of grief and agitation. I'm very sorry
you've lost your father, my dear Miss
Sleaford,' | said; and she sobbed out
something that | scarcely heard, and l
got her some cold water to drink, and
it was ever so long before she came
round again, and was able TO talk to
me. Well. 1 couldn't think of anybody
that was likely to help her that day:
but / took the address of her aunt's
house and promised to call upon her
there in day or two, l wrote by that
days post to my mother, and asked her
if she could help me; and she wrote
back by return of mail to tell me that
my uncle, Charles Raymond. at Con-
ventford, was in want of just such a per-
son as Miss Sleaford (of course ] had
endowed Isabel with all the virtues I'M
der the sum, and if | really thought
Miss S. would suit. and | could answer
for the perfect responsibility of her con-
nections and antecedents-it isn't to be
| supposed that l was going to say any
thing about rent, or that l should own
that Isabefs antecedents were lolling i'll
garden-chair reading novels, or going
on suspicious errands to the jeweler-
why, l was to engage Miss s. at one
hundred dollars year salary l went
that very, afternoon, although l was
number and a half behind with The
Demon of the Galleys' ('1'he D. of the
G. is a sequel to The Brand upon the
Shoulderblade;D and the poor girl began
to cry when l told her I'd found a home
| for her.
I'm afraid she's had great deal of
trouble since the Sleafords left Gambler
well, for she isn't at all the girl she
was. Her step-mother's sister is vul-
gar woman who lets lodgings. and there's
only one servant-such a miserable sla-
vey; and Isabel went to the door three
times while | was there. You know
| my Uncle Raymond, and Jon know what