Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-09-01
CH PIER I.

feminine or all feminine ailments-a
presentiment. | have a horrible dread
that you will not come back to me just
the same as you leave me-"
Jack Dornton knew this was all very
foolish. He loved pretty Ethel MalIett
very dearly; so, instead of putting his
thought into words, he kissed the fearful
face and lovingly comforted her with
vows Of eternal constancy.
You know | needn't stay down there
until the pictures are finished, he said.
As soon as | have the sketches well
forward, | shall come back and complete
the larger pictures from them at home;
and, though | shall be working very
hard, that will not prevent you from
coming every day to watch my progress
and cheer Inc up for an hour or so in the
afternoon"
Ethel smiled-it was rather pitiful
attempt-and turned resolutey to the
breakfast table.
1t was good of voc to think of com
Ing to breakfast with US, 50 that we
might see the last of you before start
ing she said bravely, as she busted
herself with the coffee cups Mr. Nal
lett came down a few moments later,
and breakfast was got through with due
>
to emotion"
Shortly after the meal Jack was
tramping away-his portmanteau in one
hand and portable easel in the other
lie had been engaged to Ethel Mallett
Tor two months, and they were to be
married as soon as he could provide a
suitable home for her A fortnight after
he had obtained the reluctant consent of
RI
tain Lord Summers, attra cted by two
water colors of Jacks in a fashionable
gallery, had found him out and offered
him liberal commission to execute a
series of six pictures, the subjects to be
selected from the immediate neghbor-
hood of his lordships place in Exbrdge-
shire. Jack had jumped at the offer, see
ing that it would enable him to place
little Ethel in a home of her own two
months sooner than he anticipated.
so here he was, after a two hours
run, hard at work in the woods of NAL
lingford, skillfully and rapidly filling in
the leading features of Mallingford
House and its surroundings. While his
fingers were thus busy, he was recalling
the conversation he had had with Lord
Summers upon the place of bis first sub
ject.
Would you wish me to begin with
Summerheld?' Jack had asked, when
taking his final instructions from his
Lordship.
No; l should like to be at Summer
heid myself when you are there | think
you had better make Mallingford House
your f1rst subject 1t is about ten miles
from Summerfeld, and you can work
your way toward there. l shall be down
by the last week of July, and hope to
have the pleasure of showing you some
hospitality"
Jack bowed his thanks.
You Will be delighted with Mailing
ford his lordship went on 1T ia a
noble place, and | have rather peculiar
interest in the property. The late owner.
or faul Mailing, was a most eccentric
man, with very exalted notion of his
own importance as head of the house
lie had never married, and was mortally
offended with his brother Godfrey be-
cause he took unto himself a wife at the
age of thrty-eight without first consult
ing him. Poor Paul. He was a great
friend of mine; but I'm bound to confess
that he was of a most unforgiving dispo-
sition. Would you believe it, Mr.. Dorm
ton? He was so unjust as to dsinherit
Godfrey and leave the whole of his prop
erty to his only sisters only child Pau
line Luton. his will confirmed his rep
utatlon tor eccentricity, for he made even
her inheritance CONDITIONAL first upon
her taking the name of Mailing and.
secondly, upon her not marrying under
the age of twenty-five without her guar
dams approval and consent. A very
awkward thing for the guardian. | am
ihaf not t,l p a
see, should the young lady in ouestion
happen to fall in love with some poor
beggar Of a fellow. | could not consist
emily give my consent, and she would
have to give up either her love or her
position as owner of Mallingford ono
of the finest seats in the county"
In which case?" Jack said, interroga
lively.
IN which case the disinherited broth
er would have his own. But | am glad
to say that my charming ward will he
twenty-five in September and will then
be il a position to please herself in her
choice Of a husband-for which | am de-
youtly thankful, as it relieves me of
serious responsibility"
i can quite understand that"
Il was in hopes at first that I shouId
not be called upon to exercise nv guar
dianship at all. When Sir Paul died
Pauline was away with her father i,
Italy. He a sad reprobate. and
spent his time chiefly in gambling houses
leaving his motherless girl among all
kinds of people. Well, as fate willed
this Luton died just month before
Sir Paul, and. though we made every
effort to find his daughter, we could oh
tain no tidings of her. We traced the
father and daughter to Naples. where the
former died: but after that we could
hear nothing of her. We sent out agents.
we advertised. we did everything we
could. At last after five months of
trutless inquiry, and just as we were
losing heart, and wondering whether we
should not begin to hunt up poor Geof-
frey, she appeared suddenly at my So
licitors offices. She looked wretchedly
Ill, said she had been working her heart
out as teacher of English at a Spanish
school, and had only recently seen one
OF our advertisements. She was nine
teen then-and that is nearly six years
ago
And now, as Jack Dornton stood in the
shady wood. with the MONDAY sun max
ing little patches of white here and there
wherever it could pierce the thick foil
age above. and with a buzzng of insects
in his ears. he was weaving all sorts of
romantic fancies concerning the owner
of al the beauty surrounding him.