Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-04-19

of power and beauty.
For a moment Lecla thought that it
might be the head gardener, hut there
was an air of curiosity in regard
with which he looked about him,
which instantly convinced Leola that
he was a stranger.
She could not move away from the
window, but stood watching him with
irresistible interest and curiosity, as
he leaned upon his stick and ran his
eye over the building.
Suddenly in his survey he came to
her window, and for a moment his eyes
met hers. There was an instant's
surprise, and something more in the
glance, then as Leola hurriedly let
the blind fall into its place, he turned
and walked quickly, but by no means
hurriedly, into the shrubbery and dis
appeared.
Leola stood for moment, strangely
moved, certainly not frightened, for
there was nothing of the burglar,
about the stranger, but filled with
strange presentiment-of whether i'll
or well she could not have told.
Hurriedly she prepared for bed, bot
1T was sometime before she could
sleep, and when she did so, she
dreamed that she was still standing at
the window, and that the figure was
still there, but it was reckoning her.
CHAPTER v.
The singing of the birds awakened
Leola, and, when she had realized her
surroundings, she sprang out of bed
moved by sudden impulse
All the house was quiet she could
could not sleep; it would be good
opportunity to see something of the
outside of the wonderful place which
had suddenly fallen, as it seemed,
from the clouds into her hands.
Quickly dressing herself, and chDos-
ing plain, modest, cotton dress from
the wardrobe which Mary had already
filed and arranged, Leola stole on
tiptoe past Mary's door, for fear of
waking her, and down the great stair
case.
A servant was cleaning the hall, and
looked up with start at the apparition
of the slim, tall, graceful figure of her
mistress.
Leola said "gooi-morning," in her
gentle way, and passed out through
the open doorway into the early
morning sunshine, the girl looking
after her with respectful admiration.
Mary was quite right" said the
maid, to a footman who also came out
of room to look after the young mis-
tress; "she Is beautiful young lady,
and as gcodtempered and pleasant as
she is pretty. It'll be a pleasure to
live with her."
Quite unconscious of the golden
opinions she had won, Leola made her
way along one of the smooth gravel
paths, and gradually wandered around
the house. through trim velvety lawns
and well-kept strawberries, into the
park. Every now and then she
turned to look at the Abbey, and
from every fresh point ie seemed to
her to gain beauty. One side especial
ly filed her with admiration--it was
the south side, along which ran a
broad, low terrace, broken here and
there by steps leading to the lawn.
and adorned by statutes of white
marble, that stood out white and sharp
against the green ivy and the glitter
ing windows which opened on to the
terrace itself.
Leola stood looking at the scene
for few minutes, then followed the
path into which she had wandered
and gained the park. She was sud-
denly stopped by low iron railing,
and was just about to climb over this
when, happening to look round, wo-
man-like, to see II she was observed,
che was startled by the presence of
man. who was leaning at little dis
lance from her on this same railing,
his hands in his pockets and his eyes
fixed abstractedly upon the house.
Leola in a moment recognized the
figure as that which she had seen In
the moonlight. There was no mistak-
ing either it or the clear-cut, hand
some face
She stood motionless a moment,
wondering who 1t could be, and was
still loking at him when, by that
strange mesmeric attraction by which
a person watched is made conscious of
the others presence. he looked around.
Again their eyes met, and both
stood speechless and motionless, re-
garding each other.
Then, with a sudden movement he
stood upright and raised his hat.
Leola inclined her head, and was
about to proceed on her way, when he
came forward, and STOPPING, picked
up flower which she had unco1sci-
ously dropped.
Leola thanked him as he rendered 1t |
with respectful gravity, and again was
about to turn away, when he said:
Il beg your pardon, can you tell me |
II the Abbey is closed?"
The voice matched the face and |
figure perfectly the face was open,
and frank, and taned; the voice was
deep and musical, ana tinged with a
frank, unconventional air, as If it's |
owner were uuuSaS IN fha lon enid u