Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-11-03

! fallen with horrible distinctness upon her
senses. And now all kinds of thoughts
ana recollectlons came erowding thick
and fast before her mind-Nfrs. Mathews
and her hints; the story of the quarrel;
| the horror with which she and both the
other women had appeared to regard Sir
Ughtreds presence at the manor-all
seemed to recur to Phyllis thoughts at
| this moment with redoubled force.
| AT the same time vision of Sir Ugh
tired himself rose up before her mental
sight-Sir Ughtred, splashed and mud
! stained as he had stood before her on the
occasion of his first meeting with her, on
| that dull November afternoon. Once
again she saw the expression of dismay,
of indescribable awe, which came over
him 1T her description of his dead cou.
| sins ghost; again she could hear his de-
cided refusal of her petition that the door
in the northern wing should be unlocked.
Could this all have been merely due to a
natural dislike to any allusion to Sir
Godfrey and his mysterious death? She
turned away with a shudder-the alter
native was too frightfull
II see that it is needless for me to say
anything further" murmured Grant, who
h00 NdIClleu IdIEONIN Illc
past few minutes. you realize perhaps
only too well the gravity of the case;
but, knowing what you do, can you pos
| sibly tell me that you will willingly
allow yourself to remain under the
| guardianship of such man? Surely any
thing would be better than to feel your
self beholden to him, as you are now
than daily to subject yourself to the in
dignity of being dependent on his hospi-
| tality Phyllis what do you say? The
remedy lies in your own hands-through
a marriage with me-"
"Oh, don't! Never mention such a
thing to me againl Sooner than that"
she added with sudden and decidedly
untlattering outburst of passion, 81 would
drown myself"
And before Grant had grasped the full
meaning of her words the door had closed
with a loud, resounding bang, and Phyllis
had gone.
Pleading a bad headache, Miss Yelver-
ton remained close prisoner in her
room that evening.
'You had better lie down, dear, and
keep perfectly quiet" Miss Dare advised,
charges cheeks with alarm. There is
really nothing like a good rest"
But the instant that the gong sounded
and her companion had swept away down
the corridor, Phyllis sprang up from the
couch where she had been lying, sur
rounded by all the numberless remedies
which Miss Dare never failed to supply
at the first symptoms of any illness, and
Immediately began to pace agitatedly to
and fro.
1t was all too horrible! She had treat
ed the housekeeper's innuendos with such
utter contempt, and had absolutely re-
fused to listen to a word upon the sub
iect from Miss Dare; and yet-today
She stopped short, with her hands clasped
tightly together. Oh it was impossible
she would never believe it! There
could not be any truth in the story 1t
was all piece of malicious fabrication
from beginning to end.
She sank down YEARLY into her chair
before the fire, trying to recall to her
mind every hour, every moment of the
past ten days. 1t all seemed like dream
now, she could scarcely realize how the
time had flown; yet that afternoon
could it only have been that same after
noon that she had experienced such ter
rible awakening? She could have
imagined that she had lived through
whole days and nights since Sir Ughtred
had told her of his love for her-since he
had asked her to give him some slight
hope
And she? But at this point of her
meditations Phyllis seemed as though she
could bear her thoughts no longer; she
hid her face in the cushions and burst
into tears.
No wonder therefore that there was lit
tie or no improvement in Phyllis appear
ance when Miss Dare arrived upstairs
later in the evening. Thoroughly con-
cerned at her young charges unusual
aspect, that lady would have sent off
post haste for the nearest doctor if Phyl-
lis. whose one desire was to be left by
herself. had not declared that a good rest
was all she needed, and by dint of the
greatest persuasion at last prevailed
upon her chaperon to say Good night"
Yet 10 O'Clock and even II struck, and
still Phyllis sat staring before her into
the diving embers of her fire. The wind
that howled dismally in the chimney
alone broke the stiffness, which grew
more ana more oppressive as tue IlHle
passed YEARLY away.
A quarter to 12! How late it was
PHYLLIS looked at her watch in some con-
sternation She had just remembered
that she had gone into the garden that
afternoon by the door leading from the
picture gallery. This door as it hap
pened. was seldom if ever used; conse-
auently the chances were that James
would never think Of fastening it.
What must she do? 1t was not the
slightest use ringing for anybody at that
time Of the night; and yet, if the door
had not been locked it was quite neces- |
sary that somebody should see to it.
Phyllis hesitated no longer. Taking up
her candle, she went boldly out into the
corridor. when all at once she came to a
full stop. as if suddenly realizing the
task which lay before her.