Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-07-04


her to the cheering crowd that *
would consent to betake itself to the
merrymaking for which the household
had made hasty preparations.
1t was a night of wild excitement
Some ready-witted individuals rushed
off to the church and set the bells
ringing, and others hurriedly built up
huge bonfire on the green, and soon
the flames were springing sky high,
and helping the bells to proclaim the
Homecoming of the young earl aid
his bride.
With her arm within her husbands,
and surrounded by their friends, No
rah watched the red reflection of the
great fire and listened to the pea'ing
of the bells with feelings of profound
joy and gratitude; JOY so perfect and
absorbing that it Is little wonder she
forgot for the moment the existence
or the mystery attending the disap-
of the mystery attending the disap-
pearance of Becca South.
Indeed, not one Of them, excepting
Jack gave thought to the man
whose base scheming had so nearly
wrecked the life OF the beautiful girl
I, whom they all loved. 1t was only he
who remembered that Gullford Berton
had still to be reckoned with.
CHAPTER XII.
That evening. an hour before the
romantic arrival of the Earl and
Countess of Arrowdale. Guilford Be :
ton had wandered UP the avenue and
gazed up at the great house. He had
accepted Lady Ferndales promis 3
and had waited as she had advised
him. What could she have intended
to imply. he asked himself, but that
Norah would come round to his terms
and was only asking for {, few days
grace? What could she dc but accept
them? With all his passion for her
he understood her as little as th
swine wallowing in it's sty understands
the mystery of the stars. To his base
mind it seemed just impossible TIL Ii
any woman should choose obsculitv
and poverty before rank and wealth
Yes, he told himself in his solitary
musings in the grim, desolate cottage
she would come round in time. Any
day. any hour, he might receive a
message from her. She would cone
back and send for him, and accept
his terms. He should be the husband
or Lady Ncrah Arrowdae, and. If not
lord of Santleigh. the owner of the
vast wealth left by the late earl.
And so he waited--waited with a res.
less, feverish Impotence. intensified
INTO an agony far past description by
the h!deous secret which haunted him.
All day he spent shut up in the
house in which his crime had been
committed, and which seemed a tot
ure house and tomb to him, IL was
only at night that he emerged from
the gloomy silence of the haunted cot.
tase, and then he avoided his fellow
men, and prowled about the dark
ianes and rounu the Court.
He heard of Mr.. Pethericks ar.
rival. and knew that he w;,5 stayine at
the Court. but he did not go near
him. He would wait, he told himself.
until Moran returned and sent for
him. Then-well, he called up Il
vision OF victory and triumph which
almost made him eddy, end for the
moment dispelled the dark shadow
which lowered about him.
This evening he had sauntered IN
the avenue with his head resting upon
his breast, and. suddenly raising his
eyes. saw that the windows of the
vast mansion were full of light.
,, He stood still and gazcd, and his
heart beat expeotantly, and he drevt
nearer and waited, his hands claspeG
tightly and feverishly behind his back.
Presently servant came hurrying
down the drive. and he stopped him.
Beg your pardon. Mr.. Berton. You
gave me a fright, sir"
"What--why is the place lit up to.
nightgs asked Guilford Beron, con-
trolling his voice. and speaking as
calmly and composedly as he could.
The man touched his hat.
The new earrs coming. sir"
Gulford Berton's hands grippe,i
each other still more tightly, and ne
bit his lip as he choked back the ex.
clamatioa which nearly burst from
/ him.
"The EARL" he said. wonderingly.
Yes sir: quite sudden and unex.
pectfd like. Mr.. Pethemck only
head this morning. There's Lord
and Lady Ferndale and another gen
ueman there to meet him. Begin
your pardon, sir. | mast be goin' on
and he hurried of.
i Gui'ford Derton drew back among
the trees. The news had startled aod
bewildered him. He had heen so alb.
sorhed with his one idea--waiting
:, for Norah's return and decision-that
he had scarcely given a thought to
the Young earl for whom he had been
looking so long and fruitlessly.
\ He paced slowly down the avenue
and met the servant hurrying back.
J enc x.N,, ,..f.... a,