Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-07-02

better fortune, ana MS uneaSlHoSS was
intensified. The only conclusion he
could come to was that she was real
ly i'll; it might very well be that after
sending off the telegram saying she
was better she had become worse, and
he was devoured by anxiety. Philip
saw that something was amiss with
him, and asked what was the matter.
Haven't you heard from Chrissy?"
he inquired, in tone of good-humored
banter, not suspecting this was the
reason.
That's just it," replied Norman,
and I'm afraid that she can't be well.
I wrote to her two days ago, immedi-
ateIy after our conversation about
her and me, and | think that, if she
wasn't i'll. should have had a reply
by this time"
"You wrote her two days ago!" ex-
claimed Philip, land you've not heard
from her That's strange. Perhaps
she is ILL.,"
tits what I am afraid Of" said Nor
man, gravely.
Il wonder! Perhaps your letter has
gone astray."
*Tt is possible, but letters hardly
ever do go astray," objected Norman.
Eyes, that's true. 1t couldn't be,
suppose, that there was something
that offended her in your letter?' he
asked, with little smile playing
about his lips.
81 scarcely think so,' answered Nor
man, almost CURLY. I'm any case she
surely would have sent me reply;
she must be ill-that is the only ex-
PLANTATION. Don't you think that you
ought to go and see?"
Go to Hans Square? Won't wire
do?"
ooh. I wish you would go. She may
be too i'll to telegraph. Do go, Philip,
like a good chap, and find out what is
the matter. feel very much upset"
"And look it. old man." said Philip,
not unkindly. We'll, I'll go. You've
made me anxious about her, too
When Philip reached IS Hans
Square, and asked for his sister, he
was informed that she was out driv-
ing with Miss Sisterson.
''She is quite well?' he asked And
then he fibbed, by way of explanation
of his query-"I expected a letter
from her yesterday, but did not get it,
and. as I did not hear from her this
morning, I was afraid that she must
be ill.,
"She is quite we'll, I believe" said
the footman, to whom Philip was
speaking. Shall I say you called to
see her, or would you like to leave a
message?" he asked.
81 should like to leave a note for
her" he replied, after a moments
thought. He imagined that somehow
Forbes letter had failed to reach her,
and he wished to give her hint why
he had called.
He was shown into the library,
where he indicted a short epistle
couched in strain of brotherly teas
ing, telling her that Forde had writ
ten to her two days before, and, not
having had an answer, was "out Of his
senses with anxiety lest she should be
i'll. I don't imagine that you received
his letter. but | wish you had, as he is
going to pieces before my very eyes -
She can't have got your letter." he
said to Norman On his return to the
Office: cts been lost in the post.
trust you did not give yourself away
very badly" he added, with a grin.
You'd better try again
I'm glad she's not ill.," returned
Norman. 81 suppose the letter is lost,
and, as you say, must write again"
But before his second letter was
posted he had received a note from
her by special messenger, saying that
she had got his letter and had replied
to it. Then she asked him to meet her
at II next day, naming Hyde Park
Corner as their rendezvous. Instant
ly Norman's gloom was dispersed
though he could not but wonder why
| her letter had not arrived. However
! that was nothing now
The two days which had elapsed
since Christabel had written her first
| letter to Norman had been days OF
even greater strain upon her thar
upon her lover
She had suffered the same anxiety
which had preyed on him, but she
suffered in other ways. Maxwell haC
not repeated his offers, but by hi'
bearing and actions toward her KEEP
on plainly intimating that he wished
her to know that he was in Love will
her-which seemed to her a mon
strous thing in the circumstances.
Mary Sisterson was now in a stat
of extreme delicacy, having complete
w worn out her scanty strength in
desperate effort to get her step-broth
er to promise that restitution shOul
be made to Norman Forde-and sh
had only succeeded so far in gettin
him to say that he would consider i
Meanwhile Sir Johns end drew Wis
bly, nearer, and Mary appeared to b
not far from the gates of death he1
self. Yet she had sudden rallies, an
it was in one of these that she an
Christabel had gone out, so that Phil
missed his sister. They had take1
however, closed brougham, not Ma!
wells motor. Christabel felt that sh
had the burden of Mary's health ais
upon her shoulders.
Then above ALL and darkest of al
was the wreck of her happiness an
that of Norman Forde. She chung
the idea OF honor, but it is small wol
der if her hands sometimes felt lam
opd nu7nb and her cOul at times We
hot with passionate revolt. The tv
days that had passed had made til
remuneration of love no easier, bl