Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-04-07
CHAPTER w

fsstenings can still be seen, whilst
ladder CT Ight on by iron crooks hangs
over the gaping space. Does it ever
come to an end|
II don't know | suppose so, down
there" She has come up close to him,
and is now bending, as be is, over the
yawning gulf in the rotten boards, and
gazing into seemingly uafathomable
depths below. do you know she goes
on. this old mill has the strangest fas-
cination for me- I cannot keep away
from it. l think" smiling, ''it will make
me, or mar me, some day. Black as 1t
looks down there, another floor Is beneath
it, and beyond that so-.ething else lies
l don't know what"
"A cellar. probably"
II daresay. As tell you, l cont
know. / have not had the courage to go
down. There is sound of water when
you get to the flooring below, and that
means rats | hate rats-I'm a coward
Il confess It,"
They are standing together, peering into
the black void beneath, but now she turns
and gives him a little glance. 1t is the
archest, merrieSt little glance-the most
innocent one--and she accompanies it
with a laugh, soft and light-hearted.
''You spoke of home a while ago."
says he presently. ut is that house up
there, is it not? But a house does not
mean home. and you have told me moth
ing of yourself You have friendsF"
Il have"-sIowly-'r relations. And
then, with a cold little smile, You had
not even learned so much about me?'
II am so seldom here" begins Adare,
flushing holly Then losing all his self
control, 81 know you have been most
disgracefully treated by the lot of us.
But for the most part we never knew"
And did not care to inquire" Her
tone is no longer aggressive. 1t Is low,
and a little sigh breaks from her lips.
well, you shall know all there is to
know. l live here with a cousin of my
fathers, Esther Deane. She has some
little money, and l have a little more,
and so she says it is well for us both to
keep house together"
Yours being the house?"
80, yes. If such a torn-down old ruin
can be called one"
She seems crushed for the moment, but
almost in moment RECEIVERS herself.
Adare, who has not known the Irish
character sufficiently well to make allow
ances for these sudden inexplicable
changes of mood, is little taken aback,
when she says calmly:
'"Talking of that, l must seem very
inhospitable. That is my house up there,
and yet Won't you come in and
have a cup of tea? Esther, ! am sure,
will be"
Not to-day, thank you. / am afraid,
as it is, | shall be a little late for din
ner. But another day, if you will al
low me-"
He breaks off, expecting an answer.
But she is silent. Her whole air up to
this has been so gracious and so sweet,
that he turns sharply 10 look at her. Her
eyes are steadily downcast: faint tinge
of color that seems to him born of con-
fusion warns her cheek. To cover it he
goes on quickly:
"You have another relation here, have
you not?'
She glances at him quicl'-, little
disdainfully perhaps. And Adare grows
less sure that that touch of color a mo-
ment since was born of confusion.
"You know something about me, after
all, then?" says she. 'Yes, Esther's
Brother, Brian Deane, is staying here,
for the present only" Had that quick
flush meant that he was out now, but
might be in another day. HE came
from Australia about month ago, where
be has a sheep farm. Why he came, or
for what, / don't know, but Esther says
on business l know she wrote to him
to come"
ION business"
$50 she says. / sometimes think she
wants to go back with him. And they
both want me to go. too. However,
with sudden recollection, 'these details
cannot possibly interest you. And-you
want to know your road home, do you
not? You see that hill over there? You
20 up that. and then in the valley below
it you will see a straight white road
Follow ii, and it will take you straight
to Carrig" She bows her head slightly
"Good-by ~
1--WE are not living so very far apart, -
says he hopefully; I'VE shall certainly
meet again
al don't think so. l hope not. Don't
think me too rude, but believe me ii will
be better that our acquaintance, such as
II is. shall be ended now. There could
never be friendship between our houses y
There might be-" begins he impulsive-
ly, eff you and Sir Lucien were TO meet y
~ have no desire 70 meet Sir Lucien. y
says she in n low voice full of concen-
trated bitterness. HE believes my father
stole an6 sold those jewels that my moth.
or was given by-Oh" (passionately)
nof ,o,,rea vn, too Imam h. ~rbolo =,
that deteStape, hideous SANDER" Her
eyes are afame. IF you had known my
fathar---'
Il believe the whole story a most de
spicable lie" His tone is almost as We
hemsnt as her own.
"Hov does that old man dare to say
my father was a thief? oh, yes, he did
BE met Brian the other day, and accused
him of knowing what my father had don,
with them. Ny father, As IL he wouls
touch them, My mother had them
know that. | often saw them. The neck
lets-ths tiaras. And they were her owl
she often said so-that her father CAV,
them TO her"
Yes But"
''Oh % haughtily, and fitting her round
I'd chin. Il know what you would say
that they were only hers for a time. Blu
how could my father help it il abe los
them? And of course she lost them
because II she had sold them. there would
Be the money-do you see? But Their
was never any money! Therefore the,
must be lost know they are lost"
She turns deliberately and runs dow
the path away from him. His eyes fol
low her until she is out of sight, then
with quickening of his breath, he turn
and makes for the hill she had pointet
cut.
He has hardly gone few yards, how
ever, before his attention is caught b,
q man who has jumped over a wall int,
the road. man of about forty. tall. dark
forhidding looking. handsome of q sort
and with q certain strength of characte
written on his low brow.
He goes by Hilary with swing tha
has something of aggression In it; &
passing, however, the eyes of the two mel
-. ~.ra in one confernnt IN tina other