Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-09-21
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
November began The days were
dark and dreary. 1t rained a great
deal; it was not cold, only damp and
grey and wretched. The dead leaves
were nearly all stripped from the trees,
and swirled about in melancholy ed
dies down the lanes, or lay in dank
brown heaps against the hedge-rows.
AS to the river, 1t was the most mis-
cradle place in the world. All the
beauty was drenched out of it, and the
only moving thing to be seen on the
sullen waters was an occasional barge,
laden with wood or Goals, dropping
slowly down stream. and vanishing
again into the gloom of the distant
mists. The Paradise was Paradise no
longer. 1t was as though life and
youth and beauty were dead. and old
age and sorrow alone were left
One afternoon Irene and her mother
walked to a village about two miles
from Chatswell-away from the river
towards the hills. On their way home
it came on to rain in torrents; they
had umbrellas Su. no. waterproof
cloaks. The rain dwas very heavy and
the wind blew it slangingly against
them. so by the time they reached The
Cottage they were both drenched to
the skin.
you must change everything at
once. Irene. you will catch cold" said
Mrs. Garland. and although she was
very wet herself, she would not leave
her daughter until she had seen with
her own eyes that she put on dry
clothing, and that she was thoroughly
warm. Perhaps she fingered in her
own wet garments too long in her
daughters room, or perhaps it was,
after all, mainly because of that letter
that came the next morning from Lady
Garland; Irene never quite knew, but
no doubt Mrs. Garland caught a chill
in the rain, and the one thing came on
the top of the other.
When Irene came downstairs to
breakfast the next morning, she found
her mother sitting by the table with
an open letter in her hands. Her face
was deadly pale. and she shook all
over, as though she had ague.
"Oh. my child, my child" walled
Mrs. Garland. your aunt has seen him
she has spoken to him-there is no
longer any doubt about him; he is the
most wicked man In the whole world"
1t was Irene's turn to tremble and
turn pale. She toci the letter from
her mothers hands and read it
AT length, my dear Gertrude" wrote
Lady Garland. Il am able to tell you
something about that man Carroll! My
dear, he is even worse than l supposed
him to be! In fact,shad not heard it
with my own ears could never have
believed in such inhuman cruelty. 1t
happened in the Army and Navy
Stores. l was just coming out of the
drug department having been there to
get some lozenges for my cough, when
saw back that seemed familiar to
me. Two gentlemen were standing to-
gether. Then one of them wished his
friend good bye and went away, the
other turned half round, and 1 saw at
once that I was right in my SUPPOSE
ton. and that 1t was Rupert Carroll.
Well. nobody can say that I am not a
courageous woman have always
plenty of pluck at my command in an
emergency. I fiatter myself. so walk
ed straight up to him:
81 wish to speak to you, I said.
without any further preamble.
Mr.. Carroll turned round. took off
his hat, ard remained staring at me.
He did not even change color-he only
put on an air of surprise.
I wish to speak to you about your
conduct to my niece, l said.
with an air of unconcern. and who.
pray. is your niece?'
My niece. Miss Garland. SIR l an
swered. my temper rising at his cool
ness, whose affections you have trified
with for your own amusement. and
whom you have basely deserted with
out a word of explanation
my dear madam, l never heard OF
the lady in my life this finished
scoundrel had the insolence to reply.
Never heard OF Mrs. Garland and
her daughter?' cried. with hot indig-
nation. Have you forgotten the house
where you were welcomed with such
warm hospitality and where you were
treated with every kindness? kind
ness you repaid by deceit and base in
gratitude. making love to Miss Gar
land without hsr mothers knowledge
and consent. and then leaving her
without a word or a sign when you
were tired of here
Then this shameless villain actually
laughed. laughed in my face. Gertrude!
7 think you nuc> be mad. my good
woman,' he actually dared to call me
~ r. L. ~ IND
Il never heard of Mrs. Garland or
Miss Garland. never received any
kindness or hospitality frpm them nor
did I ever make, love TO either lady in
my life. seg that you win not annoy
me shy furlAec by these absurd accu-
sations, or ellie must request the au-
thorities here to, remove you from the
place
My dear. after that went away
positively crushed. l pass over his in
science myself--but that he should
have denied all knowledge OF you and
of poor dear Irer.e, seems to me to sur
pass everything that have ever heard
in my life concerning the Implicitly and
wickedness of min-and that is saying
good DEAL"
Mamma. do ,iou think Aunt Anna
can have made any mistaken" said
Irene at length when she had read this
letter carefully all through-"she ought
never TO have mentioned my name
never. II was horribly bad taste of
her. but stu 1 cannot help thinking
that she may hive made some blum
der. Perhaps
She never finished the sentence. She
looked up across the table at her moth
er. and was horiied TO see her face
drawn and contracted with pain
Mamma darling. you are mr. she
cried - she few to the bell-Mrs. Gar
land was gasping for breath.
'Tt-it-is only a stitch think
but she held Her hands clutched
clutched against her side ana could
hardly bring the words out and she
shivsred from head TO foot.
Irene put her q, bed and sent for the
doctor. 1t was s.cute Inflammation OF
the lungs. brought on no doubt by the