Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-01
CHAPTER X.-continued.

Then don't you understand" she
said. Don't you see?"
We'll, really, Dearest, I don't" /
had to acknowledge. q don't see what
all that has to do with"
But her quickly bent head and low
choked cry Of ''Wilfred!" interrupted
me and then the oldest thing of all
happened There was my own wife
crying and there was I, her own hus-
band, unable to comfort her because
she pushed me away every time I
came near her.
It was too much. And hang it all!
The cause of all the friendships in
the world wasn't worth that moment s
pain. I was disguised with the whole
business, and in my agitation / went
down to the stables and flung myself
on horse to try and ride the rancour
of my first taste of Dearest's displeas-
Iure out of my veins. But l didn't
make very good work of it and I am
afraid mathematical Agatha First
and Agatha Sixth and even old Ter
hume himself all the way out and all
the way back.
! When I returned it was twelve
O'Clock and the footman told me at
the door that Solicitor Barnes had ar
rived and was in the library. AS I
have said, in accordance with Ter
hune's aunt's wishes, Dearest had in
{vited Mrs. James solicitor, Mr..
Barnes, of Barnes, Willoughby & Sons,
up from London to take luncheon with
Ius, that he might be present at the
time when the stipulated ten days ex-
Ipired and be witness to the fact that
the time was not overstepped by so
much as a minute. They had sent
1.-THE station wagon to meet him as per
lDearest's arrangements, and he had
Preached the castle not ten minutes be-
fore my own arrival. l was glad of
that, for l remembered, with a new
and troubled sense that was no
longer in her good graces, that my
wife had instructed me to meet him
myself
Impelled by this thought, I hurried
into the library without changing my
riding things and found Solicitor
Barnes pacing restlessly up and down
the apartment and glancing at his
watch from time to time.
All! Lord Vincent?" he asked-we
had not yet met-and as I assented /
shook his thin impressive hand as cor
daily as l could. He was like most
no CT I or AeT,N
beast, though one couldn't help ad-
miring the look OF omniscience about
him, as If never so much at home.
And how is Lady Vincent?" he in
Quired politely, when I had finished
apologizing for my attire and for my
neglect to meet him at the station.
Conversation was certainly tagging.
I had no heart for it, with all had
on my mind, and had begun to feel
pretty well talked out, when a foot
man appeared in the doorway and
wanted to know if he was to show
the gentleman upstairs.
l didn't answer his question. 1t
seemed too much trouble to have to
explain to William that the barrister
was not a guest overnight, and instead
/ inquired where Lady Vincent was.
I thought it rather odd that she did
not come down and welcome Mr..
Barnes. and was almost annoyed when
the man informed me that Her Lady
ship" was in her room and by her ex-
press orders was not to be inter
rupted.
But does she know that Mr.. Barnes
is here?' l asked, rather impatient of
all this mystery Mr.. Barnes himself
answered me before William could
speak
My dear Lord Vincent" he said.
Don't, l pray, trouble about it! |
have been welcomed by your lordship
and shall await Lady Vincents pleas
ure in regard to meeting her, which
will be soon, no doubt, for we lunch
at one, do we not?' He took out his
big open-faced watch.
What time is it," I asked anxious
~. as a sudden remembrance of the
Importance Of thar same luncheon
rushed over me. Would Terhune sit
down to it an afianced or a free man