Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-22
CHAPTER XIII.-Contlnued.)

He had at first, it appeared, called
upon Agatha Endicott when she was
staying at Chiltern house, and courted
her openly, but on hearing of the Sim
plin complication, Chiltern, who hated
the possibility of being dragged into
family row, as much as he disliked to
be responsible for offending his power
full friend and ally, had objected vehem-
entity and had forbidden a continuance
of their intimacy, at least for as long
as it was in his power to demand ODE
dienCe. That is, while the girl was
guest under his roof, which decree
had forced Brancepeth to cease his at
tentions temporarily, when our invita-
tion to make one Of our house party
had mercifulIy removed the other prin-
cipal in this romance to WyckhOf cas-
tie. A change of scene, which while it
did not utterly remove her from the
sphere of danger, since a chance visit
on the part Of either her former or
present hostess to either mansion
might reveal all, still afforded her a
better opportunity to see her lover.
A state of affairs which naturally
explained Agatha First's reluctance to
have my wife make the trip to Chiltern
house, where she feared mutual revela-
tlons might be made which must neuag3-
sariIy expose the secret of Brance-
peth's courtship of her, continued as 1t
was, I'm spite of and against Mr.. Chill
terms expressed wish. 1t was also
made plain to us that Agatha First's
devotion to Terhune sprang from two
sources. 1t was assumed partly to
throw Mrs. Chiltern off the scent in
case she should make any attempt to
find out whether Brancepeth were still
continuing his attentions. In case of
awkward questions she wished my wife
to be able to say with truth that her
guest was interested in some one else.
That some one else CHANGING to be Ter
hume. She had also INDUCED in her
filtration with Arch, she admitted
with a most engaging laugh and teas
ing glance at her lover, partly because
she had conceived a fondness for the
old boy, but softened this shaft by add
ing that she liked to talk to him be-
cause she had discovered that he knew
Brancepeth, and she was therefor able
to talk about her lover, though she
could not often see him Terhune's
fondness for her society-for being
with Agatha First thought, could be
explained even more simply. He had
quite given himself away that time
when he had so naively confided to me
his belief that the girl was in love with
him.
by George!" said young Murray
feelingly, as he finished his part of the
duet the two had been giving for our
benefit, how l love that squire, or
farmer, or whatever it was she mar
Tied! I'll never forget to my dying
day what owe him for cutting me out
like that! Keen about his cheek, aren't
you, Vincent?"
He's awfully young, Brancepeth, but
rather a decent sort on the whole, and
/ can see that he's grown steadier and
more of a man than when I knew him
a year ago. And I'm glad Of that
Agatha First is a fine girl and deserves
q fine man.
Wei, I never did in all my life."
said Dearest, as a sort Of Tenvoi to the
romantic tale Of our guests. What
will happen next, I wonder? What is
there left to happen?"
Nothing possibly" said the three of
us together Solicitor Barnes, by the
way, had taken no part in the discus
sion of these interesting eyents-but
we spoke too soon. For even as the
words left our mouths I saw Brance-
peth, who faced the French windows
Of the dining room, which opened out
on to the side veranda, pointing with
his finger at some apparitiOn which
had evidently Just come within his
range of vision.
Look" he said.
l turned around, but before I could
excIaim, Dearest had pushed back her
chair with a cry or pleased surprise and
started forward. why, it's the Chill
terms she said.
And so it was. O~r friends from the