Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-02-22


plaisant-and a sort of holiday spirit
after the days hard work. Oddly
enough, and not so irrational as may
appear, Sidney formed a part Of the
evenings happiness-that she loveG
him; that, back in the lecture room,
eyes and even mind on the lecturer,
her heart was with him.
So, with Sidney the basis of his hap
pineSs, he made the most Of his eve
ning's freedom. He sang a little in
his clear tenOr-even, once when they
had slowed down at a crossing, bent
over audaciously and kissed Carlotta's
hand in the full glare of a passing
train.
How reckless of your
Il like to be reckless" he replied.
His boyishness annoyed Carlotta.
She did not want the situation to get
out of hand. Moreover, what was SO
real for her was only too plainly
lark for him. She began to doubt her
power.
The hopelessness of her situation
was daWning on her. Even when the
touch of her beside him and the soil
tide Of the country roads got in his
blood, and he bent toward her, she
found no encouragement in his words:
81 am mad about you tonight"
She took her courage in her hands
"Then why give me up for someone
else?"
tTFh0f ,---g7i fforo,,4
''Why is it different? I am a wOm-
an. II love you, Max. No one else
will ever care as [ do"
''YOu are in love with the Lamb -
'"That was a trick. I am sorry
Max. I don't care for anyone else in
the world. If you let me go I'll want
to dte.E
Then, as he was silent:
IF you'll marry me, I'll be true to
you all my life. ] swear it. There
will be nobody else, ever"
The sense, if not the words, Of what
he had sworn to Sidney that Sunday
afternoon under the trees, on this very
road Swift shame overlook him. that
he should be here, that he had allowed
CarIOtta to remain in ignorance Of how
things really stood between them.
I'm sorry, Carlotta. It's impossible.
I'm engaged to marry someone else"
"Sidney age?"-almost q whisper.
Eyes"
He was ashamed at the way she
took the news. IF she had stormed or
Wept, he would have known what to
do, But she sat still, not speaking.
"You must have expected it, sooner
or later"
Still she made no reply. He thought
she might faint, and looked at her
anXiOusly. Her profile, fndfstinct be-
side him, looked white and drawn. But
Carlotta was not fafntfng. She was
making a desperate plan. If their es-
capade became known, it would end
things between Sidney and him. She
was sure of that. She needed time to
think it out. It must become known
without any apparent move on her
part. If, for instance, she became i'll,
and was away from the hospital all
night. that might answer. The thing
would be Investigated, and who knew
The car turned in at Schwftter's
road and drew up before the house
The narrow porch was filled with small
tables above which hung rows Of cleo
trio lights inclOsed in japanese paper
lanterns. BIfdweek, which had found
the White Springs hotel almost desert
ed, saw SchWitterS' crowded tables set
out under the trees. Seeing the crowd,
Wilson drove directly to the yard and
parked his machine.
''No need Of running any risk" he
explained to the still figure beside him.
eve can walk back and take a table
under the trees, away from those in
feInal lanterns"
She reeIed a little as ne helped her
out.
''Not sick, are you?"
'Tm dizzy. I'm all right"
She looked white. He felt a stab
Of pity for her. She leaned rather
heavily on him as they walked toward
the house. The faint perfume that
had almost intoxicated him, earlier,
vaguely irritated him now.
At the rear of the house she shook
off his arm and preceded him around
the building. She chose the end of the
porch as the place in which to drop,
and went down like a stone.
There was a moderate excitement.
The visitors at Schwitter's were too
much engrOssed with themselves to be
much interested. She opened her eyes
almost as soon as she feII-to f0restall
any tests; she was shrewd enough to
know that Wilson would detect her
malingering very quickly-and begged
to be taken into the house
Il feel very III, she said, and her
white face bore her out.
Schwitter and Wilson carried her
in and up the stairs to one of the
rooms. The little man was twittering
with anxiety. He had a horror of
Knockout drops and the police. They
laid her on the bed, her hat beside
her; and Wilson, stripping down the
long sleeve of her glove, felt her pulse.
There's a doctor in the next town."