The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-09-25
THE LOST RECLAIMED:
DY J. MILTON HOFFMAN.

/
hundred; very. cheap, sir /; will you
take it" And the polite vender oi
jewelry looked up inquiringly at the
young man with whom he was bargain
ing.
Harvey Wayne took the ring under
o discussion, and, after examing the
same, paid the requisite price and de-
parted.
Scarcely had he. reached the door
when u gaudily dressed young man
approached, and on seeing the article
which the purchaser had paused to
admire, he finally exclaimed:
"Ah, Wayne, what have we here ?
been investing your surplus cash in
jewelry, eh E? Allow me to ask whose
finger You design this ornament to en-
circle p
Somewhat amused at the inquisitiye-
ness of his interrogation, Harvey Wayne
passed him the ring and answered eva
sively-
"What should you consider its
value %
Il am poor Judge of jewelry, Mr..
Wayne, and especially of an engage
ment ring" was the reply. But You
have not answered my question. Who
is to be its fair possessor ?"
Not receiving satisfactory reply,
Theodore Willis continued his way
down the street until he arrived at n
large stone mansion, whose appearance.
compared with the meagreness of the
surrounding buildings, was strillingly
grand. Without hesitancy he opened
the door, and, springing up flight of
stairs, was soon comfortably seated
within his own room. For several
hours he remained unoccupied, but Mt
length, preparing his toilet with unus-
ual care, he wended his way towards
one of the most respectable and fash
ionable portions of the city.
Twilight was falling just as he ar
rived at the mansion owned and occu-
pied by Charles Leland, wealthy i'm
porter, who, being the guardian of n
lovely niece, was naturally considered
a very important man by the young
and inexperienced gallants of the COM
munity.
Silently, and as thor.h far..,iiar
with the surrounding, Theodore Vii.
lis hastened up tie grand walk toward
a beautiful arbor, over which the cling
ing vines, nurtured by the hand OF
man, had formed canopy of flowers.
"She is there, he muttercd, ~ with
hasty strides he nearcd the structure
within which was seated Anna Leland.
Before the fair girl had discovered
his approach tho pondcrous bell which
swung III the old stone church chimed
out the hour of seven. She started and
muttercd to herself:
"Seven o'clock. and hr not herem
Scarcely had the words fallen from
her lips when Theodore Willis entered
with noiseless tread. The blood
slightly crimsoned her cheeks az he
placed his arm familiarly around her
slender waist, and whispered in her
ear:
II have come, Anna, to receive my
answer"
She gazed dreamily through the
vines that clustered over the latticed
window, and seemed lost in her own
reflections.
Il am waiting, Miss Leland" came
again in well modulated tones.
81 do not love you, Mr.. Willis.
cannot be your wife, This is my an
swerw And she withdrew her hand
from his, and brushed back the tan
gled curls that were sweeping her fore
head.
Theodore Willis stood for moment
tiansfxed with astonishment Little did
he think the result of his long continued
attentions would be refusal. Invol-
unfairly his eyes met those of his com
companion, when, raising her hand to
pluck from the swinging vines a Grim
son rose, he saw the fash of brilliant
diamond ring, in an instant he recog-
nized the article as the one which the
young lawyer, Harvey Wayne, had
purchased but few hours before.
Maddened by the knowledge SO unex-
pectedly obtained, Theodore Willis
was about to make some insulting re-
mark, when, feeling that such course
would only render him more obnoxious
to his fair companion, ,he wisely smoth-
cred his anger, and replied:
Though you have rejected me,
Anna, l hope you will mol prevent me
from enjoying the pleasure of your So
ciety; that would be cruelty indeed. /"
Being fully assured that such an
idea had not been entertained, he
bowed with usual grace and departed.
No sooner had the dark foliage of
the trees rendered him secure from OBJ
servation than all his pent up anger
burst forth in a torrent of oaths.
"Zounds," he muttered. "the pill
was bitter one, but l took it. have
tried to get possession of her property
by the effects of love, but now / will
do it by stratagem,
a bitter, contemptuous smile curled
bis lip as he concluded, and stpiding
forward with unusual haste, he was
soon at the end of his journey,
The next morning found him suffer-
ing from the eneryeting effect Of q
Fleepless night. Not Wishing. how
ever, to abandon the plot which be
had SO ingeniously concoeted, he drank
OF several stimulating draughts of
wine, which soon restored his shattered
nerves to their original state,
Feeling better than he had antici-
pated. he started out with the evident
intention of arranging the prelimina-
ries OF the plan which his fertile mind
had SO readily conceived.
He had gone but short distance, how
ever, when boy approached and