The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-14

plusou TO take breath, and for q mo
ment gave her an opportunity, sh,
did not hesitate in her reception o
this unexpected onslaught. Stamp
ling her pretty foot upon the deat
leaves beneath her, she said, passion
"Mr. Butledge, I am ashamed o
you. To take advantage OF my kind
ness to you, when you know TINT an
engaged to anothorl / would NO
have believed it OF you. Now. Sir
you can go back to the party, snt
say am going home by tho train
/ III not speak TO you again never.
And 30 saying, she turned from
J his side, and hurried of. in the direc
ticn whence she had heard the SOUND
of the whistle. Rutledgs ran aftel
her few steps, called to her, beg
| ging her to forgive bim. and then, ..
she continued rapidly on her course
returned to the yacht, intending IL
tell their friends that Miss Gordon
had concluded TO return by the train
and that he should accompany her
Aad with that design ws will leave
him for the present.
Lille hurried on precipitately, lit.
tlo needing the nature Of the course
she was following, or the many OBJ.
stacles OF root, rock, and dead lirnt
that obstructed her way, SO fully was
hor mind absorbed with the occur.
renee Of the preceding moments.
| While her face burned, and yari.
ETY. OF sensations, occasioned by the
mad advances OF poorJohn Rutiedge,
troubled her mind. she thought little
of her surroundings, and was only
recalled to herself-to lose herself
more completely at the same time
by suddenly tripping over tangled
root, and being plunged headformost
into q gully worn by some little
brook, now dried up aud sunk into
the earth.
The hole. or pit, was not deep, but
Lille had lost consciousness and
when John Rutledge passed within q
few yards OF the spot ten minutes la
ter, on his way to the cars, he little
imagined that the one be sought lay
bruised and senseless within reach OF
{
Hurrying over TO the railroad sta-
ton. he discovered that train had
just left, while another would not go
out until late in the evening. lie
pushes his inquiries. involving de-
scrlption Of ..Iiss Lille, in every di-
rec;ion; but it was not for somo time
that he finally learned that no young
lady had taken passage on the train
on that occasion.
When he had satisfied himself OF
this fact. beyond a question. be be-
came really troubled as to Lillie's
whereabouts. 1t was just possible
that she might have stopped at some
farm-house, and accordingly he spent
considerable more time searching and
enquiring among these, but with 10
resnlt-she had not been seen
Then he became really alarmed, fer
tho land about was marshy, end ex-
tended 10 grea. distance in all di-
rcctions, and he feared she might
haye los. herself. How his search
resulted will be told in the sequel
The yacht sailed without them, ey-
cry one commenting on the eXiraordi-
nary freak OF Miss Lille Gordon, and
wondering what Mr.. George Hartley
would think of the matter when he
should hear of it, though one aud all
of them asserted they would be the
last ever TO communicate such dis
graceful and improper proceeding
''for the sake of her poor mother,
yon know"
Aud SO the yacht sped on its home.
way; the sun sank slowly down; the
blue sky turned gray. and then black
and became studded with stars, as is
its wont: aud this last, shining fairly
in the face of the silent figure lying
out there alone in the Jersey marshes
at length. with its own peculiar iau'
ence, brought her again to life.
Slowly she raised herself to hel
feet, numbed and aching, and, pass
ing her hand through her hair, asked
herself tho old question-where she
was. After o little her scattered
senses came to her, and she remem
bered.
i But she had now no idea OF the di
rection of tho railroad her limbs
were bruised and torn, and Lel
impulse was very strong to 81
down again and cry. But she was 9
plucky girl, and concluded to max.
an effort to gain the depot, which sh,
supposed to be not far away; and
accordingly, set forward on he
lonely journey. picking her step
| zo.zf,,l,, L., {ha ,,,a0ntfnhk
Thus she had walked some dis
tancs s-how far she h I'd no idea-wher
she saw, long way of, dim ant
Pickering light, and toward this sh
hastened with what speed her tire,
limbs would permit.
Il It seemed q very long way indeed
but at length she drew nearer to tn
light-near enough to see that it pro
ceeded from q small house, and situa
, ted very near the water, on whicl
j she could see the moonbeams glist
ening, as it seemed to her, cold an
| mockingly.
RI Presently she heard sounds of ham
mering, apparently issuing from tn
house; and at length she reached il
and could lock into the windo'
. whence proceeded the light-a smai
{ oil lamp on table in room othel
i wise devoid Of furniture, and uno'
8 cupied by any living thing. :,
{ H. Still she heard the same reguls
( hammering and now . strans
Q dread came over her. Unforme
r and mysterious imaginings disturbe
J. her mind and she was on the point
o fleeing from the place. when dot
tl,e .oorn onanad and n man al