The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-12
CHAPTER XXI.

which her whole life had been remark
able, using her gift of intuition in the
healing art with dexterity and judg-
ment, soothing the nervous invalid, and
quieting the crying babe at the same
time that she was deftly righting the
disordered house and preparing food for
the ravenous household. Dirty dishes
became clean as by magic; knives and
spoons were frightened, steaks pounded,
and biscuits made; tablecloth was res
cued from a heap of unironed clothes
upon a chair and pressed with warm
iron on quilt upon the kitchen floor,
and soon a supper, fit for an epicure,
was placed before the hungry husband,
who declared he hadn't had a decent
mouthful for a week.
"Do your folks live in the city ?" he
asked, one evening, as Madge presided
at table with a quiet dignity, to which
excessive WEAKNESS only gave an addi-
tional charm.
"I have no folks" was the terse re-
ply.
~ beg your pardon, ma'am."
mot at all, sir, 'Tisn't necessary"
"You make nice biscuit" continued
her employer, conscious of his awkward
position, as he strove to turn the con-
versation.
''I try to do my duty, sir. am very
tired, and can't do everything at once,
as I could wish, but plI bring every
thing round to suit me in another day
or two"
And so the work went on. The sick
wife, once relieved of household worry,
grew rapidly better, and Madge began
to wonder where she should next find a
situation, for her employer was poor,
and could only indulge his wife in the
luxury of help while she was compelled
to lie by for repairs.
The exposure, grief, suspense, and fa-
tigue which Madge had endured for
nearly month, was beginning to tell
seriously upon her constitution. Her
mouth was disfigured with fever sores,
and her eyes discolored by a purple ring,
while her furred tongue and rapid pulse
betokened disarrangement of her sys-
TEN that ended in horrible fear of yet
greater calamities than any she had yet
endured.
A very hard days work had been
thoroughly performed and she had re-
tired for the night before it was YET
dark, with every acute sense of her soul
upon the alert with apprehension
quickened by fever and encompased by
dread, when her ear caught the sounC
of conversation between the husband
and wife, in the unfinished room be.
meath her.
"I never saw such a jewel" said the
wife. 'I really feel almost we'll; and
if I only had such help all the time,
shouldn't mind raising family"
"There were two men in town inquir
ing after her to-day" remarked the
the husband, in an undertone, that wal
more distinct than ordinary converse
tion.
Instantly Madge was on the alert.
"Pve noticed that mystery is hang
ing over her, but it isn't any of my bus
iness, so I try to not notice or thinl
about it," was the quiet reply.
"Well, there's something strang
af1oat," remarked the husband. ="
know they were asking for her, for the.
described her exactly. One of 'em sal
she was his wife, and the other calle
her his friend"
'Did they seem to be hunting fo
herr"
''Of course. Why else should they b
asking about her?"
"Well, hope they won't find her
'Why ?"
because Pm very sure she's tryin
to hide"
''That's something she hasn't an
right to do"
"How do you know that?"
''If she's married, her husband has
right to her custody and companion
ship"
"But maybe he isn't worthy"
''That's not our lookout"
''But surely we should protect her
she needs our aid. She's been very GOO
to US, remember"
"But it's against the law to harbt
the wives of other men. They ca
prosecute US if they feel like it."
"What nonsense p'
"But know what I'm saying, Jan
Her wages belong to her husband. n
can garnishee 'em if he likes and leay
her without penny"
al hope he won't find her. Yo
won't tell him she is here, will you ?''
"How can 1 help it if be asks me ?''
"But you spoke of somebody else VII
called himself her friend. Was he i
company with the one who claimed
be her husband ?n
mo. 1 should say he was her brothe
or relative of some sort. He resemble
her little, only he's handsome and 81
ssnit