The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-08-22


didn't think it was possible to work such
Transformation as you have accom-
plished here"
''I am glad you like the looks of it,
Dr. Gray. Without your counsel and
help, I am afraid should have had poor
success. If men would accord women
more of such friendship as you have me,
we would have better world than
we do"
DIR. Gray looked away off where the
hills and the horizon met, with still
farther away look in his eyes, and said,-
"I never was much of a lady's man,
Edna" slowly and deliberately, but 1
have trotted you on my knee many a
time years and years ago, and it is moth
ing more than natural that I should take
an interest in you now. Have you heard
from Leslie yet"
Tt was the doctors way to jump from
one subject to another, and the abrupt
question did not surprise Edna.
| No; it has been seven weeks since
heard from him. wrote him when 1
removed here, informing him OF my in
tended project, but have not received an
answer yet.
more on the subject, and after stay OF
|
| "It looks a little suspicious, and yet L
don't hardly believe it, he soliloquized,
as he went down the path. don't
| like to be mistaken when form an opln-
ion of any one, and if Leslie Holmes
| throws Edna over because of her go
ahead shall lie, and he will
| deserve to be kicked" and the doctor
stepped little brisker, as if he would
find pleasure in administering the pun
| ishment. should it be necessary. She s
got the true grit" meditatively, and
| she's bound to go ahead and win. She's
a sensible girl, remarkably sensible
girl. and amt afraid to soil her fingers
to gain an honest living. If Leslie mar
ries her, he will get prize"
With this the doctor climbed into his
buggy and disappeared down the road in
cloud of dust.
"What shall do, Edna? Every dol
lar is gone-even the roof over my head
is not my own"
eAll gone, Auntie? 1t seems as
though something must be left"
| "No: everything is swept away. II
was all entrusted to Ackron, my business
agent, and he speculated largely and
lost, and has left the country. The
debts had to be paid, of course, and il
took the last dollar in the world" and
Mrs. Horton sobbed audibly behind hel
handkerchief.
Edna sat silently thinking. It was
now a year since she had moved into hel
cottage, and she had been successful ir
her enterprise beyond her most sanguine
expectations. She was not looking quite
as well aslwhen we saw her last; trihe
thinner and O trifle paler, but thai
was all.
"Aunt Helen," she said, looking ul
after moments thought, "you cal
come here. I have much better facili
ties this season for raising fruit and veg
etables than I had last, and with the
ready market that is always here shall
have no difficulty in supporting us both.
"Oh, Edna, I shall be SO glad, sc
thankful, toop'
So it was settled And Mrs. Horton
with great deal of respect and admira
ton, which almost amounted to awe, fol
her niece, and which had been growing
steadily as her scheme progressed, tool
up her abode at Edna's cottage; and Mr.
Clifford set about an Investigation to SEE
if any of the property could be regained
Clifford was an able lawyer, and the re
suit was that in two months time Mrs
|
home and sufficient of the lost property
to enable her to live at ease once more
And Edna? Despite her success, des
pite her "strong- -mindedness," there was
more loneliness in her heart than she
would have cared to own, as she stood
alone on the moon-lighted, vine-wreathed
plaza the night after her aunt had re-
turne to her own home. For in the fif-
teen months that had passed since she
began her new life, she had heard nc
word from Leslie Holmes. She felt a
little bitter at times, and little scornful
also, as slowly and reluctantly the un.
pleasant fact that it had been as she hall
feared, forced itself upon her mind.
ST wonder" she thought, 'sif he is like
other men, who preach up womanly in.
dependence and usefulness, and then as
soon as a woman puts her pet theory into
practice, turns in disgust from he1
strong g-mindedness.' IF he is a man he
will honor me for my independence, and
if he is not it don't matter"
But though she felt this truly, pang
of the keenest pain shot through her at
the thought of his falseness. So absorbed
was she that she did not hear the click
of the gate latch, nor the quick, spring.
ing step that came up the walk, until II
| Was CLOSE DeS1Ue n0r. one UufneQ Gl0Q,
confronting tall; handsome bearded
man, at sight of whom she stopped, par
alyzed by tide of conflicting emotions.
Edna, my own, my brave little girlr
| "Oh, Leslier'
Then she was in his arms, close clasped
to his breast, all the doubts and suspense
of the long months swept away, and only
peace and sunshine left.
Then DIR. Gray came up the path, all
unconscious, stopping in bewildermeni
as he beheld the apparition before him.
"Why, bless my soul!'' he exclaimed
in amazement, 'tif it ain't-yes, it's Les.
lie Holmes! You young dog, what dc
you mean by putting in an appearance
at this late day ?"
sBetter late than never" laughed Les
lie, as he shook the doctors proffered
hand. ST should have been here long
since, but I heard Edna had moved
away, and not knowing where neve,
wrote. I changed my quarters over
year ago, which accounts, I suppose, fol
the fact that I did not hear from her."
"Humphp said the doctor. cit is
| good thing you can render straight ac
count suppose you came back rich
but I can tell you Edna Farleigh is 6
greater fortune to any man than there il
in the mines of California"
Which was Leslie's opinion, exactly.