The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-05-07
A COMPANIONS STORY.


Had been my own mistress should
never have served Marie Rosis. But
poverty, the need Of food and raiment,
the hungry mouths that must be flied,
were too strong for me, and I engaged
myself to her.
.sYou are poor, Louise" she said, with
no account to mel only ask you to be
faithful. I said that I should travel; SO
you must supply your brothers's and
sisters wants before we go. shall be
liberal with you. Take this.
AS she spoke she reached out six or
eight half-eagles. drew back my hand.
'3It is too much, said.
'sAllow me to be the judge of that. l
know what will be required of you.'
A little chill ran over me. What
would be required of me? looked up
to see, if possible, what meaning lay hid
den beneath her words
81 shall travel as fancy pleases,' she
continued. 'sOne spot is as pleasant to
me as another. go in search of some
thing I have lost. It may be here. it
may be there. I have nothing to guide
me in my search. tits all blind chance. !"
At first was not happy in my migra-
tory life. I used to long for home-or
what had been home-and for the car
esses of those I loved But this did not
last long. Marie Rosis soon grew to be
the world to me, and I her bond slav e..
Sometimes we rested two or three
weeks from our travels, and then went
forward, day after day and week after
week, without stopping. I do not know
how long I had been with her, when I
discovered that we were not travelling
Ill
sued us from place to place with unwav-
ering persistence. He did not seem to
be conscious of us. He never addressed
us-he only followed us continually like
a shadow.
It was after the stranger came that 1
learned what madame was searching for.
A ring that had dmysteriously disappeared
from her finger one night while she was
sleeping. A strange ring, with a garnet
heart for it's centre-all that she had left
of Monsieur Rosis. glanced at her in
surprise.
Better than that. Monsieur Rosis
gave it to me while he was dying. He
came back to life to give it me-just as
we turn back when we haYe forgotten
something.
ssHe gave it to me.and said that curse
would follow me if I lost it. I did not
lose tit went away from me; but 7 am
not happy. Monsieur Rosis was very
hard"
''But you are not to blame for what
you could not help"
ssAh! but if lover took it ?" she said,
shaking her head slowly. ''I had fallen
asleep in the drawing-room-th day
was warm. When / awoke Monsieur's
heart was gone, and the air full of
shadows. I have been searching ever
since for 1t.
She began pacing up and down the
room. We were stopping for week at
a hotel in a large inland town. This con-
versation had been carried on in the
parlor, long, wide room, looking east
ward As madame walked, thought I
had never seen her half so beautiful.
While she went to and fro restlessly the
stranger came noiselessly in and walked
beside her. She did not notice him but
looked straight out of the window to the
green trees and beyond them to the wide
Sunset.
For myself I grew angry and heated at
the strangers boldness. IF he had any
thing to say to her why did he notspeak?
What right had he to dog her steps SO
persistently? At least I would tell mad
anne. As / started forward to speak the
strange gentleman raised his hand to his
forehead and saw something on it that
glowed blood-red in the sunlight, I
looked at it eagerly and saw the shape of
a heart outlined on the slender finger.
NV heart bounded. Here was the lover
that had stolen madame 'sring. Itshould
be restored to her at once that she should
once moae know happiness. All, how
frightened got. though! While my lips
were parted to speak and my hand
reached forth to touch his arm, he was
gone and stood quite alone with Mad
anne Rosis.
"What makes yon 50 white?" she asked,
stopping short in her walk.
esWhy, he has gone!"
ssWho has gomez"
ssThe gentleman who walked beside
you"
s.Indeed, who so honored me?" she
said, increduously. 81 was busy with
my thoughts.
"a strange gentleman walked with
you-near you-and I started toward
him he disappeared
Madame laughed low, musical laugh,
but I saw that the white hand elasped
her scarlet mantle over her heart was
shaking. Her lips grew white and dry.
ST hope he was handsome"
every, with mouth like girls"
Her forehead grew puckered in scowls.
ssAnd what else?"
..He wore ring with a blood-red
heart.
I pray that I-may never on earth see
face SO fearful as was the Madame's at
that moment. I put up quick prayer,
forsI thought she was about to kill me.
She clutched both hands about my arm
and held me close to her.
How dare you, girl?"
ST could not hel1, seeing him" said.
s'There he Is now outside looking in
at the window"
She covered down at my feet and COW
cred her eyes with my mantle. I do not
know how long / stood there, or how
long she knelt without moving. I know
the figure stood motionless at the window
looking at us with steady, nnwavering
eyes. Would he never? Would he hold
us forever with that quiet, unfinching