The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-01-29
cHAPTER NI


with faltering footsteps and throbbing
heart. he feet were muddy and wet,
andhcrscant gown oflinsey ey-woolsey was
decidedly the worse for wear and hard
usage. The coarse, plaid shawl, which
constituted Tie ouly presentable outer
wrap for the younger members OF the
family, as well rs herself, Was badly
awry, aud her slat sun-bonnct bid her
face like a huge cavern. But it was not
Of her personal appearance that she was
thinking now. Her chief concern was
for another, and that other was the
anxious mother Of her exiied other self
Come in 90 exclaimed geutle voice
Lie drew the latch and stood ahashed
in the presence Of John Ingleton's
mother, her reverential love inspiring
her with such a feeling as one might
have when standing face TO face with an
angel ia tribulation.
"May be I'm not Welcome" she ven
tured 10 say, in answer TO the stony look
OF displeasure that greeted her, and for
which she was iuwardly prepared.
"But, oh : Mrs. Iugleton, If you could
know how my heart aches for you, aud
how gladly would restore TO you the
possessions that / am sure my father
had no moral right To wrest from you
If you could only know how | have
struggled and prayed for strength to
come and tell you this, and how de-
termined am TO atoue to you-if ever
cantor your great wrongs, you'd let
me be friend TO you, Pm sure"
Mrs. Ingleion looked up from her
work in amazemeut. Chlucapin Oaks
was Tot ethout lis gossIps OF both
sexes, aud many stories Of this young
girls exuliation over the success Of her
father in diapossessing Squire Iugleton
had reached her, TO all Of which she had
naturally lent a listening ear.
'Indeed =" she exclaimed with en-
phasis, ani then, setting her lips hard,
renewed her exertious over some sub
staatial knitting, which seemed TO en-
gross her whole attention.
"May Tsii down ?" said Lie, dmidly.
THE hostess again looked up. There
was 20 resisting the appeal OF the crys-
tai eyes that gazed at her from the cav
ernous depths Of that slat sun bonnet.
Certainly. Have a seat, such as it
is. But 7 can't imagine Why your
father should send you here, unless it
was TO give him a chance 10 exult anew
over his triumph"
The knitting were still now,
but the angry lines about her mouth
and eyes grew less rigid.
Lie drew up stool that stood near,
and, placing it at the matrou's feet, sat
down and clasped her hands over the
knitting upon her lap.
Mrs. Ingleton brushed back the slat
suu-bonnet from the sorrowful face Of
her unexpected visitor, and gazed at her
silently.
81 wish you'd let me love you :" said
Lie, huskily.
Mrs. Ingleton dropped a tear on the
girls bonnet strings as she tremblingly
united them.
81 wonder, after all, If you really did
care for John ," she said, iuterroga-
lively.
"Care for him? Oh, Mrs. Ingleton
Do you think you ldcease to care for
him 2''
Certainly not. I am his mother"
"And l am his affianced wife. !
never breathe but think Of him. !
never sleep hut dream Of him, and ]
never wake but / wish that 1 might
sleep again TO realize that he is near
me. 1t comforts me to be with you be-
cause you love him; because you are
his mother; and nobody at our house
cares anything for him but me-"
Mrs. Ingleton gently laid the sun
bonnet aside, aud mutely caressed the
shapely head and velvet cheeks that
now rested upon the clasped hands Of
Johns ahianced, aud over the knitting
in her lap.
81 didn't dream Of this, poor girl, ("
she said, tenderly.
"Nor did l imagine that / could ever
gather courage TO come TO you and tell
you ofit. Do you know where John is
gone 2'
"Alas no, poor child. But think I
have an inkling. 1 have a brother
somewhere out in the far, far West, be-
yond the Rocky Mountains. I think he
went in search Of him. Did he give you
no clue to his movements >"
''No. Forgive me, Mrs. Ingleton
bus, dearly as 1 love bin, / cannot Re
sist the conviction that he treated m,
badly"
"Ah, child! you did not know his
reasons. You never can imagine hii
temptation unless you are driven to des
peration by overhanging debt"
ado you believe he committed forgery
Mrs Ingleton ?"
''No, dear. I know be did not"
$50 do I know it; but / have ~
proof to sustain my knowledge excep
an abiding inward conviction that b'
. couldn't be dishonest. But why doesn'
he come back and defy his traducers p