The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-02-06

ling, "a man has his own fortune to look
to-
'tOf course" said Judith Grey, and as
she spoke the words a cold chill seemed
to creep like slowly congealing ice around
her whole heart.
'4lf you had consulted me rs to yonr
affairs went OH the young man, ''instead
of taking this extraord nary step, en-
tirely without advice or COUNSEL
''Yes, know liurrirdly interposed
Judith but it's over and past now. SO
perh aps we had better not talk about it.
The red winter sunset was blazing with
sssllen fire above the cedar copse in the
west; the leafiess trees held up their black
arms i'm sort OF wrestling agony, toward
the sky, as the bleak wind tossed them to
and fro, and solitary ra ven uttered his
ominous croak, in the woods at the back Of
the hon<c.
'.Such n place. - said lie, ''for woman
TO select to live in
''It isn't very cheerful. 7 said judith;
''but I've lived here all my life, yen
know"
"The more reason for Wanting 10 get
on; of it nov-,'' said the doGto", impatient
ly.
Judith was silent. She looked at the
blaziug logs on the old-f, >hior,etl hearth.
and tried to keep back the taSt-rising
tears.
DIR. Detl!ing rose and took mp his hat.
Then | am to consider that our en-
gagemrnt is quite at All end, said the
doctor.
YES" said Judith. in low tone.
IL shall always wish you. we'll, - said the
doctor, affibly.
II thank YOU said Judith.
''Good-by - SAID DR.. Ded!ing.
Good by said Judith.
The next moment she was alone with
the bnzing logs, and the cricket chrping
on the hearth. aud the strange. weird
shadows that came and went on the VAIN
sco.cd walls.
1t was just a month tonight since they
buried old Miles Grey out of sight. Little
Judith. who had worn herself out III
taking care OF him. hatl dropped a few
sincere tears on the cheap cotliu that in
cased lis remains. but no one else had
| seemed particularly to grieve.
Mrs. Pytclley. her eldest sister, who
was married to A New YORK grocer. had
boldly declared IlEtt it wiIs high time the
old mar. took himself Of the stage OF this
| world. aIid made 10 secret of her iSap
pnintment, WHEN It was di-eovc c that Il
| thousand dollars in gold pieces repre-
sentrd all his boarded wealth, with tile
exception of the cranberry swamp, nron
whose verge stood the housc; and this
tlr,ary property, by The terms nftlie will,
was to be divided between his two l.irccS,
Judith Grey aud Marta Pytchiey. as they
themselves might agree.
III take the ready money" said Mrs.
Pytchry. hastily. Htiat coHid | do
with three or four miles of cranberry
swamp
'.Or what coul Judith do with it.
either - S,i,l Hobart Fytch!ev, Who was
whiting pine stick beside the fire.
IL dare say she could manage very
nicely said Maria. I've heard Uncle
Miles say that he sold sixty dollars worth
of crunberries one year ont of the swamp
'.IIumrh - grnntcd Mr.. Pytch!ey.
And that's legal interest on thou
sand dollars, you know added his wife
''Wlat ,lo you say. Judith: -
1T makes no difference to me- said
Judith, quietly.
''lt does to me, then. - said Mrs. Pytch-
| ley. ''Because, you know very well,
Hobart's business is in the city. aud we
could do nothing with lot of swamp
land down here in tile backwootl<.''
So Mrs. Pytchley had taken the lions
share of the old mans belleSt, AID gone
back to kcr city home over IIol,art's
grocery store; and young DIR. Dc,l,ing.
who had confidently calculated OH at least
five hundred dollars. to buy surgical III
struments and fit up All office in the vii
lagc adjoining-five hundred dollars as the
dowry OF his britI"-elect-brol<e his engage
ment III fit q. pique that Judith should
have so deliberately flung her fortune
away.
"a set of harpies - cried lie, with dis
gnst.
..Stop. Dr. D,sliing!'' cried Judith, col
oring mp. '.You forget that you are
speaking of my sister and her husband. -
"But they had no business to impose
upon you thus.'' exclaimed the doctor.
II agreed to the plan, without retnon-
STRANGE"
DIR. Deding shrugged bis shoulders.
s.In that he said sharply, .'you showed
your lack Of common sense. If you bad
TO good regard for yourself, you might
have had some for me"
.'Was it for money you wanted me ?''
demanded Judith, stung to the quick.
DIR. Drlling cpIore.l and hesitated.
'sA man must take monetary matters
into consideration he said.
Aud so it came about that the engage
ment was Cancelled. and Judith Grey was
sitting there. alone in the wintry twilight,
with clasped llands and head dropped low
| upon her breast.
DIR. Dedling plodded home to the viii
lage, and as he passed the brilliant win
dows of the little hosiery, he paused,