The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-01-23
REPAID.
BY MAY KEsTLER DALLAS.

BY MAY KEsTLER DALLAS.
''No Elson, don't think you are act
ing quite the gentleman in regard to An
ME Gray. She is but child, and as in
| nocent as a baby in the art of flirting. If
you wish to try your powers in that line,
| why don't you take up arms against some
of the gay heartless coquettes with which
this place is swarmed. There's Kate Les
lie, Maud Fulton, Mary Dubois, and a
number of others, all willing to have a
lark with the rich and handsome artist y
Now, Dick, old boy, don't be too hard
on fellow. Those gay butterflies tire
me. I want something new. Annie is
| such pretty little thing and her sim
ter's servant, and Of course she don't ex-
pect that mean anything serious. She
is pleased with my attentions, and just
like all the women always ready to fall
i'll love with every nice looking chap
they chance to meet. I should not be
surprised if she would meet me tonight
with frown and cold how do you do?
And tomorrow smile lovingly on YOU
Crank Elson, you have no more heart
than mummy. Can't you see that the
child is passionately in love with you?
One look into her eyes will tell the story.
Poor child, she might as we'll have
thrown her affection away on a marble
image as to bestow it on one like you. At
least be man enough to undeceive her be-
fore the knowledge that you are only tri-
fling with her gives her too much pain. !"
''Good Lord! man, to hear you talk
one would suppose that had been guilty
of some dreadful crime, the greatest vii
| L., l. l..
amusing myself with a servant girl.
There was ring Of scorn in his tones
which aroused the blood in Richard
Swords veins, and he replied hotly:
HAnd SO you are villain, if you play
with the affections of that innocent
child"
There was an angry flush on his face,
which boded no good, and Frank Elson,
not wishing to provoke the anger and
thereby lose the friendship of the young
lawyer said laughingly while he knocked
the ashes off the end of his cigar:
s'Well, Dick, since you take this matter
so much to heart, will let Miss Annie
understand, in the most delicate manner
possible, that our friendship must end.
Do you know Dick, although treated
the subject so lightly that I do really
care for the child; and if it was not for
my family, I almost think I would be
tempted to marry her. No woman ever
inspired me with the same feeling she
does. What great pity it is that she is
nothing more than servant"
stShe is a thousand times better than
any of the painted dolls we have here,
and more perfect lady than any of them.
I am much mistaken, or Annie Grey has
been reared to be waited upon, rather
than to be the servant of others. Did
you notice how very small and white her
hands are?"
eyes, Dick; and my sister also re-
marked it. By George, I wouldn't be
surprised if she had run away from
home. My sister knows nothing about
her. She employed her two weeks ago,
through the Recommendation of one of
her lady friends. When come to
think of it, no poor girl could have OBJ
tanned the education she possesses. My
suspicious have been aroused, and ] am
determined to find out something about
her. When first saw this young girl,
she was reading a letter written in
French, for one of the servants. I
promised Captain Justian that we would
ride with him this evening. Will You
come ~ 8
Eyes; I want to see the Captain about
the Trescot estate"
The young men rose and entered the
hotel parlor, just as a slender, white
robed, girlish figure glided swiftly out
of one of the Summer house, and sink
ing into one of the low seats, she drew
long, shudderiDg breath.
She was apparently about sixteen. The
round, sweet face was very white, and
the scarlet lips were tightly compressed.
There was dangerous CLEAN in the
blue eyes, as she muttered under her
breath:
ssOnly servant The contemplate
aatterer; I will repay him for this or die
in the attempt"
A few minutes after she passed out,
and met Frank Elson and Richard
Sword on their way to Captain Justian's
Annie met the young artist with
bright laughing eyes and sweet smiles.
She returned Dicks deep bow with q
slight inclination of the head, but the
zled him for a long time after.
She tripped along towards the house;
and the young men continued their walk
| in the direction of the Captains cottage.
When Frank Elson returned to the hotel
late that evening, his sister flew to him
with the intelligence that Annie GRAY.
| her children's nurse, had left that even,
/ :
! ng.
"Oh! Frank, what shall do? Annie
was perfect treasure. I'll never get
another one like her. =
Probably she might be ing5hced to reS
turn. Did she leave her add pess p
Frank asked the question quietly,
but there was a peer fesiing at his
heart.
mo; she didn't tel me where she ;was
going even offered her higher wages.
but nothing woulsf lndnce her to re-
Mrs. Hoffmeal ran out to meet her}hus-
band. and Frsink was alone. His {sweet
little wild rpse bad flown. He Mould
miss her; fs5r the feeling at his hea1 told
him that he loved her.