The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-11-14

watehiuAa aud listening TO our coiloQuy
from the head OF the ssairs-a Young
girl. dressed like the mnther. in deep
black, with very brilliant eyes and q
profusion of JET black cnrls.
Some one to sea your brother
She came halfway down the stnlrs,
pushed back her cnrls with one hand
and looked at me with her wonderful
eyes. Even then her beauty struck me
as stood gazing at her.
.sPerley is not at hnme." she said.
hurriedly. He has gone away. We
do not know when he will return"
Evidently this mother and daughter
were In the secret of Maitison's yil-
liany and doing their best TO screen
him from its consequence. My heart
bled for both of theins but il was no
time to indulge Ia sentimental pity.
Speaking as briefly rs / could. told
them il was my duty 10 compel them
10 remain were they were while
searched the house.
Mrs. Mattisou sat down pale and
trembling Her daughter colored
high.
Mother" she said '.why do YOU
IL is false? Let this man search the
Il
nocent as / amt
No opposition was offered to nv
search. 1t was entirely fruitless. how
ever; there was no where any trace of
the missing bird. Nevertheless. / re-
solved to remain there quietly, for a
day or two. TO see what little waiting
might bring forth.
The same Afternoon Clara Mattison
came in as / sat by the window. keep
ing q silent watch on all round
Mr.. Meredith she said. softly.
mother thinks | have been rude to
you. She says il was not your fault.
personally. that You were sent here on
such a mistaken errand--and. perhaps.
she is right. am sorry il have hurt
your feelings"
The pretty, penitent way in which she
spoke quite won my heart. and few
questions on my part seemed TO unlock
the hidden reeesses of her confidence.
She talked ut first shyly but after
ward with more assurance. of herself.
her absent brother and her mother.
giving me thousand little family de-
tails which almost dreaded to hear
This twilight talk was one of the
pleasanteSt episodes of my by no
means universally pleasant life, and I
was not little annoyed when il was
broken in upon by the arrival of the
constables from x. who were to
watch through the night.
At the sound of their footsteps.
Clara rose up, and sat down again,
confused aud frightened.
oh. Mr.. Meredith. those men"
BE easy, Miss Mattison.n | said
'.yon shall in no way be annoyed by
them Your privacy shall not be
broken IN upon, believe me-
4 know | am silly faltered Clara.
''but oh, it seems so dreadfulr'
My orders to the men were simple
aud suecinet. l stationed them as
seemed best to me. and then returned
TO spend the evening with Miss Matti-
son. And when l was at length left
alone / could not help thinking-God
forgive me-how much more winning
and graceful she was than poor Kitty
Elton.
At last answer came 10 my report
to Mr.. Clenner. II was short and to
the purpose"
read the missive with a pan9.
Clara Mattison's cheek deepened in
color as / announced my departure to
her.
You have been far kinder than we
dared to hope, Mr.. Meredith" she
said, ae / held her hand ia mine.
..You viii think of me sometimes,
Clara?s
The reader will easily perceive from
this how our intimacy had progressed.
She smiled. hung her head. aud. TAX
ing pair of scissors from the table,
severed one bright. black curl from
the abundant tresses that hung over
her forehead.
Keep this. Mr.. Meredith. in men,
ory of me-
Was | foolish to press the jetty ring
let TO my lips ere l laid it closely
against my heart? Clara evidently
thought / was. for she laughed, but did
not seem displeased.
Mr. Clenner appeared to be a good
deal annoyed when got back to town
rather an unreasonable thing on his
part, for | certainly did all that man
could do under the circumstances.
I'VE have been mistaken all the
way through, it seems" he said biting
his lip. -Strange-yery strange, /
never was mistaken before in my cal
culations. Well. we must try again.
I went to Kitty Elton's that night.
| She received me with n sweet. shy
sadness of welcome, that should have
made me the happieSt man in the
world; but it did not. Clara Matti-
sons dark beauty seemed to stand be-
tween me and her like a visible bar
rier. When l took my leave Their,
were tears in her eyes
Kitty. you are CRYING"
Because you are changed. Edward.
You do not love me as we'll as you
did,
Kitty, what nonsenseni
was vexed with her simply because
I knew the accusation was true. Blu
kissed her once more. aud took my
/ leave. moody and dissatisfied.
When l reached the Office next morn
ing. Mr.. Clenner was not there.
He has gone to k" said my
| fellow detective; "he went last night.
To K-?i
l was seriously annoyed Did Mr.
| Clenner doubt the accuracy of my re
portse Or did he imagine that was
unable to institute a thorough and
complete investigation of the premises
Its very strange" 1 mused aloud
Jones laughed.
well. u he said, you know Clenne
has a strange way of doing things
Depend upon it, he has good reasons
for his conduct
| was sitting at my desk two day
subsequently, when the door glideC
noiselessly open and Clenner himsel
entered.
"You are back again. sir? And wha
luckpn
The best"
You don't mean to say you've 90
him9n
Il do mean to say it, Edward Mere
dith. knew l could not be entirel
mistaken. Perley Mattison is in tn
next room-half an hour from now h