The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-05-29

noticed stranger who looked At me
very earnestly"
brown hair aud pleasant features.
wearing a full beard OF waving. golden
brownP''
.'No. A tall grave man. with stern
features, smoothly shaven. aud hair al
most white; quite an old man.
.'Truel true! | had forgotten. He
must be iiftf-iiye."
..When he was introduced to me he
touched the locket upon my neck.
Pardon me, he said. iii l am too cur
ious; but your name aud that trinket
are connected with SO, much of my life
that l venture to ask yon something
concerning them. The loeket first.
Did not some one give it to you-a
ladyp' His looks were so eager that
told him the locket was yours. Then
he led me on, little by little. till told
him my whole life. He said he had
been here two months seeking you.
He did not look for n wealthy woman.
but one poor and solitary. Then I in
formed him how poor we had been;
and about your cousin. and how you
had lavished every good thing on me.
And then, auntie. he whispered. half to
himself that had no claim on you.
What did he mean? Are you not my
auntP,
No. dear, there is no tie of blood
between us. Your claim is the claim
of love; for you have been the one
comfort, the one sunshine of my
lonely life. Twenty years ago, Elsie,
Ralph Darlington gave me the lockei
you have upon your neck, a gift of be-
trothal, for we loved each other truly
and were engaged to be married.
was a poor girl. making artificial
flowers for bread-an orphan too. He
WAS assistant cashier of the Hope Bank.
where your father was night-watch.
man. and Charles Ralston was the
head cashier Ralston was in love
with me and pursued me with unwel
come attentions.
.sOne day. to rid myself of his i'm
portunities. told him had promised
to marry Ralph. He left me in rage.
Only one week later the bank was
entered at night. your father shot
through the heart, and Ralph Caring.
ton discovered in the act of trying to
revive him. He was arrested and
tried. He told story no one credited,
that Charles Ralston had sent him from
his house to the bank for the papers.
after keeping him busy there over the
books all the evening. But Ralstor
swore that he had not been at home
that evening. and proved it; that the
KEYS of the vault safe. found hanging
in the keyhole were stolen from his
desk, and he had not sent his clerk tc
the bank. So Ralph was convicted
and sentenced. He escaped Elsie,
had saved ESQ pounds for my we'd
ding garments. / went to see him ID
prison. and knowing that he was in,
nooSn$ 7 sr.,x-.a hin, Tho t,nonar ~, h,-sl,e
the keeper of his celEs The man tooh
it and Ralph was free. | have never
known if he lived or died until to-
night.
After he was gone your mother
was taken i'll. Before her marriage
she had worked for the same establish,
ment where l was employed and
knew her we'll. The shock of her hus.
bands death was too severe for her,
and she never rose again froil her bed,
though she lived three months. When
she died promised You should be my
charge and never know the shadow up.
on your life till You were a woman
Elsie was Sobbing quietly. often lift
ing to her lips the gentle hand that had
given her all she had ever experienced
of life's blessings
There was long silence after Miss
Merriman ceased speaking. aud the
gray dawn was creeping in at the win
dows when. softly kissing her aunt.
Della told Elsie to 90 to rest.
But for herself there was no rest.
Feyerishly. with an agitation alto
gether unlike her usual quiet. she
waited the coming of the lover who
had fed from his unjust sentence
twenty years before. but who was free
now and his innocence known. The
day was young and Elsie was sleeping
still when he came.
Della was waiting for him in the
drawing-room. There was no.affecta-
tion of youth in her silver-gisiy silk
and the square of black lace upon her
soft hair. but instead of a brooc.t. there
fell upon the knot of ribbon at her
throat the pearl locket Ralph had
given his betrothed- She stood up to
greet the stern-faced. elderly man who
advanced 10 meet her. trving to lind
traces of her lover. Not until he
smiled tenderlv did she recognize him.
Then. her owr eyes dim with tears,
she said. softly: ..You-are more than
welcome. l am rejoiced the cloud i:
lifted from your life. Ralphr,'
And he. holding the trembling hand
fast in his strong ones. answered: Z
lave found vou at lasti began tt
fear you were dead. Deiiai My little
lovei my darlingia
"Ralphr' she said. the bright fusi
rising to her faded cheeks. you forge
we are gray-haired elderly peoplein
- forget everything but that yol
are here. that the hope that has seemet
dream of madness for twenty year
is realized. ] have been in California
Della. all thesexears. amassing wealth
under another name. working for golt
to drown thought have led bus,
life; but there has not been one hou
when have not pictured such happi
ness as this. You are mine, Della
You will not send me from you? Yol
will be my wifep1
IF you wish it" she said. softly. he
own faithful heart thrilling under tn
sincerity of his tone. Il have neve
ceased to love or to pray for you
Ralph
Society speculated upon the brie
courtship, for there was a quiet wed
ding within month, but nobod.
knew of the painful past save Elsie
the cherished child still of Ralph Car
fington and Della his wife,