The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-08-11
UNDER A CLOUD.

lam Agnes Grey; or at least that was
my name when one bright summer day,
the sky as blue as though there never
could be another cloud in it, came home
across the fields from Nellie Hobart's
wedding. Very sweet she looked in her
bridal dress, and very fond the gentle
man to whom she had given her hand
seemed to be of her. The church was
decked with flowers, and not one of
those whosat there but wished the pretty
young creature well; and as she stepped
out from the shadow of the painted
windows into the clear, golden, out of
door light thought of the old rhyme
Happy is the bride
Whom the sun shines on.
And thought that she looked like one OF
those fair saints the old masters were SO
fond of painting, blue eyed and blond,
and with mouths like those of smiling
babies.
thought of something else, also, as /
suppose every girl who had been to that
wedding did, could one but know the
truth. l wondered whether it would
ever be my turn to stand where Nellie
stood that day. and what manner of man
my bridegroom would be; for had never
yet seen any one | could fancy giving
myself to, almost body and soul. as a
wife must. was making picture of
him for myself, like a goose, when my
foot caught in the grass, where some
boys had tied it, and down l fell, twist
ing my ankle and hurting my head. SO
that for awhile knew nothing.
At last felt some one lift me off the
ground, and opened my eyes to see that
it was great, swarthy, black eyed girl
of seventeen or so-a girl with careless
look about her dress which was not lady
like. But she had the voice and manner
of lady, and she asked me very kindly
if were much hurt; and, seeing that
was, picked me up in her strong arms
and carried me through a garden gate
and into little parlor, where she laid
me on a sofa and bathed my head with
rose water and told me to keep up my
courage, for ''Gideon has gone for doc
tor"
That name told me where was. /
was under q roof that | had never
thought would shelter nae, no matter
what would come to pass. 1 would have
risen and gone away if ! could have
stirred from the odd old sofa For this
was Gideon Lees old homestead. and
here dwelt the children of the man who,
sixteen years before, had been hung for
the murder of my Uncle Mathew.
was but baby when it all happened.
but could remember how the whole
village was astir in search of the miss
ing man, and how a body was found at
last in the heart of Alcott's woods, and
how the facts that there had been a
quarrel between Gideon Lee and Uncle
Mathew, and that Gideon Lee owed the
latter money, and how they were last
seen together quarreling in Gideon's
garden, where a bloody handkerchief,
marked IN. g." was found soon after
and brought Gideon to the gallows.
Perhaps hearing the story afterward
from my grandfather made me fancy
remembered it, but at all events the
name ! had learned to hate was that of
Gideon Lee And now it was the child
born on the day of her mothers death
the very day on which the father met
his awful fate-who lifted me from the
ground, dusky Madge Lee. who had
never found playmate nor friend in
the town because of the ban upon her
fathers name, and Gideon, the son, who
had been old enough to understand it
all at the time, who came in with old
DR.. Humphries soon after.
They were not poor people. The house
was substantial one, and there were
more books and pictures and tokens of
refinement within than country homes
generally boast of. But even the farm
hands spoke contemptuously OF the ''son
of the man who was hung" and the serv-
ants who were hired by Madge Lee
were not natives of the place.
And here was 1. Mathew Grey's own
niece, lying under the roof, and likely to
be there for some time. for the doctor
forbade my removal.
81 must go home-l must go away
from this housep / said. angrily and
feverishly.
And Madge Lee looking down on me
as an Indian princess might, with hel
dark eyes aglow, said. in a bitter voice
"Never fear, Miss Grey. we'll not mur
der you'll" and somehow abashed me
naughty as was.
Grandpa was away from home, or
think even the risk of my life would not
have kept him from taking me home
and grew III and delirious, and Madgs
Lee nursed me as sister might, and
Gideon was kinder than brother. Hs