The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-02-06

"Oh, walk IN ma'am, ii you please.
Mr.. Townsend told me You were not
coming until tomorrow. He ii out
just now. but your room IL quite
ready. Have you no luggage, ma'amp"
The visitor muttered something
about the station as she went into the
hall. please show me into the sitting
room,n she said; Il can wait for my
brother there. No, thank you; no tea
Is this the roomP''
..Yes, ma'am. The gentlemen has
coming back unexpected this evening.
He was telegraphed for, as there Is
some talk of the regiment leaving at
once
.What is that noisep" the visitor
asked.
s.Rain, maam. It's thunder show
er, | think. 1t always makes that
noise on the roof of the verander. It's
well you was under cover, ma am
Rosalind gave a sigh of relief as the
door at last closed behind the land
lady. Now, if by stroke of good
fortune / can commit my felony and
get away before my brother comes Ia
what an extraordinary thing that he
should be expecting his sister. | sup
pose (glancing ut a cabinet photo
graph on the chimneypieee) that is the
man himself. Why. he must be 40 at
least! Now, / wonder where Mr..
Geof keeps his treasures. In drawer,
of course; but which drawerp / do
not half like rnmmaging among the
poor mans possessions, but he brought
it on himself.
She presently came upon packet
neatly tied up with red ribbon and
sealed. She pinched it. 1t evidently
contained photograph, for she felt
the cardboard, and there was some-
thing soft that might be a glove; and
surely those were withered flowers
that cracked as she pressed theml
And the more lumpy Enclosures must
be letters. Should she unite the rib
bon and break the seal. But time was
passing and there was really no neces-
sity. Then she turned the packet over
and found an inscription that settled
the question. In mans writing were
the words: IL. : likeness and letters.
Very precious
Poor Geoffl Poor, dear fellowl
How devotedly he loves heri 1 am so
sorry for him. Very precious he
calls them" Rosalind murmured.
"But precious or not, l must rob him
of them. We cannot lose Tom. /
wonder what Lefty will say when she
sees them? Now, wish 1 were safely
out of this. / must write the tiniest
scrap of note and leave il for poor,
dear Geoff. She closed the drawer,
put the packet in her pocket, and
wrote hastily on half sheet of paper,
al. : sister has taken what YOU have
no right to keep against her will"
She had Just addressed the envelope
when She heard steps on the stairs;
in another moment the door was
opened and handsome young man
came in. :
How awkwardin thought Rosalind.
'.But / must keep up the character of
Townsend's sister. Who in the world
is hep"
The newcomer stood still and stared
at her. She was the prettiest girl he
had seen for many day She made
him little bow. II am Mr.. Town
sends sister. she said, .sand | expect
him every moment; he not expect me
until tomorrow. Did not the landlady
tell YOU l was here?s
..She-she-she did," the young man
gasped.
.sWhat donkey he is!' thought
1lOcdttA4s dl nGI GdSEs
although she had just been robbing a
drawer. Il wonder if you would mind
going to look for my brother?" she
said aloud in the sweetest manner.
at would be so very kind. 1t is awk-
ward to be here all alone with-people
coming in. She gave him a little
smile to indicate that he was one of
the people. Il have to 90 to the sta
ton for my luggage" (what dreadful
stories l am tellingi she added to her
self; then aloud, land, perhaps, by
the time come back he will be hers" !"
.s0h, you will come back, will youa
But it's raining cats and dogs! You'll
be drenched
'-Oh. dear, no. / have 3 water
proof. and Rosalind took mp her
cloak. Thank you," as the Young
man rushed forward and put i round
her shoulders. And YOU will go and
find-Gerard for me, She said, turn
ing to him with the sweetest smile
There was the slightest possible hesi-
tation before she said the name. He
noticed nothing but the beauty of her
eyes. Thank You very muehI'
She was gone before he recovered
himself. and when Geoff Hamilton
came into the sitting-room at No. Is a
few minutes later he found his friend
Townsend hanging out of a window.
Halo, Gee!" he said, whats up?
You look dazed. Seen a ghostPn
mo; but the prettiest girl in the
world. She was here She said she
and look for-myself, while she went
to the station for her luggage"
Then she'll be back?"
- Al.
way"
.sThen who in the world is she, and
what brought her here?"
Il suspect you know all about that,
you rascal! She's one of your army of
martyrs, take it. "
''Rubbishi l am the martyr. What's
this?" He had picked up Rosalind's
note from the writing table. sc.
Hamilton, ESQ., Now for the heart of
the mystery" He opened the note
and read it. Then he threw himself
into chair with a very red face.
Then he laughed. Then l am afraid
he swore.
Meanwhile Rosalind, with her heart
humping half with fright and half
with triumph, was speeding home
ward. She flew to Letty's room and
found that young person on her bed
reading novel.
s'Therei" Rosie cried, throwing down
the packet, never say again that am
not your best friend There are your
letters and your photograph, and all
the keepsakes you gave that poor, dear
man from time to time; and you ought
to be ashamed of yourselfi"
''Whati" cried unabashed Lefty.
did he give them up? He is a darl-
ing"