The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-10-23

practice won't stand that sort Of thing
long, you know" said / earnestly.
"You seem to have an accurate
knowledge of women and their ways"
| hc remarked dryly.
allowed that speech to pass without
comment Comment seemed superfiu-
| Gus.
IF might ask, should like to know
| whom you would consider in fault in
this little misunderstanding" be
| asked.
II am, sir 1t stands to reason;
should not be so anxious If she were in
fault" and then explained the whole
| matter, finishing up with, 81 can't re-
member exactly what called her, but
! whatever it was didn't mean it."
81 am not able to refresh your MEM
ory to what you said on that occasion,
| but | can tell you what | have heard
you call her myself" said Mr. Druitt,
| quietly. And then he told me.
His tone was revelation to me. Not
| that I'd call Witch anything worse
than little fool" But realize what
| It must have sounded like to the heav-
l us, anu " Allhls hCE ldlACl uOh I
| know how | looked, but felt mean,
cheap, worthless. Utterly so, I.began
TO stumble out apologies. He waved
his hand.
'All right" said he, "but you see your
| language is at all times forcible."
He is wise man, so he said no more.
| He showed his wisdom therein, for |
went at once to see Witch in very
| contrite frame of mind l was ready
10 make a mat of myself and let my
darling trample on me If 1t should so
! CANT thing, such was the depth of my
humility. Still, as journeyed Putney-
ward l wondered as to who could have
| stirred up the strife between US. Sud-
| denly it flashed across my mind that
Witch had seated herself beside Aunt
Betsy Jane, and that Aunt Betsy Jane
was her godmother and therefore IL
| censed to interfere. / am not, going to
| explain how Aunt Betsy Jane came to
| be Witch's godmother. l am not lady
novelist and therefore don't think it
necessary to explain everything. 1t has
nothing to do with this story; besides,
was Oll u O1u WacA 6lG was
christened and wasn't consulted as to
her sponsors. To be sure, 1t must have
peen Aunt Betsy Jane who suggested
| the letter.
When / arrived at the Cedars 1t was
about II o'clock. If all went well peace
would reign between Witch and myself
in an hour. And if so I would take her
off 10 Richmond, get a boat from Mes
| sums, row up the river, come to an
chor in a backwater l knew of between
Richmond and Hampton and then make
Ger name the day. But things didn't
so we'll; they went exceedingly badly
instead. When Amelia (Amelia is the
pruitt's housemaid) opened the door
ard l inquired for Witch she said.
srayely:
Miss Druitt is not well, sir, but I'll
tell her you're here"
Then she showed me into the dining
room. This was ominous! In the
Druitts' menage 1t Is customary to see
| people who come on business-dress-
1hakers, laundresses, servants seeking
piaces-in the dining room before lunch.
Amelia left me and went upstairs.
rapidly diagnosed the situation. took
cut my pocketbook and wrote: My
| darling, l shall wait In the old boat at
the end OF the lawn till you can see me. :
erd then signed 1t John"
Amelia came back. "If you please,
sir, Miss Druitt does not feel equal to
seeing you to-day. but will write to you
TO night"
Exactly" said 1, quietly. Can you
give me an envelope? Thanks. Give
taat to Miss Druitt, please"
The maid left the room and l went
into the garden. At the bottom of the
garden ran the river; chained to post
was an old boat. 1t was seldom used,
as the spot was not picturesque, but it
was secluded, hidden both from the
house and from passing boats by thick,
dropping willows. 1t was here that
Witch and I had come to the conclu-
sion that we could not live without each
ether. l sat down in the boat feeling
very wroth with Witch and bitter
against Aunt Betsy Jane. l would
| have given much to know IL she were
In the house at that moment. + thought
out all l had heard of the days of her
youth. felt mean and spiteful. l he
thought me of an old incident in her
life wherein Aunt Betsy Jane had
sailed very near the wind and had
Earrow escape of social wreck.
ought to have forgotten it, but am
not heroic. Both morally and physic-
ally l am commonplace. That is to say,
if I'm struck l hit back, or try to.
Would you believe it? l sat in that
boat, except when got up and stretch
ed myself, until o'clock! 1t was near
ly dark, and when ! heard the clock
strike / swore to myself that II Witch
did not appear before the Ginning of
the Ginning of the quarter | would
row the old boat down to the bridge,
give boy sixpence to bring it back,
ard-well, when " itch wanted me she
might send for me- That was all!
1t must have been very near the quar-
ter when l saw stealing down the gar
den, her head and shoulders wrapped
up in white cloud. my Witch. At
least / thought so at first. But l soon
sa w it wasn't. 1t was someone more
kin and less kind. Nevertheless, as the
form drew near, peering about in the
dusk, l sprang forward, caught her in
my arms and kissed her. She had no
breath with which to utter a sound.
She could only listen to my ardent
far more ardent than | ever bestowed
oil neutrality-suspicious. Of affection
My darlingT' ] went on. 81 know
ycu would never have made such a lit
tie fool of yourself If it hadn't been for
that malicious catamaran, Aunt Betsey
1
struggled. 1 was holding her tightly
or my face might have suffered. But
I'll tell you tale, dear, about her. I'm
the only living soul that knows, now
ole nurse is dead" You couldn't hear