Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-11-12
The Doctors dilemma
BY Hesba Stretton
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CHAPTER XyI.-(Continued.)

OhAI 1hh ANl.-tOUuLluueu.J "A
"You are looking rather low," she said
triumphantly-" rather blue, might say.
Is there anything the matter with you!
Your face is as long as fiddle. Perhaps
1t Is the sea that makes you melancholy.
mot at ALL" l answered, trying to
speak briskly; 81 am an old sailor. Per
haps you will feel melancholy by-and-
by"
Luckily for me, my prophecy was full
filled shortly after, for the day was rough
enough to produce uncomfortable sensa-
tions in those who were not old sailors
like myself. My tormentor was pros
trate to the last moment.
= When we anchored at the entrance OF
the Creux, and the small boats came out
to carry us ashore, l managed easily to
secure a place in the first, and to lose
sight of her in the hustle of landing. As
soon as my feet touched the shore l start
ed off at my swiftest pace for the Aayre
Gosselin.
But had not far to go, for at Vaudin
Inn, which stands at the top Of the steep
lane running from the Creux Harbor,
saw Tardif at the door. He came to me
instantly, and we sat down on low
stone wall on the roadside, but well out
of hearing of any ears but each other s..
''Tardif," l said, has nam zelle told
you her secret
''Yes, yes" he answered; poor little
soul! and she is hundredfold dearer to
me now than before. But nam zelle is
not here. She is gone"
Gomez l calculated. could not ut
ter another word; but l stared at him
as if my eyes could tear further informa-
ton from him.
YES" he said; 'that lady came last
week with Miss Dobree, your cousin.
Then MANI zelle told me all, and we took
counsel together. 1t was not safe for
her to stay any longer, though l would
have died for her gladly. But what could
be done? We knew she must go else
where, and the next morning l rowed
her over to Peter-port in time for the
steamer to England. Poor little thing!
poor little hunted soul!'
''Tardif,". 1 said, did she leave no
message for me?"
'.She wrote letter for you," he said,
'the very last thing. She did not go to
bed that night, neither did I. / was 60
ing to lose her, doctor, and she had
been like the light of the sun to me.
But what could do? She was terrified
to death at the thought of her husband
claiming her. l promised to give the
letter into your own hands. Here it is:
1t had been lying in his breast pocket,
and the edges were worn already. He
gave it to me lingeringly, as if 10th to
part with it. The tourists were coming
up in greater numbers, and l made a
retreat hastily towards a quiet and re-
mote part of the cliffs seldom visited in
Little Sark.
There, with the sea, which had carried
her away from me, playing buoyantly
amongst the rocks, / read her farewell
letter. 1t ran thus:
MY Dear Friend-I am glad l can
call you my friend, though nothing can
ever come of our friendship-nothing, for
we may not see one another as other
friends do. l am compelled to flee away
again from this quiet, peaceful home,
where you and Tardif have been so good
to me. 1 began to feel perfectly safe
here, and all at once the refuge fails
me. It breaks my heart, but 1 must go,
and my only gladness is that it will be
good for you. By and by you will forget
me, and return to your cousin Julia, and
be happy just as you once thought you
should be-as you would have been but
for me. You must think of me as one
dead. l am quite dead-lost to you.
"Good-by, my dear friend; good-by,
good-by! OLIVIA"
The last line was written in a shaken
irregular hand, and her name was half
blotted out, as if tear had fallen upon
it. / remained there alone on the wild
and solitary cliffs until it was time to
return to the steamer
Tardif was waiting for me at the en-.
trance of the little tunnel through which
the road passes down to the harbor. He
did not speak at first, but he drew out
of his pocket an old leather pouch filled
with yellow papers. Amongst them lay
long curling tress Of shining hair. He
touched it gently as if it had feeling and
consciousness.
"You would like to have it, doctor?" he
said.
"Ay," answered, and that only.
could not venture upon another word.