Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-10-29
CHAPTER XIv.-(Continued.J

them, and then we two will return along
the cliffs. Would you like that, mann
zelle?'
every much" she answered, the smile
still playing about her face. 1t was
brown and freckled with exposure to the
sun, but so full of health and life as to
be doubly beautiful to me, who saw so
many wan AMI sickly faces.
Doctor" said Tardif's deep, grave
voice behind me, your mother, is she
betterY
1t was like the sharp prick of pom
lard, which presently you knew must
pierce Four heart.
The one moment of rapture had fed.
The Paradise that had been about me for
an instant, with no hint of pain, faded
out of my sight But Olivia remained,
and her face grew sad, and her voice low
and sorrowful, as she leaned forward to
speak to me.
"I have been so grieved for you" she
said. "Your mother came to see me once,
and promised to be my friend"
We said no more for some minutes, and
e the splash of the oars in the water was
the only sounl OIivia's air continued
sad, and her eyes were downcast, as if
she shrank from looking me in the face
pardon me, DOCTOR" said Tardif in our
own dialect, which Olivia could not un-
derstand, 81 have made you sorry when
you were having a little gladness. Is
your mother very ill?'
''There is no hope, Tardif,' 1 answered,
looking round at his honest and hand
some face, full of concern for me.
"May l speak to you as an old friend?'
he asked. ''You love nam zelle, and you
are come to tell her so?''
"What makes you think that?' l said.
81 see it in your face" he answered.
lowering his voice, though he knew Olivia
could not tell what we were saying.
"Your marriage with mademoiselle your
cousin was broken off-why? Do you
suppose did not guess? l knew it from
the first week you stayed with us. No
body could see mam'zelle as we see her
without loving her"
1.-THE Sark folks say you are in love
with her yourself, Tardif," l said, almost
against my will.
- His lips contracted and his face sad
dened, but he met my eyes frankly.
- at is true" he answered; 'but what
then? II it had only pleased God to
make me like you, or that she should be
of my class, l would have done my ut
most to win her. But that is impossible!
See, am nothing else than servant in
her eyes. 1 do not know how to be any
thing else, and l am content. She is as
far above my reach as one of the White
clouds up yonder. To think of myself as
anything but her servant would be ire
ligious."
"You are good fellow, Tardif." 1 ex-
claimed.
"God is the Judge of that" he said
with a sigh. "Mam'zelle thinks Of me
only as her servant. My good Tardif, do
this, or do that l like it. do not
know any happier moment than when
hold her little boots in my hand and
brush them You see she is as helpless
and tender as my little wife was; but
she is very much higher than my poor
little wife. Yes, I love her as 1 love the
blue sky, and the white clouds, and the
stars shining in the night. But it will
be quite different between her and you. u
81 hope so,'' thought to myself.
''You do not feel like servant" he
continued, his oars dipping little toe
deeply and setting the boat a-rocking
"By-and-by, when you are married, she
will look up to you and obey you. l do
not understand altogether why the good
God has made this difference between us
two; but 1 see it and feel it. 1t would
be fitting for you to be her husband; ii
would be a shame to her to become my
wife"
care you grieved about it, Tardif?'
asked.
"No, no." he answered; Eve have al
ways been good friends, you and l, doc
tor. No, you shall marry her, and l will
be happy. 1 will come to visit you some
times, and she will call me her good Tar
diff. That is enough for me-"
At last we gained one Of the entrances
to the caves, but we could not pull the
boat quite up to the strand. A few PAGES
of shallow water, clear as glass, with
pebbles sparkling like gems beneath it
lay between us and the caves.
''Tardif," l said, ''you need not wait
for us. We will return by the Cliffs
you know the caves as well as do?
he replied, though in doubtful tone.
''All righty' 1 said, as swung over thu
side of the boat into the water, when :
found myself knee-deep. Olivia looked
from me to Tardif with a flushed face
an augury that made my pulses leap
Why should her face never change whel
he carried her in his arms? Why shoult
she shrink from me?
''Are you as streng as TardifP sh
asked, lingering, and hesitating befor
she would trust herself to me.
almost, if not altogether" l answer
ed gaily. I'm strong enough to under
take to carry you without wetting tn
soles of your feet. Come, it is not NOR
than half a dozen yards"
She was standing on the bench 1 ha
just. left, looking down at me with tn
same vivid flush upon her cheeks an
forehead, and with an uneasy expressio
in her eyes, Before she could spea
again put my arms round her, and lif
ed her down.
''You are quite as light as feather,
said, laughing, as 1 carried her to th
strip of moist and humid strand unde
the arehway in the rocks. As put he
down looked back to Tardif, and sa7
him regarding US with grave and sorrov
full eyes.
"Adieu!'' he cried; 81 am going to loo
after my lobster pots. God bless 70
bothp'
He spoke the last words heartily; an
we stood watching him as long as he wa
in sight. Then we went on into Ii
caves.
l had known the caves well when
was a boy, but it was many years sine