Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-08-27
CHAPTER l.

l
peration. | cannot say here what had
brought me to this pass, for do not
know into whose hands these pages may
fall but l had made up my mind to per-
sist in a certain line of conduct which
firmly believed to be right whilst those
who had authority over me were reso-
lutely bent upon making me submit to
their will. The conflict had been going
on, more or less violently. for months;
now | had come very near the end Of it.
l felt that must either yield or go mad.
There was no chance of my dying; was
too strong for that.
1t had been raining all the day long.
My eyes had followed the course of soli-
tary drops rolling down the window panes
until my head ached. There was moth
ing within my room less dreary than |
without. / was in London, but in what
part of London l did not know. The
house was situated in highly respecta-
BILE, though not altogether fashionable
quarter; as l judged by the gloomy, mo-
notonous rows of buildings which l could
see from my windows. The people who
passed up and own the streets on hne
days were weli-to-do persons, who could
afford to wear good and handsome
clothes. The rooms on the third floor
my rooms, which had not been allowed
to leave since we entered the house, three
weeks before-were very badly furnished.
The carpet was nearly threadbare, and
the curtains of dark red moreen were
very dingy. My bedroom opened upon
dismal back yard, where dog in ken
mel howled dejectedly from time to time,
and ratified his chain as if to remind me
that | was a prisoner like himself. L
had no books, NO work, no music. 1t
was dreary place to pass dreary time
in; and my only resource was to pace to
and fro--to and fro from one end to an
other Of those wretched rooms.
A very slight sound grated on my ear;
it was the hateful click of the key turn
ing in the lock. A servant entered, car
rying in tray, upon which were lamp
and my tea-such a meal as might be
prepared for school girl in disgrace. She
came up to me. as if to draw down the
blinds.
Leave them," l said; 81 will do it my
self by and by"
He's not coming home tonight" said
a woman's voice behind me, in scoff1ng
tone.
could see her in the mirror without
turning round. A handsome woman,
with bold black ewes. and a reuged face.
which showed coarsely in the ugly look
ing glass. She was extrayagantly dress
ed. and NOT many wears older than nv
self / took no notice whatever of her,
hut continued to gaze ont steadily at the
lamp-lit streets and stormy sky.
"T+ will bo mo ho++or for won whom be
10 of home y she said f;ercalv "Ha hates
Won. he swasrs so hundred times dav
and he is determined to break your proud
spirit. We shall force you to knock un-
der sooner or later. What friends have
you got anywhere to take your side? If
you'd made friends with me, my fine lady,
you'd have found it good for yourself;
but you've chosen to make me your en-
emy, and I'll make him your enemy"
81 set my teeth together and gave NO
Indication that had heard one word
of her taunting speech. My silence serv-
ed to fan her fury.
.sIInon NV soul madsmn she aImos,
shrieked. .you are enough to drive me ia
murder! l could beat you, Ay, and
would. but for him. So then three weeks
of this hasn't broken you down vet! We
shall try other means tomorrow. !"
Z Sha csma nm to whore 7 stood shool
Nor c,ancbed hand in NV eace ond aunc
horself ont NJ tbe room, nuIJ;no tbe doc,
gioion+lv oftor bar 7 +rrnod NV booi
roYnd thin fne streok -, 1isb+ ~
+hioiror +bon +brood shona for -, ~
s+an+ NJ heart stool st;lI and +ho,
haa+ Tho hammer stole vor, sof+l,
70 tbe door and d;scovered that The hoi
nod sl;nnad havond tbe boa, of tho iooI,
tn 49, mos ono,, for r,a,
nau peen on Tue aiert lor suen
chanee ever s,nee my imprisonment De
gan; MY seaisKIn nat ana jacket la!
READY 70 my nand IN drawer. hac
NOT Time TO put on tnicKer Doots; and i
was perhaps essential to the success o
my night to steal down the stairs in the
SOFT velvet slippers l was wearing.
stepped as lightly as l could. | crep
past the drawing room door, The heav!
house door opened with a grating of th'
hinges; but l stood outside it In the shell
ter Of the portico-free, but with the rain
and wind OF stormy night in October
beating against me.
darted straight across the muddy roat
and then turned sharply round corner
On Hed breathiessly AS dew neare
to shop windows an omnibus driver, see
Ing me run toward him, pulled up hi
horses in expectation of passenger
sprang IN, caring very little where