Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-11-29

long afterWard she had gone abroad
with her parents, and when she re-
turned to Washington, it was only to
learn that Hal had left the city.
She caught her breath sharply and
If to quiet its Ayiolent throbbing, when
sudden thought flashed into her
mind. Perhaps he did not care; per-
haps his was merely fancy. No, no!
She felt that he had suffered, too, for
he loved her; Of that she was con-
happy past and the dreary future with
out him, she vowed to herself that if
she ever saw him again she would
speak to him and explain, even If he
did not come to her. But where was
he? Would she ever see him again
ever have an opportunity to explain?
Sitting thus dejectedly, she allowed
her eyes to wander restlessly from OBJ
ject to object. scarcely needing what
she saw, until, on the opposite side of
the narrow ravine, over which the
ledge of rock projected, she noticed a
beautiful cluster of early autumn fow-
ers. They seemed almost within
reach, and she decided to gather them
as souvenir of this visit to Glen
Echo. Perhaps it would be the last,
for each succeeding visit only served
to make her more lonely than before
Then, beside, Autumn, laying here
| and there fiery finger on the leaves" +"
told only too plainly of approaching
winter, when this loved spot would be
robbed of many of its beauties.
Stepping from the rock, Eleanor
climbed up few feet and steadying
herself by clutching the ferns and
bushes at her side, reached out over
the narrow space toward the coveted
blossoms. Closing her hand around
them, she gave quick jerk to pull
them from the stem, but at that in
slant the moss covered stone upon
which her weight rested moved slight
ly, and she felt herself slipping down
the bank. She frantically clutched
some bushes growing directly before
J her, but in her eagerness caught them
too near the tops, and the branches
slipped through her fingers, leaving
only the leaves in her hand.
A second attempt caused her to lose
her balance altogether, and she halt
slipped, half rolled, some distance
down the bank, carrying with her, In
the descent, shower of dirt and small
stones. An instant later she found her
self sitting upon ledge of rock jut
ting out from the hillside, upon which
was bench similar to the one upol
which she had been seated.
Making no attempt to rise, Eleanor
leaned back against the bench, unde
cided whether 10 laugh or cry, anG
thinking how ridiculous she must ap
pear, and thankful, indeed, that no one
had witnessed her undignified fall
She was shaken and GREATNESS. bu
uninjured, and she laughed as sh,
thought how fortunate 1t was Hal wa,
not with her this time. She was star
tied by slight exclamation; the1
came hurried footstep, and a roic,
said:
'Are you hurt? Let me assist you
AAoIAAOl1fClJ 11lcdAOr uF6W Q6r Zee
toward her sideways, smoothing ou
} her skirt with one hand, while will
the other she tried to put back he
hair, which had become loosened b,
the fall. Again the voice spoke,
J sTell me-are you hurt?'
The girl glanced up quickly, then
J with a surprised little "ohr' coyere,
: her crimson face with both hands. A
she turned toward the speaker b
: sprang back, exclaiming, Eleanor!
: and the next instant was on his knee
! at her side.
With one arm about her, he gentl
] took her hands away from her face
/; and kissed away the tears Of humilis
3 ton which started into the blue eyes
< Eleanor, my darling, what has ha1
: penedP asked the young man, as b
r raised the girl and put her upon th
a bench, still keeping his arm about he
t II wanted flower which was littl
above-'our bench'-and / fell from tt
) ledge above" she answered.
e "You fell from the ledge above" b
f repeated, glancing upward, then at til
$ dark ravine below. He shuddered an
l