Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-10-01

I fore Julia's gaze as boy, but never as l
did now.
"Well! what is it2' she asked curtly.
The incisiveness of her tone brought life
into me, as a probe sometimes brings a
patient out of stupor.
Julia" said, "are you quite sure you
love me enough to be happy with me as
my wife?"
81 know you well enough to be as hap
py as the day is long with you" she re-
piled. the color rushing to her face.
you do not often look as If you loved
me- I said at last.
''That is only my way" she answered.
II can't be soft and purring like many
women. 1 don't care to be always kiss
ing and hanging about anybody. But If
you are afraid don't love YOU enough
well! l will ask you what you think in
ten years time"
"What would you say if told you 1
had once loved a girl better than I do
your" 1 asked.
That's not true" she said sharply.
"Ive known you all your life, and you
could not hide such a thing from your
mother and me. You are only laughing
at me, Martin"
Heaven knows I'm not laughing" 1
answered solemnly; cts no laughing
matter. Julia, there is a girl l love bet
ter than you, even now"
The color and the smile faded out Of
her face, leaving it ashy pale. Her lips
parted once or twice, but her voice failed
her. Then she broke out into a short
hysterical laugh.
"You are talking nonsense, dear Mar
tin,'' she gasped; you ought not! am
not very strong. Tell me it is joke"
Il cannot" l replied, painfully and
sorrowfully; sit Is the truth, though 1
would almost rather face death than own
it. l love you dearly, Julia; but l love
another woman better"
There was dead silence in the room af-
ter those words. l could not hear Julia
breathe or move, and l could not look at
her. My eyes were turned towards the
window and the islands across the sea,
purple and hazy in the distance.
I Leave mep' she said, after very
long stiffness; "go away, Martin"
Il cannot leave you alone," 1 exclaim-
ed; mo, will not, Julia. Let me tell
4 you more; let me explain it all. You
ought to know everything now"
"Go away!' she repeated, in mechan-
ical way.
hesitated still, seeing her white and
trembling, with her eyes CLASSY and fixed
, But she motioned me from her towards
the door, and her pale lips parted again
J to reiterate her command.
: How 1 crossed that room l do moi
know; but the moment after had closed
! the door heard the key turn In the lock
| dared not quit the house and leave he1
alone in such a state; and lenged ar
IDENTITY to hear the clocks chime Eve, and
the sound of Johanna's coach wheels or
the roughly paved street.
That was one Of the longest half hours
= in my life. I stood at the street door
l watching and waiting, and nodding te
people who passed by, and who simper
ed at me in the most inane fashion.
The fools! l called them to myself Al
! length Johanna turned the corner, an6
her pony carriage came rafting cheer
7 fully over the large round stones. 1 rar
to meet her.
t For heavens sake go to Julia!' ]
cried. 81 have told her.
e ~"And what does she say?' asked 10
hanna.
"Not a word, not a syllable" replied
!, Except to bid me go away. She ha.
! locked herself into the drawing room"
!, ''Then you had better 60 away alto
c gether," she said, "and leave me to dea
with her. Don't come in, and then / car
say you are not here"
? A friend Of mine lived in the opposit,
= house, and though / knew he was not a
home, knocked at his door and asked
permission to rest for a while.
The windows looked into the street
: and there I sat watching the door of ou
: new house, for Johanna and Julia t,
. come out. At length Julia appeared, he
$ face completely hidden behind a veil 10
l. hanna helped her into the low carriage
v as if she had been an invalid. Then the,
drove off, and were soon out of my sight
y By this time our dinner hour was near
e and knew my mother would be lookin,
It out for US both. / was thankful to fin,
y at the table a visitor, one Of my father
= patients, a a..widow, with high color,
/ loud voice and boisterous spirits, wh
;. kept up rattle Of conversation wit
v DR.. Dobree. Ny mother glanced anx
l. iously at me, but she could say little.
"Where is Julia?" she had inquired, a
:. we sat down to dinner without her.
y 'Julia2" l said absently; "oh! she i
y gone to the Vale, with Johanna Carey.
| ASKe
It'll my mother.
VI mot tonight" 1 said aloud; but to my
=, self I added, nor for many nights t
= come; never, most probably, whilst I al
under this roof. We have been buildin
o our house upon the sand, and the food
e have come, and the winds have blowr
It and the house has fallen; but my mothe
1t knows nothing Of the catastrophe yet"
She read trouble in my face, as clearl
g as one sees thunder cloud in the SIX,
d and she could not rest till she had fail
J. omed it. l went up into my own room
1t where I should be alone to think owe
It things. | heard her tapping lightly
d the door. She was not in the habit
ID leaving her guests, and 1 was surprise
and perplexed at seeing her.
Id "Your father and Mrs. Murray al
lie having a game Of chess" she said. "W
le can be alone together half an hour Ar
rs now tell me what is the matter? Thel
in is something going wrong with you"
t, She sank down weariedly into a chat
y, and I knelt down beside her. It W,
almost harder to tell her than to te
ar Julia; but it was worse than useless
put off the evil moment.
i Mother, / am not going to marry n
ne cousin, for l love somebody else. and
told Julia SO this afternoon. Ii is broke
~ off for good now"
She gave me no answer, and look,
II, up into her dear face in alarm. It hs
ne grown rigid, and a peculiar blue tinge
p pallor was spreading over it. Her hei
" had fallen back against the chair.