Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-12-03
CHAPTER XXI.

u AL.
went out late in the evening to ques-
ton each of the omnibus drivers, but
in vain. Whether they were too busy
to give me proper attention, or too anx-
ious to Join the stir and mirth of the
townspeople, they all declared they knew
nothing of any Englishwoman. AS re-
turned dejectedly to my inn, heard
lamentable voice, evidently English, be-
moaning in doubtful French. The omn1-
bus from Falaise had just come in, and
under the lamp in the entrance OF the
archway stood lady before my hostess,
who was volubly asserting that there
was no room left in her house. l hasten
ed to the assistance of my countrywom-
an, and the light of the lamp falling up
on her face revealed to me who she was.
Mrs Fosterw exclaimed, almost
shouting her name in my astonishment.
She looked ready to faint with fatigue
and dismay, and she laid her hand heav-
lily on my arm, as if to save herself from
sinking to the ground.
Have you found herr" she asked, in
voluntarily.
''Not trace Of her." I answered.
Mrs. Foster broke into an hysterlcai
laugh, which was very quickly followed
by sobs. 1 had no great difficulty in per-
suading the landlady to find some accom-
modation for her, and then l retired to
my own room to turn over the extraordl-
nary meeting which had been the last
incident Of the day.
It required very little keenness to come
to the conclusion that the Fosters had
obtained their information concerning
Miss Ellen Martineau where we had got
ours, from Mrs Wilkinson; also that Mrs.
Foster had lost no time in following up
the clue, for she was, only twenty-fouI
hours behind me. She had looked thor
oughly astonished and dismayed when
she saw me there; SO she had had no
idea that l was on the same track. But
nothing could be more convincing than
this journey of hers that neither she nor
Foster really believed in Oliyia's death.
That was as clear as day. But what ex-
PLANTATION could | give to myself of those
letters, of Olivia's above all? Was 1t
possible that she had caused them to be
written, and sent to her husband! l
could not even admit such question.
without sharp sense Of disappointment
in her.
l saw Mrs Foster early in the morn
ing, somewhat as truce-bearer may meet
another on neutral ground. She was
grateful to me for my interposition in her
behalf the night before; and as l knew
Ellen Martineau to be safely out of the
way, I was inclined to be tolerant to-
wards her. I assured her, upon my hon
or, that I had failed in discovering any
trace of Olivia in Noireau, and | tod
her all I had learned about the bank
ruptcy of Monsieur Perrier, and the seat
tering of the school.
"But why should you undertake such a
chaser I asked; ''if you and Foster are
satisfied that Olivia is dead, why should
you be running after Ellen Martineau?
You show me the papers which seem to
prove her death, and now l find you in
this remote part Of Normandy, evidently
in pursuit of her What does this mean y
''You are doing the same thing your
self,'' she answered.
..Yes,".I replied, because l am not
satisfied. But you have proved your
conviction by becoming Richard Foster s
second wife.
.FThat is the very point" she said,
shedding a few tears; "as soon as ever
Mrs. Wilkinson described Ellen Marti-
neau to me, when she was talking about
her visitor who had come to inquire af-
ter her, / grew quite frightened lest he
should ever be charged with marrying
me whilst she was alive. So / persuad-
ed him to let me come here and make
sure of it, though the journey costs a
great deal, and we have very little
money to spare. We did not know what
tricks Olivia might do, and it made me
very miserable to think she might be still
alive, and / in her place."
could not but acknowledge to myself
that there was some reason in Mrs. Fos-
ter s. statement of the case.
.sThere is not the slightest chance of
your finding her." 1 remarked.
.Isn't.there ~ she asked, with an evil
gleam in her eyes, which I just caught
before she hid her face againsin her hand
kerehief.
"At any rate,n said, "you would have
no power over her if you found her. You
could not take her back with you by
force. do not know how the French
laws would regard Fosters authority, but
you can have none whatever, and he is
quite unfit to take this long journey to
claim her. Really I do not see what you
can do; and should think your wisest
plan would be to go back and take care
of him, leaving her alone. I am here to
protect her, and ! shall stay until I see
you fairly out of the place."
/ kept no very strict watch over her
during the day, for felt sure she would
find no trace of Olivia in Noireau. AT
night l saw her again. She was worn
out and Respondent, and declared her.
self quite ready to return to Falaise by
the omnibus at five o'clock in the morn
ing. I saw her off, and gave the driver
a fee to bring me word for what town she
took her ticket at the railway station.
When he returned in the evening he told
me he had himself bought her one for
Honheur, and started her fairly on her
way home.
AS for myself had spent the day in
making inquiries at the offices of the local
custom houses which stand at every en-
trance into town or village in France
for the gathering of triding, vexatious
taxes upon articles of food and merchan
disc. At one of these had learned that
three or four weeks ago young Eng
lishwoman with little girl had passed
by on foot, each carrying small bundle
which had not been examined. 1t was
on the road to Granville, which was be
tween thirty and forty miles away. From
Granville was the nearest route to ths
Channel Islands. Was it not possible
that Olivia had resolved to seek refuge
there again? Perhaps to seek me! Ny
heart, bowed down by the sad picture OF
her and the little child leaving the towI
on foot, beat high again at the thought
Of Olivia in Guernsey.