Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-11-05
The Doctors Dilemma
BY Hesba Stretton
CHAPTER xv.-(Continued)

CHAPTER XV.-(Continued)
That brought to my mind what l had
almost forgotten-the woman whom my
imprudent curiosity had brought into
pursuit of her. l felt ready to curse my
folly aloud, as l did in my heart, for
having gone to Messrs. Scott and Brown
"Olivia,' l said, there is a woman in
Guernsey who has some clue to you
But could say no more, for l thought
she would have fallen to the ground in
her terror. l drew her hand through my
arm and FASTENED to reassure her.
mo harm can come to you,' contln-
ued, whilst Tardif and are here to pro-
tect you. Do not frighten yourself; we
will defend you from every danger.
Martin she whispered-and the
pleasant familiarity of my name spoken
by her gave me a sharp pang, almost OF
gladness-'no enc can help me or de-
fend me. The law would compel me to
go back to him. A woman's heart may
be broken without the law being broken.
l could prove nothing that would give
me a right to be free-nothing. So l
took it into my own hands. l tell you L
would rather have been drowned this
afternoon. Why did you save me?"
l did not answer, except by pressing
her hand against my side. l hurried her
on silently towards the cottage. She
was shivering in her cold, wet dress, and
trembling wi,h fear. 1t was plain to me
that even her fine health should not be
trifled with, and l loved her too tenderly,
her poor, shivering, trembling frame, to
let her suffer if 1 could help it. When
we reached the foldyard gate, l stopped
her for a moment to speak only few
words.
$50 in," said, "and change every one
of your wet clothes. Twill see you again,
once again, when we can talk with one
another calmly. God bless and take care
of you, my darling!'
She smiled family, and laid her hand
in mine.
"You forgive me?" she said.
Forgive your | repeated, kissing the
small brown hand lingeringly; 81 have
nothing to forgive"
She went ON across the little fold.
Then 1 made my way, blind and deaf, to
the edge Of the cliff, seeing nothing, hear
ing nothing, l flung myself down on the
turf, with my face to the ground, to
hide my eyes from the staring light of
the summer sun.
Married? That was what she had said.
1t shut out all hope for the future She
must have been a mere child four years
ago; she looked very young and girlish
still. And her husband treated her ill
my Olivia, for whom / had given up all
/ had to give. She said the law would
compel her to return to him, and could
do nothing. l could not interfere even
to save her from life which was worse
to her than death.
Ny heart was caught in a vice, and
there was no escape from the torture of
its relentless grip. Whichever way /
looked there was sorrow and despair
l wished, with faint-heartedness I had
never felt before, that Olivia and l had
indeed perished together down in the
caves where the tide was now sweeping
below me.
Martin" said clear, low, tender
tone in my ear, which could never be
deaf to that voice. 1 looked up at olivia
without moving. My head was at her
feet, and laid my hand upon the hem
of her dress.
Martin" she said again, "see, have
brought you Tardif's coat in place of
your own. You must not lie here in this
way. Captain Carey's yacht is waiting
for you below"
1 staggered giddily when stood on my
feet, and only Olivia's look of pain stead
led me. She had been weeping bitterly.
l could not trust myself to look in her
face again. Tardif was standing behind
her, regarding US both with great con-
Germ. t
Doctor" he said, "when l came in
from my lobster-pots, the captain sent
a message by me to say the sun would be
gone down before you reach Guernsey.
He has come round to the Havre Gosse-
lin. I'll walk down the cliff with you"
"Take care of nam 'zelle," l said, when
we had reached the top of the ladder, and
the little boat from the yacht was dane
ing at the foot Of it. ''There is some
danger. ahead, and you can protect her
better than l."
Eyes, yes," he replied; 'you may trust
her with me. But God knows l should
have been glad if it had gone well with
you."