The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1901-11-29
cHApTER xxi.


to give me proper attention, or too AnA
ious to join the stir and mirtn OF .uo
townspeople, they all declared tney Ene"
nothing of any Englishwoman. ~ ~
turned dejectedly to my inn, l heard
iamentable voice, evidently English pe-
moaning In doubtful French Inc onni,
bus from Falaise had just come IN, anu
under the lamp in the entrance OF the
archway stood lady before my hos.ess'
who was voubly asserting that there
was no room left in her house. nasten-
ed TO the assistance Of my countrywom-
an. and the light of the lamp falling up
on her face revealed to me VINO sne was.
"Mrs. Fosterv' / exclaimed, almost
shouting her name in my astonisnment.
She looked ready to faint with fatigue
and dismay, and she laid her hand neay-
ily on my arm, as If to save herself from
sinking to the ground. \.
1Haye YOU found herT'' she asked, IN
voluntarily.
"Not a trace Of her." answered.
Mrs. Foster broke into an hystericai
laugh. which was very quickly followed
by sobs. had no great diiiicuity n per
suading the landlady to ind some accom-
mediation for her, and then l retireu 70
my own room to turn over the extraordi-
nary meeting which had been the last
incident of the day.
II required very little keenness to come
TO the conclusion that the Rosters nao
obtained their information concerning
Miss Ellen Martineau where we had got
ours, from Mrs. Wilkinson; also that MIS-.
Foster had lost no time In Following up
the clue. for she was only twenty-four
hours behind me. She had looked thor
oughlv astonished and dismayed when
she saw me there; 80 she had mad no
idea that | was on the same track. But
nothing could be more convincing tnah
this journey Of hers that neither sne nor
Foster really believed in Olivias death.
THAT was as clear as day. But what ex-
planation could give to myself Of those
letters, of Oliyia's above aht was "
possible that she had caused them 70 De
written, and sent to her husbandl
could not even admit such a question,
without sharp sense Of disappointment
In her.
I saw Mrs. Foster early in the morn
ing. somewhat as a truce-bearer may meet
another on neutral ground. She was
grateful to me for my interposition IN her
behalf the night before; and as ! knew
Ellen Martineau to be safely out OF the
way. | was inclined to be tolerant to-
wards her. | assured her, upon my hon
or, that / had failed in discovering any
trace of Olivia in Noireau, and l tod
her all | had learned about the bank
ruptcy of Monsieur Perrier, and the scat
tering Of the school.
"But why should you undertake such
chaser asked; ''if you and Foster are
satisfied that Olivia is dead, why should
Won be running after Ellen Martineau
You show me the papers which seem e
prove her death, and now | find you u
this remote part Of Normandy, evidently
in pursuit Of her. What does this mean Z
"You are doing the same thing your
self" she answered.
"Yes," | replied, because am mo-
satisfied. But you have proved YOU
conviction by becoming Richard Foster 4
second WIFE"
"That is the very point" she said
shedding few tears; "as soon as eve
Mrs. Wilkinson described Ellen Martl
neau to me, when she was talking abou
her visitor who had come to inquire az
ter her, grew quite frightened lest h
should ever be charged with marrying
me whilst she was alive. So | persuad
ed him to let me come here and max
sure Of 1t, though the journey costs |
great deal. and we have very dttl'
money to spare. We did not know wha
tricks Olivia might do, and 1t made M
very miserable to think she might be still
alive, and / in her place"
could not but acknowledge to mysel
that there was some reason in Mrs. Eos
ter's statement OF the case.
'There is not the slightest chance o
your finding her." l remarked.
sIgn't there" she asked, with an eyi
CLEAN in her eyes, which ! just caugh
before she hid her face again in her hand
kerchief.
'At any rate" said, 'you would hav
no power over her il you found her. 70
could not take her back with you b
force. do not know how the Frenc
laws would regard Fosters authority, bu
you can have none whatever, and he
quite unfit to take this long journey t
claim her. Really do not see what 70
can do; and l should think your wises
plan would be to go back and take car
OF him, leaving her alone. am here I
protect her, and | shall stay until | Sc
you fairly out of the place"
/ kept no very strict watch over he
during the day, for l felt sure she woul
find no trace Of Olivia In Noireau. A
night l saw her again. She was wor
out and Respondent and declared hei
self quite ready to return to Falaise b
the omnibus at FIVE o'clock In the morE
ing. saw her off, and gave the drive
fee to bring me word for what town sh
took her ticket at the railway station
When he returned In the evening he tol
me he had himself bought her one fC
Honfieur, and started her fairly on hs
way home.
making inquiries at the Offices OF the loci
custom houses which stand at every el
trance into a town or village In Franc
for the gathering OF trifing, vexatiol
taxes upon articles OF food and merchai
disc. At one Of these had learned tina
three or four weeks ago a young En-
lishwoman with a little girl had passe
by on foot, each carrying a small bundl
which had not been examined. 1t WI
on the road to Granville. which was
tween thirty and forty miles away. Fro
Granville was the nearest route to Il
Channel Islands. Was It not possib
that Olivia had resolved to seek reful
there again? Perhaps to seek me! n
heart bowed down by the sad picture
her and the little child leaving the tow
on foot, beat high again at the thoug
OF Olivia in Guernsey.
At Granville l learned that a you
lady and 4 child had made the voyage
Jersey a short time before. aud l we
on with stronger hope. But In Jers'
could obtain no further informati'
about her; nor in Guernsey, whittier
felt sure Olivia would certainly have pr
ceeded. | took one day more 10 Gro
nvo~ fo Cart ana consuif Tariff. htff