Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-08-28
NlLViVNllWElLllLlNlNlNlNMN "a
CHAPTER XIy-Continued.

behind him, and Louise sank sObbing
into chair. 1t to>\' all Birley's efforts
and mine to calm her. l think | must
have become very much engrossed with
my own efforts, for when at length
Lonise sat composed and l turned to
Birley, Birley was gone.
"You will not leave me-" she said,
laying her hand on mine, "till he
comes back?'
That touch precipitated feeling in
me, and the confession which had not
intended l should make for some time
yet. Considering the highly wrought
condition of the nerves of both of us, /
do not think it is surprising that we
should then have opened our hearts to
each other.
81 wish" 1 said, "that l need never
leave your side again"
On an impulse OF shyness she tried
to withdraw her hand, butt kept it and
che let it stay
Louise" I said, "do you know
what that man meant when he accused
me OF seeking to marry an heiress?"
"Yes," said she, with hanging head
(the beautiful head, 81 think do.
He said something OF the same to me
at Blackpool.
"And do you think" urged, that
If l told that heiress how l loved her,
how l had loved her and thought OF her
from the first moment | had seen her,
before [ guessed that she might be an
heiress-do you think ii l said that, it
would only be because l expected she
would be rich one day?'
"Uh, l do not think that at all
But" she said, looking up with a
bright, uncertain smile (Which was so
winning!-so ravishingD "but l am
not an heiress."
"You guess, then, it is you l would
say this to?-that it is you l love and
have ever thought of?''
She trembled violently (dear huttered
hearth but still held her hand.
81 did not guess" she murmured
"until he made me think OF it at Black
pool. Then l understood why you had
been so very good to me, and l -"
"What, Louise? What, dear?" I
urged.
"Then IL think" she faltered, "I
began to Do not make me say itn'
"To love me ilttle?" l asked
"Do, do say it,"
eyes" she whispered. Her face
was hid against my shoulder, and my
arms were about her before she added
-"but not little-very much!"
1t was some moments before either
Of us spoke again.
"Do you think" she said at length,
lit is right that we should have said
these things at such time?-when We
do not yet know anything certain about
my dear dear father"
Louise" | answered, "darling. l
would, you know, save you the small
est pang Of pain. But think l ought
to say at once. dear, that you must give
up the hope that you have cung to,
know, in secret, that you might after
all find your father alive. He does
not live, am sure now-indeed | may
say as good as know where he lies
buried, though l must not tell you
more at present. All We can hope to
do then, darling, is to give him de-
cent resting place. Then we shall go
away out OF this terrible region of
money grubbing, of horrible toiling
and moiling in smoke and steam and
poisonous vapors, where the eye cannot
rest upon one single spot OF nature un.
abused-we shall go away to place
where the people are poorer and milder,
where we may see clear skies and
pure water, and trees and flowers bright
and wholesome. Won't that be well
come cnange?-and to get away from
the constant talk Of brass.
ooh, yes" she exclaimed "that will
be sweet. Let us go-do let us go as
soon as ever all things are settled, and
we have done sonnet ing for our dear
uncle Birley! We shall do something
for him-shall We not?''
We were thus talking when "dear
Uncle Birley" came in. He probably
suspected the understanding we had
come to, but, like kind and discreet
old gentleman as he is, he said nothing
then.
Wondered where I've been, have
you? Well, lad, I've just walked down
TO thy lodgings to tell tn old woman
che may go to bed, for thou'rt to stay
here the rest of this night-the last
night but one, very likely, that l shall
be here myself"
A tear glistened in his eve, and a
lump rose into his throat; but, after
momentary pause, lie talked on, and
these signs of emotion disappeared.
We soon went to bed, but think no
one of the three slept much.
In the course of an intimate talk
with Louise which had that Sunday
| learned how near had been to losing
her while she was at Backpool, where
her vigilant duenna had been a hard,
faithful old German servant of Stein
hardt's. 1t was only gradually that |
got TO know all the anxiety, and even
terror, of those days Of detention and
surveillance, but that day l heard to
my horror that the poor girl had been
so wrought upon by steinhardt's repre-
sentations of her duty to her father,
II L..