Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-02-04

and the thought that all through her re-
turn walk through the leafy woods that
music had rushed as a chorus to her
words.
"Ah! now I knoww cries she, stopping
abruptly, and looking full at her COM
panion, who grows somewhat guilty In
appearance THAT noise Of running wat
er.-.hat is the river that flows beneath
Greycourt. If 1 had only followed it
need not have given you all this trouble
st is no trouble" says he, plainly.
She holds out to him her hand. Good
by" she says, gently.
''Oh, not good-by, I hope" returns he,
anxiously, taking the slim little hand and
holding 1T as warmly as he dares' per-
haps more closely than he is quite aware
81 shall see you again?'
"Oh, no. No, indeed" softly. You
must not think that. Uncle Gregory does
not permit us to know our neighbors."
He lifts his hat and Griselda. giving
him a rather solemn little salute, turns
away from him. A second later, however,
she finds him again beside her.
'It-;here is all the appearance Of COM
ing rain in the sky" he says, gravely:
| Don't you think so? I fear we shall
have perfect storm before long. L
thought I'd tell you, so that you might
get as much good out of these woods as
possible before-the deluge. This week,
now, might be fine, but should not an
swer for the next; and, indeed, if you will
! permit me to advise you, should recon-
mend you to take walk tomorrow. Who
shall say that rain might not fall the day
afterY'
Who, indeed?
1t seems the soundest reasoning. so
| Griselda, having shown herself impressed
| by it, inclines her head to him once more,
and. turn in the path hiding him at last
| from view, takes to her heels, and hard
| ly draws breath until, having found the
small iron gate that admits to thu" gar
den at it's lowest end, she enters by it
and feels herself at last at home.
On the hall doorsteps, as if lying in
wait for her, stands Mrs. Crunch, the
| housekeeper.
Dear me, miss, and SO you have re-
| turned says she. "Dear! but master
| will be main glad to hear Of it He was
that upset by your absence that we
daren't Sc much as approach him." Gri-
selda's blood grows cold. But now he'll
be sure to tell you himself how glad he is
| to see you back safe and sound"
CHAPTER v.
Mrs, Crunch, as Griselda left her, turn
ed aside, and with darkened brow made
for the library, Mr.. Dysart's usual abid-
ing place. Not finding him here, she
hurries onward down the hall, until she
comes to a heavy curtain, once handsome,
now moth-eaten and dingy, and pushing
it aside, reveals long tagged passage,
with a high, narrow door at the extreme
! end.
STOPPING as she comes to 1t, she peers
through the keyhole, and finding it emp
| ty, tries, with a cautious, quiet grasp,
the handle of the door to find the latter
locked. Still very cautiously she slips her
hand into her pocket, draws out a key,
we'll oiled, and inserting it in the keyhole,
softly opens the door.
\ grim smile overspreads her face as
she looks toward the further end of the
room There, on his knees beside a cab
met, kneels Mr.. Dysart. 1t is open, and
Mr.. Dysart, in his worn and shabby old
coat, is kneeling before the secret open
ing, gloating openly upon its contents.
Piles upon piles of yellow sovereigns are
so built one on the top of the other that
they reach from one narrow resting place
| to the other above, and so on. Dull, heavy
gold that scarcely glitters, save in the
eyes of the wretched miser bending over
| them.
Yet it is not SO much ON the money as
on a paper he holds In his hand that his
| attention is concentrated. He is so bent
on the perusal of it that he hears neither
the turn of the key in the lock nor the
woman's entrance. And now, as a mali
cious chuckle breaks from her, it SO star
ties him that he springs to his feet as if
shot, and a sharp, horrid cry, that is
almost a shrek, escapes him. His face
has grown deadly white, great drops OF
sweat stand out upon his brow.
Comforting yourself with look at it, -
says she, with malignant leer. As she
speaks she points not at the gold, but al
the paper he has tightly clutched in his
hand.
mands he, in a shrill tone. He is trem
} bling, and with nervous fingers presses
the paper into the secret recess in the cab
met, and shuts to the oaken woodwork.
why, through the door," retorts she
sullenly. How else? You should remem
ber to lock it when engaged on work like
this"
II could have sworn l locked it," says
he, stlll shaking. 'See! here is the key
, in my pocket. 1 tell you," with increas
, ing agitation. Il did lock it. Are you q
tiend that you can follow me through
bolted doors?"
Hush! Don't give way to foolish fan
cies. And after all, why need my com
ing fiuster you? Surely" with a mock
: ing air, your occupation was an limo
cent one; you were but refreshing your
self with a glimpse Of"
; BE silent, woman! Are you mad :?
: cries he, lifting his arms like one in NOR
= tai fear.
| You're but a poor sort after all" SHE
/ says, contemptuously. TOO poor TO
faith or trust of any sort. What! car
t you not even believe in me, who ha:
r served you and yours long and faithful
for forty years? Is it likely I'd betra!
you now for his children?'
= LAY. he served you falsely once" say:
: Gregory Dysart, q SAVIOR Of pleasure il
5 his tone.
: He took my best-my life, my soul
the heart of everything" says she, slow
! ly beating one withered hand upon tn,
other. Though years have rolled by
: have not forgotten; l shall not forget a
e all. When first l saw them l felt a
: though. if power were given me, coult
have hla Sted as fhey stood those iuSolen