Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-01-02

Co, uiCu lOI mS, anu Will d UTOh0u
heart, too. Cant We touch these
bubbles but they break? Love is so
different with us men!"
But you have solved the great mys-
terry now, my child" 1 thought. "You
have gone through the shock of it. and
the pain Of it, felt the fog in your
throat, the mist in your face and I
almost envy your knowledge" Then
l kissed her and rose to go.
Hurriedly I wrote out four mes
sages, all worded in the same way:
'The nurse has taken poison, and her
dead body has been found in q cave
on the ocean SIDE" One. and the first,
| sent to Adelaide, directed to Colonel
Pelham, to meet the vessel in which
l found he had taken PASSAGE; one |
sent to DR.. May, adding to his: Tell
Phillips" and so insuring Colonel Pei.
hams receiving the news; the third
| sent to the Treasury; and the fourth
to the senior government medical of.
ficer, adding to this last request that
l might hear at once what steps were
to be taken. N
Then l went to the store; with the
object of telling the superintendent.
| heard Charley's voice as l neared
the place; he was speaking loudly, and
had evidently had some misunder.
standing with the old man., AS I en-.
tered, he said, addressing me, The
superintendent declares he will re-
port me for not returning to Sydney
when ordered to-, sir, and I say that
by doing so he will only get me into a
great row without doing himself any
good; 1t can't do him any good, can
it?"
81 don't think he will report you,
Charley; but won't you go away now!
I want to talk to the superintendent"
When Charley left the store I fol.
lowed him n told him TO go up to
my hut and wait till l came, and on
no account to go away. Then I came
back and told the old fellow my news,
and the steps l had taken to inform
the authorities.
"There is nothing to be done, I
suppose" he said, "but to wait the
government reply; and when it comes
will you kindly have it sent up to
me?"
Then l walked quietly in the direc.
ton of my house, wondering how the
news would affect Charley.
From the window he saw me ap.
preaching, and came down to meet
me.
whats the news, sir%
"She is dead, Charley"
dead, doctor, dead! All! we'll |
knew it; but where is she? Where is
it?" 10
"In Warren's cave. Will you 60 and
see her."
mot alone"
well. I will come with you"
And together we went silently
across the hill, with the Jealous eyes
of the old man upon us. The sun was
setting now in all those majestic
splendors, and with that %luxuriance
of colors that this country, and this
country only, sees with any frequency:
the winds were hushed; the sleep oil
the ocean only broken by little wave
let's leaping restlessly in their dreams
of bygone days; when they had been
made to dance to the winds piping
The absence Of all life on my rock
below and in the caves around, the
hushed and silent mournfulness Of
everything, formed a fit setting fol-
the sadness that hung around oul
hearts and made even breathing diff
ficult. Not a word was exchanged be
tween us till we reached the mouth
of the cave; then Charley, putting hi.
hand on my shoulder, said: "I won
go in, doctor; I can't stand it."
Nonsense, my good fellow! I will
go first; you follow"
Fol several seconds we stood with
out a movement or a word. Then
looked up into Charley's face, and saw
the tears streaming down his cheeks
Half ashamed of them, he wiped then
hurriedly away with the back of hi,
hand, and shook himself from head tt
foot, to regain, If possible, his self-pos
session.
The following morning I institute,
an inquiry into the cause of death o
Miss Milne, alias Nurse Emily
Charley administered the oath to tn
witnesses, and as he enjoined them Il
tell "the whole truth" I said to my
self: "The whole truth? No mar blu
/, myself knows, or will know that, an,
II will hold my peace"
, That afternoon the best of the col
t fins was selected, and Charley and
with loving hands placed her, still Il
her sleeping attitude, into it, and Gov
cred her for a shroud with the sea
scented ferns that she had chosen 70
her last bed. And then, when tn
men had lowered her into the grav
and gone again, I took from my poch
ct the prayer book that now for tn
sixth time was called into requisitior
and with Charley for chief an,
only mourner, standing at tn
foot Of the grave with hea
bent and arms folded, I rea
those solemn words, the divine inspil
alton of which is proved by their ne,
er-failing applicability, and Charley
heart gave out a little groan of assen