The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-03-05

4
81 say, what's your message?" asked
the woman. what have you got to say
about Tom, and what has Tom to sayf"
| Are you Toms wife?"
| yes, l am"
! "And that's Toms sister,"
| Here the woman burst into paroxysm
of coughing, for the cessation of which
Reuben waited patiently. keeping his eyes
4; upon the figure on the bed, and doubtful
still if it were sleep that kept Sarah so
dumb and passive. Ii was violent
/ cough, that of Mrs Eastbell's, which was
rending away all the life that was left
in the sufferer. who carried consumption
in her every look and fitful breath.
You have come for her." said Mrs.
Eastbell, in husky voice.
| Yes. have come for her. if she'll
trust me-"
| You're just the chap for the likes of
us to trust" said Mrs. Eastbell. ironical-
ly, ''and poor Sally is sure to be uneom-
mon glad to see you. Not that she'll
mind much which way it is. for she's been
awful down.
Indeed. Has she?"
IF it amt Worcester prison. it'll be
the Surrey canal. Here-hi-Sally"
/
gal Here's cove says he wants you
partikler."
The girl lying on the bed sprang up
on her hands at once. and glared toward
them both. shaking her long black hair
from her head as she did so. Her face
was flushed with sleep. but the palor
rapidly stole over it as she recognized
Reuben Cuwick standing by the fire
place observing her.
What can you want?' she murmured;
what has made you come in search of
me?'
ITO help you" was the answer, ''for
am afraid that you are in bad hands, and
| wish to take you from them"
There's no getting away" answered
Sarah; TASK her"
tom wouldn't like it, said Mrs. East
bell. thus appealed to. 'Sally's handy"
And Sally knows too much" added
the girl, scornfuly. land if she moved one
step away from home they would tell the
police where to find me-"
II wouldn't. Sally" said the woman,
raising her head from the wall. and in
cliuing it forward in her self-defense
You know who would"
"Ah! l can't answer for him." replied
again: when his backs up he don't mind
much what he does. certainly. and mis-
fcrtun' has soured him awful"
~ saw your grandmother yesterday
said Reuben.
You didT exclaimed she-"at Wor-
cester? I hope she was well-that she
didn't know anything"
"NO-she lay there just as l saw her
very full of love for you. She was wait
ing for her granddaughter to come back.
Couldn't she come to you? l don't
mean at once" he added. as Sarah re-
coiled Mt the suggestion. but after you
had left here and got some situation,
which might enable you to hire "OOm
for her. 4 friend of mine has found you
a situation already. and will be security
for your faithful service, until they learn
to trust you for Yourself
Sarah broke down ut last. The thin
little hands went up quickly to the face,
and she sObbed forth:
God bless you. sr: but don't--oh. don {
say another word.
But Reuben Culwick. carried away by
his theme seized his advantage and
went on He had one object in life now
to get Sarah Eastbell from that house.
"Why. you are my cousin" be said
earnestly. ''and why shouldn't l help
you for your own sake. as well rs for the
sake of that old woman greving for YOU
down in Worcester
Sally" said her sisterin-law, slowly
and cmphatically. 1--WE been thinking
it all over"
"WellI" said Sarah Eastbcll.
81, Ii
single word against YOU, even if he kills
me. and he's often said he would. He
mayn't find You ont and if he does he'll
think twice about doing YOU an i'll turn.
He's not so bad. you know. take him al
together. Go-run away--hOOk it. ex-
claimed Mrs. Eastbell. with increasing
excitement evidencing itself along with
her sangy phraseology. while there's
time
Sarah wavered for she turned quickly
To her sisterin-law.
"You-you mean this? You will not
tell Tom or Toms friends-you will let
me pass from this place unwatched-you
will give me time to get away!
''Of course | will"
Il came here of my own free will. sir.
not knowing where to go in my despair
and fright" she said turning to Reuben;
"but oh. if | could get away again. IL
YOU only knew that
Her hands fell helplessly to her side,
AMI she went backward step 10y step TO
the bed again. where she sat down with
new horror on her couutenance.
The door had opened and Tom East
bell. with his long great coat buttoned
round him. was standing in fhe doorway
regarding them. Over his shoulder loom
ed the forbidding countenaIce of the man
who had met Reuben ut the entrance,
hch. by the jarring and changing that