Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-02-26
CHAPTER XI.


the next day-did not remember her
promise to accompany her cousin Reuben
did not know even the man with the
big beard who leaned over the bedside
and called her by her name.
The crisis had come, and Sarah East
bell had battle to fight with brain fever,
or with a strange delirium which was
akin to it. When she came back to ber-
self, she lay as powerless as Grandmother
Eastbell at st. Oswald's, of whom she
first thought, along with the feeting fan
cy that she was in one of the wings OF
the almshouses, and that the old woman
was not far away. A fortnight had pass
ed then, and the face of the nurse had
almost died out of her memory.
"How-is-grandmot she asked
with difficulty and pausing at each word.
"She is we'll"
"Will - you her-that-I'm-
better, please"
"Yes"
Sarah Eastbell remained satisfied with
the promise, and was silent for awhile.
She slept a great deal that day and the
next, and ate but little, and it was doubt
full whether the complete prostration
which followed would not terminate the
odd life of Second-cousin Sarah.
The woman who attended upon her,
and who she began to recollect was the
freworkers-maker's sister, was kinier
than she had ever been, and watched
her with great gravity Of interest as she
hovered on the border-land of life and
death.
Lucy talked to her also with a strange
earnestness of those divine truths which
are not to be dwelt upon in the pages Of
a story book, and Sarah Eastbell listen
ed with reverence.
Reuben Culwick advanced on tiptoe
into the room, and walked to the bedside
of his cousin, whose face frightened at
the sight of him. She was very weak
and could not reach her hand toward
him, but there was a faint smile of well
come OIL her wan face.
"Well, Sarah-better, I hope?' he
said, in the cheeriest voice he could as
sumo. "Oh, yes, you are" said Reuben,
confidently; "you have got your wits
back. I was at Worcester yesterday af-
ternoon."
"And saw grandmother"
Il told her that you were staying at
Hope Lodge with me and the Jenningses,
for change of air; that you had not been
very WELL but that l should bring you
down to Worcester shortly. I haven't
quite done with my news yet. Sarah, do
you remember that bad sovereign Tom
asked you to change at the grocer's for
him?"
"Ah, yes!'
"Well, 1 have been to the grocer's;
have stated the matter with lucidity and
Ieloquence; I have appealed to the gro
GERS feelings: I have made him nhed
tears over his own sugar; and he says
that rather than prosecute, after my gen.
tlemanly explanation, he'll see the au-
thorities beaten"
II am very grateful for the trouble
that you have TAKEN" said Sarah, land
Z feel very happy now"
''Then I'll leave you with those sensa-
tions to get strong upon."
He went down stairs, where was John
Jennings up to his eyes in powder, and
colored fire, and lengths" the picture Of
a busy man.
"Where's Tots?' he asked.
'She doesn't go into the back room for
fear of disturbing your cousin. But
she plays in your apartments, and Lucy
looks in and makes sure that she is hot
up to mischief"
! ''She is not in my ROOM" said Reuben.
perhaps she is in mine"
torily
He took turn round the back garden.
then walked to the front of the house,
and stood looking up and down the street
with grave earnestness. Presently John
and his sister came out together, white
and scared, and joined him on the pave
ment
She's gone! You have lost her!" he
exclaimed.
"It's-it's very strange" said John; {;
shut we can't find her anywhere"
Reuben did not wait to hear any more,
but ran at his utmost speed to the end of
ahe street, in the hope of overtaking the
little feet that he thought might have
strayed in the direction of the market
gardens where he had been accustomed
to take her. But there was no sign of
his adopted girl and we may say at once
that Reuben never saw her in Hope street
again AS suddenly as she had crossed
his life, bettering and frightening it as
by strange influence for good, so sud
denly did she pass away, leaving not a
trace behind by which to follow herr
When he came back to Hope Lodge,
baffled and heart-sick, when to all the in
uuiries which he made there was only
one answer returned, that no one had
seen poor Tots, the stern consciousness
came to him that he had lost her-that
the little daughter, friend, companion,
would never again be as sunshine to his
home.
In three weeks time Reuben Culwick
had learned to despair. He did not know
how much he had loved the child till the
house was destitute of her presence, and
the little chair stood empty in the corner,
and he could only look at it through his
tears. Sometimes he wished that she
had died. and that he had seen her buried,
rather than have lost her thus, and he
aeft to wonder where she was. and in
whose hands. He became a grave man.
who did not care for intrusion on his
thoughts, and who resented 1t with bit
terness.
Three weeks had passed, we repeat,
and they were like three years to Reu-
ben Culwick. His second-cousin was get
ting well then, although coming back to
strength by slow degrees, and he was
glad of that, if he showed but little
sign of rejoicing in thoS.> duh dors ulo