Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1904-03-17
CHAPTER XVI

w" was seI 70 proceed upon her home
ward route.
CHAPTER XVI.
Sarah Eastbell went back TO Seds,
Hill with her maid, in a dlsconsolats
frame OF mind. She had left home full
OF conhdence In the result Of her mlsslon
fnll OF faith In being of service 10 Reu
ben Culwick, and Of Reuben being CRATE
fui for her efforts In his behalf, and the
result had been an ignominious dIscom.
nturs She had left home against the
wishes OF her grandmother, and In oppo.
sition 10 the advice Of her grandmother 9
companion, Mary Holland. Still the
granddaughter was not sorry that she
had been TO London, although she had
failed In being Of service to Reuben Cul.
wick. she had seen him; he had prom
ised 70 come 10 Sedge Hill some day: he
was not altered so terribly as Miss Jen-
nings had asserted; he had spoken kind
" TO her; he was not Jealous Of her po.
sition In his fathers house; he had suf-
fered more from his own ventures In life
than from his dIsinheritance; 1t was not
the one misfortune, but the many, which
had altered him and aged him, and lie
would be the same frank, warm-hearted
fellow presently, she prayed.
She reached Worcester In safety. and A
hired fly took her the rest of the way
home. II was between s and o o'.lock
OF that autumn evening when the great
front door was opened to admit her. The
staid man servant wore so grave an ex-
preston OF countenance that Sarah said
quickly:
"All Is well. I hope, Wills? Mrs. East.
bell IL upstairs, l suppose?"
"she Is downstairs this evening. In
the drawing ROOM"
She has been lll-advised to 60 there
The place is large and cold, and
sarah Eastbell paused in mute aston
ishment, for the sound Of violin. not
unskillfully played, came from the d.
rectlon of the room In which abe had been
told her grandmother was. Music had
Allied the house with harmony of late
days, for Mary Holland was a fair plan
list, and Mrs. Eastbell was fond Of music,
II had been ascertained: but violin play
ing had not been one of "the compan-
Ions" accomplishments.
who is it?" she cried.
It's Captain Peterson, Miss EastbeIl
u you will allow me to explain how"
But Sarah EastSell was of too excita-
bic nature to WI. for an explanation.
when the mystery was TO be cleared nm
and she swept by the servant
and went at once to the drawing room.
There were four persons in the room be-
sides herself, and she looked from one
70 another with keen watchfulness that
hardly died away when her appearance
was observed. Her heart sank a great
ieal, but che had the self-possession TO |
Seep bold front to the enemy-for sure
y It was the enemy who had appeared AZ |
Sedge Hill In the unlucky time Of her ob- |
'ence, and whose coming she had feared /
'efore that day, although not expecting
t in this fashion.
Half sitting, half reclining by the great
'oal fire burning In the steel CRATE. was
ne old blind woman, her spare form
raped In heavy ruby velvet, over which
neandered a gold chain thick enough for
door fastening. On her gray hairs had
'een set turban kind Of headdress, but
had slipped sidewise, and presented a
rotesQue appearance. Mary Holland sat
uiet and grave over her wool work, and
ear her were two visitors.
The younger Of the two was her broth.
Tom, glossy as, a raven in a brand-new
uit OF black, and the stranger was n mid.
le-sized, good-looking, highly colored.
ark man OF eight or nine-and-twenty,
Tho at the moment Of Sarah's entrance
,as playing violin fantasia for the hen.
ut Of the company.
1t was Mary Holland who first per-
aived our heroine, and rose as II to cross
lie room toward her, subsidina into her
eat again as Thomas Eastbell spranx
'om his chair with shout of welcome
lat nearly scared his grandmother into
le fire.
What, Sal-Sally-Sarahr' he OK.
aimed, correcting his address to her as
proceeded, to think that you weren't
home to say how dye do to your only
'other after all these blessed years! kiss
e, gal-how are you? Shiver my tim
'rs, what beauty you have grown to!"
Keep back, please-wait a moment" ,
10 said In low, suppressed voice.
But Thomas Eastbell was impetuous
re his sister. He flung his arms round
r, and clasped her to his bosom, crush
8 her hat and fall in the process.
I'm delighted to see you, Sarah-you
mt know how glad am to see You
'ain," said Tom; I'VE were always such
ums like. Why, you and 1 scarcely s
er had an angry word--we agreed to.
ther beautifully" ....,
You came here-when ~ asked Sarah,
tlessly, as she got away from him, and t
moved her hat and cloak. The fanta. Z
had ceased, and the violinist was
anding looking down at the carpet In a h
Shly dec6rous manner. !,
Saturday evening late, after you had
me-" answered Tom. "Grandmothor
's awfully pleased, can tell you. Cap.
N Peterson, my sister Sarah--NfIss
'stbell, my particular friend, Captain '
terson."
Sarah bowed, and looked hard at the Il
ptain, who made grave obeisance In a
urn. a
1T affords me great pleasure to have
J honor Of an Introduction to Miss East,
u" he said In q low tone Of voice,
ich died away in whisper as he eat hi
wn again.
And to think that you and Tom are
h together In this great, grand, windy n
lRe," said Mrs. Eastbell, ''hoth taking y
"a nf mo n. V,v ola n..oI -. ....a 4 W. ~ =