The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-03-24


doors as IL we were in prison. Somebody
came into my room last night, blunder-
ing, but could not find out who 1t was"
Unto your roomT asked Sarah, very
anxiously now, where was Hartley
II packed her off two days ago. She
snorted in her sleep like horse. | want
rest, child, not the noise of a steam en-
gine In my ears"
"You are too old to rest alone--you
cannot lock your door even" said Sarah.
II must come back as in the old days,
grandmamma, If you send Hartley away.
Why shouldn't have my little crib in one
corner of this great room, as when you
and / were sharing life together in st.
OswRld'sT
You're mighty anxious about me-"
said Mrs. Eastbell fretfully, "and yet
you have hounced yourself of for three
days, and without rhyme or reason"
II was anxious about Reuben Culwick
i could not rest longer without seeing
| him. He is very poor, grandmother
said Sarah; "he has been very unlucky
in life. | found him in back room in
Drury Lane-a half-starved, haggard-
looking man, borne down by the disap-
pointments Of his life. This was Reu-
ben Culwick-in whose house we are
who was once our friend when we were
poor and low-who saved me when | had
not power to help myself. This is the
man forever foremost In my thoughts.
Why should l hide 1t from myself or
your
She buried her head in the bedclothes,
and the shriveed hand stole forth and
rested on the flowing mass Of raven hair
| there.
Don't go on so, SALLY won't forget
him. promised long ago that l would
never forget Reuben Culwlck, didn't :?
III keep my word. As soon as ever l
am strong enough the will we talked
about shall be prepared"
Sarah passed from the room, and stood
rejecting on the sheep's-skin mat out
side the door. A woman passing in the
distance attracted her attention, and
seemed to shape her motives, for she
beckoned to her cautiously, and even went
few steps toward her.
"You should not have left your mistress
whilst was away" Sarah said repr0ach-
| fully; "she Is too old to be left. Watch
this room till l return, and see that no
one disturbs my grandmother by passing
noisily along the corridor"
Sarah left Miss Hartley to marvel a
little at the instructions which she had
received, and went thoughtfully down
stairs, pausing now and then to consider
the new position of affairs. She passed
into the garden. She was hot and fever
ish, and the night was close. In the cool
fresh air she might be able to shape out
a better, clearer course, if the current of
events should turn against her and her
project for Toms departure from Sedge
Hill. She had grown very much afraid
of him, of late days; she had lost every
atom of confidence; and the man whom
he had brought into the house had been
q well-known character in Potter's Court,
for whom the police had made inquiries
during her short stay there.
She had left the house some hundred
yards when footsteps on the gravel path
arrested her attention, and checked her
further progress. They were coming
slowly toward her-and she shrank at
once into the shadow of the trees, with
the instinct to be unperceived and watch
full. Trouble had come thickly in her
way, and she must fight against it as best
she might.
There were two persons advancing In
her direction-who could they be, at that
hour of the night, but Thomas Eastbell
and Peterson, plotting together against
the peace of Sedge HIP They were soon
close upon her; they could have heard
her loud breathing had they listened; but
they were deep in conversation, and un-
mindful of watcher. The path was
broad and white, and their figures were
easily distinguishable, striking at Sarah
EastbelPs heart with new surprise and
an awful sense of treachery. They were
those of Captain Peterson and Mary
Holland!--the former talking in a low
and energetic manner; the other listening
with her gaze directed to the ground, and
with her hands clasped on the bosom of
her dress. There was light gauze scarf
on Mary Hollands head and the ends
fluttered in the night breeze as she pass
ed by, There was not a word which
Sarah could catch att was a new phase
of mystery for which she was not pre-
pared, which seemed to place her very
much alone in the world after the dis
covery.
When they were in advance Of her,
Sarah stole from her hiding place and
proceeded in their direction, keeping to
the shadow of the trees She paused
before entering upon the broad and open
space Of ground In front of the house
where they were standing, and where
| Captain Peterson was still debating with
the silent woman still looking on the
ground. She watched them separate
without a glance toward each other, the
man entering the picture gallery through
the bay.window, and Mary Holland pro-
ceeding to the French window of the
drawing room.
Sarah followed her, still clinging to the
shadow. She reached the drawing room
to find the blinds drawn before the win
dows, and the windows closed. As she
paused to consider her next step, the
shadow of Mary Holland was thrown up
on the blind-a strange appealing phan-
tom, with its hands upralsed as If in sup
plication.
Sarah's hand shook the window frame.
There was another pause, and then the
blind was snatched hastily aside, and
Mary's face was pressed against the in
ner side Of the glass.
who's thereT'
LET me in. 1t is I-Sarah," replied
our heroine.
Mary Holland unfastened the window
and admitted her Both women looked
keenly at each other-and both were very
pale.
Mary Holland walked slowly from the
window, which she had unlocked to admit
Sarah Eastbell, and sat down in the arm
chair by the fire. There was a painful ST.
lence, each young woman waiting for the
other TO speak, and each on guard.
Ii was Mary Holland who began at
| last.
Il had no idea that you were in the
garden, Sarah," she said slowly; were
you not afraid Of catching cold, at this
late hour Of the nightT
Weren't youf" was the quick re-
| iOinder.
Il wanted fresh air" said Mary,
I a i