Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-04-29
100000

Aunt EastbelPs room, at the door OF
which Hartley sat, as if the poor old
woman needed protection still.
"Why are you waiting here now" he
asked the servant.
''If you please, sir, Mr. Thomas East
bell has come back again. He has been
looking for You, and for the doctor, he
says-and thought that would sit here
as usual"
'Where is the mani"
"In his own room, changing his clothes,
which are wet"
"We will not disturb him. Have you
my aunt's keysY'
There was a little lamp upon the brack-
ct, and he passed into his aunt's bed
chamber, Hartley remaining at her post.
1t was a solemn moment in his life, which
he remembers well. 1t was his last duty
to the dead woman, and to the wishes of
yesternight, before the tragedy of life
fell on them like pail.
He opened the iron box In which the
will had been deposited, and where a
glance assured him that it lay undisturb-
ed, and then he closed and locked the
box again, while the thought came to
him that it might never be Of use to
Second-cousin Sarah.
HAS that man come back because he
thinks so, too?" he muttered; ''is 1t pos
sible that this should be the end Of my
fathers money-of yours, poor worn-out
heart, that never was made happy by its
acquisition? If 1 have Done you wrong,
old soul, pray forgiveness now," he
murmured.
"Amen," said a deep voice at his side,
and he turned at the solemn response, for
which he was unprepared. A thin wom-
an, clad in shabby black, stood in the
doorway looking at him.
Lucy Jennings!' he exclaimed.
"You telegraphed to me this morn-
Ing" she said, advancing; you asked me
many questions, and 1 have come to an
swer them in person."
"It was kind of you, Lucy" he said,
holding out his hand to her, "for I am in
great troubles'
They went out of the room together.
Reuben Culwick locked the door, and
gave the key to Hartley, after which
Lucy and he descended to the hall, Lucy
calym and grave.
"What do you know of the Petersons?
What became of them after leaving Lon
donT' asked Reuben eagerly; 'have you
a clew to their addressT'
~ think I have"
'How did you find it?'
among my circle of penitents and of
poor mortals struggling out of crime
there are many links of life to the dark
world. I found friends to help me at
been lured away by these Petersons, the
clew to their haunt has been already
pointed out"
Heaven bless you, Lucyv'
Probably bring a blessing to you
it Ia in there"
She pointed to the door of the drawing
room, and he said eagerly as he strode
toward it:
"Sarahp'
''Not she. 1t is something you lost be-
fore your second-cousin, and took as
much to heart in losing. It is something
that changed you-and from which dated
your hardness, and your suspicious of
me-frst Of all. 1t may be your own
flesh and blood, for what I know"
He left Lucy Jennings. and went with
quick steps into the drawing room, where
on the sofa lay a child asleep, a poorly
clad little girl Of five years old, with
her hat lying by her side, and tangled
mass Of fair, wavy curls thrust back from
her face.
"Totsv' he cried in his astonishment.
81 met her in the streets of Worcester,
near the postoffice," said Lucy. "It was
raining hard, and she was crying because
a lady had not come to fetch her. Her
father had sent her to Worcester, she
said"
"Will she remember me?'
''It is unlikely-it is impossible"
'She was very young when she went
away, poor Tots" said Reuben, sadly re-
garding her. eyes, suppose it is i'm
possible"
"She came with me in all confidence. T
told her that I would take her to her
friends, and she believed me-"
"You are very kind, Lucy" said Reu-
ben. "How is it that you do me these
good services, and yet dislike me so
much?"
81 dislike the pride and anger In you,'
answered Lucy, "and they have turned
me against you. I have had my great
work to think Of lately-not of the petty
differences of eighteen months ago. See,
the child is waking"
Reuben turned to the little girl, who
had struggled into a sitting posture on
the sofa, and was looking at them, all
eyes-all blue eyes, too-as Tots had.
looked at him in Hope street, years ago.
"Tots," he said, advancing to her,
''Tots, old lady-don't you know me?'
his quick strides toward her were so
symbolical of punishment for some Of
fense which she in her ignorance had
committed, that the child sprang up and
ran to Lucy Jennings, burying her face in
the skirts of her protector.
'The child is frightened of you," said
Lucy, calmly; ''let her be a while'
"Why, Tots, it's Uncle Roo," he cried,
''old Uncle Roo-you know"
The child still clung to Lucy's skirts,
and would have none of his affection. He
gave up, and walked away to the win
dow.
"You see how this kind of love lasts"
said Lucy bitterly, "and yet you value
it SO highly"
Because it set a.high value upon me-"
he answered quickly.
''It Is dead"
'It will live again-it will come back"
"And If not" Lucy answered, "there