The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-02-11
,ooeoaaooceSsaa1
CHAPTER vII.-(Continued)

Reuben turned and looked toward the
gateway, where from thu shadows into
the warm sunshine bet toAd stepped the
young lady whom he had seen trst IN MS
fathers house, His astonishment was
great, but the young lady's surprise was
still more strongly marked. She stopped
clasped her hands together, and Then
came on again, with two large clear gray
eyes distended.
"Mr. Culwick! you in Worcester! You
have repented; you are going to your
fatherW
Reuben shook his head and smiled a
little.
you are a foolish fellow" she said,
"and almost as strange man as your
father is. Are you still living down that
yretched street in CamberwellT
II can only afford to live in wretched
Streets" was the reply.
what has brought you to Worcester
ITO see Aunt Eastbell," he replied,
"and to discover, if possible, the mystery
of my second-cousin Sarah. They nre
my relatives; l am more interested in
them than l can explain. May | ask
In return what Aunt Eastbell and my sec
ond-cousin has to do with your
II am interested in them more than
can explain" was the arch answer;
"that's ALL"
81 wish you would explain something.
Who are you, to begin withp
"Ah, that's not worth elucidation" she
said. "If | tell you that my name is
Holland will that make the position any
clearerW
''It might" said Reuben, quickly. MY
father yished me to marry a Miss Hol-
land once, young lady whom l had new
er seen, and whom l was to take upon
trust. Are you the ladyT
"Yes, sir"
"And have you married my father In
stead of meH" he asked satirically.
~ would not marry either of you for
twice your fathers money" she said
frankly. II am simply his housekeeper
at housekeeper's wage. My father was
his best friend, and your father has beer
kind to me, in his odd way, since my
fathers death"
"And now" said Reuben, twill you ex
plain why you are interested In Aun
Eastbell, why the girl who has deserted
her corresponds with you? why You pass
yourself off as the niece of that ole
woman who has left us?"
"I'll work backward, if you will allow
me-" she said II call myself Miss Mug
geridge because the name of Holland il
familiar to your aunt. The girl CORE
sponds with me because she knows tha
read her letters to her grandmother
and that l am the grandmother's frient
while she is away. l am interested il
Mrs. Eastbell, and feel for the utter lone
liness In which she is left by her friends
have been interested in Mrs. Eastbel
for some years now, for the matter o
that"
Indeed! and her granddaughter, Saral
Eastbell, alsoH"
"Of late days-a little. She was no
very gracious to me-she never cared t
see me here. When she got into trouble
she thought that she would make me he
confidante, but 1t was too late"
when she got into trouble" echOe
Reuben; what trouble was that?"
Come with me- and I'll show YOU
She led the way out of st. Oswald
into the Tithing, crossed the road to til
corner of the street leading to the prison
and pointed to the wall, in which sewers
bills were posted One was to the cifeC
that a reward of five pounds was offere
for the apprehension of Sarah Eastbel
late of Worcester, who had conspire
with others for the unlawful issue of spl
rious coin.
Reuben stared with amazement at III
placard.
"It is we'll that the old woman
blind" he murmured. 81 did not think
was so bad 0s this"
Neither is it."
"YOu mean that"
"That her brother is at the bottom
Il. You don't know what a scamp he is,
auppose2 He gave her the money, b
lieve. She offered a sovereign in all goo
faith-it was detected as false coin
she was asked where she lived, and no
she became possessed of it, and she to,
fright and ran away"
"Is she with her brotherT
Eyes. She wrote to me without gi
ing her address, stating that she mu
remain with her brother Thomas for
while. He was in business, and was ia
ing care of her. She left Grandmoth
Eastbel in my charge, she said It's
responsibility, she added, but ha
accepted il"
Reuben related the story of his d
covery of Sarah Eastbel, of her fig
from him, and the way in which he h
lost her in the gardens of Saxe-Gotl
Miss Holland reflected for a few II
ments, then she said:
~ wonder if her brother perforl
there. He is an acrobat at times. VIII
he was first in prison, he was arrest
In his tumbler's dress"
"In prison-an acrobat"
Reuben Culwick remembered at OF
the tumbler who had been spinning rou
on the slack rope at the Saxe-Gotl
when he had first entered the garde
Could that be Tom Eastbell, the scal
who had brought his sister into dific
ties, who had caused her to fly fr,
Worcester, in order to escape the char
Of uttering base coin2
On the following evening Reuben c
wick was in the Saxe-Gotha gard,
again, waiting patiently for the appe
ance Of Signor Vizzobini, who had pc
poned his departure for Turin for
nights, by special request of the nobil
gentry and public in general, and v
was announced to appear every even
at half-past nine in his highly grace
and artistic entertainment, as perfo
ed before all the crowned heads Of
rope, to the immense delight and mi
fest satisfaction of every crowned h
among them.
CHAPTER VIII
The Saxe-Gotha gardens were not