The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-02-27

! woman, Sarah the First" added Reub III,
thoughtfully. may pass away ut any
moment. and | should like to be ready
with home for her. "
| Reuben Culwick settled down III his old
groove the following day life went on
with him steadily. and there was no
| shadow of discomfort upon the path of his
/ pursuing few evenings later he met
Lucy as he was returning from walk
with Tots.
What time you have BEEN she
said, pecvishly; did you not say that
you were coming home early this after
noon? | wanted you to write letter
before the five o'clock post went out-the
| country post"
! THE country post-what for!' asked
Reuben.
Il have found situation for that
/ girl"
What girl--Sarah Eastbell?"
Yes. Didn't you say. sneeringly and
mockinrly enough, certainly. that with
my extensive chapel connection | might
hear of something for her. The girl ut
! the bakers. where we deal is silly
enough To get married the week after
next; there will be wanted some one To
/ take her place. to weigh the bread and
! put the right money for it into the till af
4 terward. ! have answered for the hon
! csty of this second-coisin of yours"
Thank you" said Reuben thought
| fully: II wish there had been less pub
| licity about the berth and less of the
till"
He posted his letter. The answer came
al length. in thick, sprawling. down
hill hand. which the blind woman might
, have written herself. and which was
certainly Sarah Eustbcll's 1t was an
ill-spclt and rambling epistle. 1t came
hoping that Reuben was WELL as it left
the writer and Cousin Sarah at present.
! and il thanked him for his thought of
that cousin. who was Il good girl and
+ would not leave her grandmother Inier
any consideration now. Sarah was very
/ happy and contcnted whore she was: but
it might be as well for Reuben not to
trouble any more about what Mrs. East
bell had said concerning a situation for
! her granddaughter.
! This epistle put Reuben Culwick cut
a little. 1t annoyed him more than he
! cared to confess-it even puzzled him.
: Why had the grandmother altered her
mind in so sudden and abrupt fashion
she who was very anxious concerning
her grandchild's future when he had call
ed at the amshouses of St Oswald's?
! He would 20 for n long walk. and con-
! slider the matter attentively.
| 1t was gala night at the Saxe-Gotha.
II, Vt door but two and there was heap
Of dirty boys and girls hanging about
| the front door, where n row of colored
humps indicated the place to pay before
admittance was gained to the splendors
beyond. He had To battle his way through
! this little mob. and in crossing the road
h. ran against young woman. to whom
he offered an apology for his clumsiness.
| and who muttercd back something IN re-
turn. and then made SO quick and side
! long movement from him that his at
/ tcntion was directed toward her again.
! Sccond-cousin Sarah
Was he dreaming? Had he got the
girl So deeply impressed upon his mind
! that his thoughts had conjured up her
| wraithi He stood looking after her
Watching her proceed down Hope street
| aS though she knew the place by heart:
aud as she passed under the gas lamp
! with her head very much bent forward.
aud thin rag of Il shawl drawn tightly
round her. the black and white dress
! seemed even to the observant man in
! the background familiar pattern. the
alternate stripes of which he had last
! seen from the gateway of the aims
/ houses
"Why am troubling myself about her
at allT'' he said. What am | to her.
! What is she to me? Even if that were
the girl suddenly turning up in my neigh
borhood. AT time when her grandmother
would have me believe that she was down
! in What" he exclaimed
aloud. lit is she.'
The female in advance had suddenly
paused on the pavement of Hope street
imjudicously stopping beneath second
gas lamp. and looked carefully and eager
! ~ in the direction whence she had come.
as if Ia reasSure herself that no one was
following at her heels
After IN unceremonious scattering If
the boys and girls before the entrance to
/ the SaNe-GOtha Gardens. the woman
darted into the establishment itself. as
if the siXpence for admission might con-
stitute an insurmountable barrier be-
tween herself and him who followed her.
or as if he would not believe in any one
with whom he was acquainted entering
the place: but Reuben Culwick was in
hot haste. and gained upon her rapidly.
CHAPTER VII.
Reuben culwick lost time at the pay
Office He passed along nm avenue of
stunted trees into the gardens which he