Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-05-20

WOrQ between EneSe Two DluuQerInS rela-
tives, who do not know their own minds
We will spare each other between this
and the York road. We will wait till
Miss Holland gives us her opinion on the
matter"
"What do you mean?'
Miss Holland is in the York Road
apartments She came from Worcester
with me this afternoon"
"With you! You went to escort her
then?"
"No. I went to see her, to tell her
her my congratulations, after which I
said good morning.
."WellY said Sarah, almost sharply
now.
"Well, an hour or two afterward she
turned up at the railway station, and in
common politeness I could but offer her
my escort back to town. She was very
anxious to see you, she said"
"Ah! she said so," answered his sec
ond-cousin. There was no further argu-
ment after the introduction of Mary Hol-
lands name into the conversation. The
harmony of their last evening togeth er
was effectually settled after that. Bet
ter to have ended all in storm of words
and tears than in the grace and unnat-
ural silence which followed. Sarah had
no idea that she was a jealous woman
until then, for Lucy had not made her
jealous last night-only reused In her a
feeling of intense indignation at the sus-
picions which she had sown broadcast.
But for Reuben Culwick to speak of
Mary Holland in this off-hand way was
a very different matter; and her heart
sank like a stone and refused to stir any
more with hope or pleasure, or even sur
prise.
When they were in the York road Reu-
ben said:
"She is not in good spirits, but hope
Tots has been companion for her while
we have been away"
els the child with herr"
ITO be sure" said Reuben; els not
Tots-but there, Mary will explain for
herself"
"Mary" echoed Sarah Eastbell.
They went upstairs into the front room
on the first floor, where sat by the fire.
side the young woman whom We have
known by the name Of Mary Holland.
Tots was in her lap, with her child 5
arms round herneck, and her little head
soothed upon q mothers bosom for the
first time in her childish recollections.
"It is her child thenp said Sarah in a
low whisper.
"Yes, to be sure" answered Reuben
carelessly.
81 am in a dream" murmured Sarah.
But you are very close to the wax
ing" added her cousin Reuben.
CHAPTER xxx.
There was another inmate of the room
which Reuben and his cousin had enter
ed. Lucy Jennings was standing on the
hearth rug with her hands clasped to-
gether, and her grave white face turned
toward mother and child. She had reach
ed home before them, having a better
knowledge Of the shortest cut to York
Road than Reuben had.
Mary looked round as the cousins came
in together, and a sad smile fickered on
a face grown careworn with anxiety. She
did not raise her head from that Of her
child as Reuben and Sarah advanced,
and Reuben said:
"Mrs. Peterson, l have brought an old
friend to shake hands with you-to ex-
press her regrets for al that past distrust
which she has had, as we'll as l."
Sarah had only heard the first two
words.
"Mrs. Petersonr' she exclaimed.
Then you-you-"
: 81 was Edward Peterson's wife," she
added wearily and sadly-"yes."
But not in the plot against you,
Sarah," said Reuben; fighting for you
in the first Misunderstanding to me to
come to the rescue-kept forever in
doubt concerning you-held down at last
to silence BY the awful threat Of her
child's death-believing in your safety
through it all, and striving once more for
you and against her husband when she
feared his treachery had deceived her"
"And he was true to his word" Mary
added with a sigh, "for the first time in
his life. 1t 10 a long story; spare me
for a few days the history of a school
girls secret marriage, 4 bitter repentance,
a husbands desertion, long uphill fight
to forget a past that had become terri
BILE and full of humiliation. l did not
know then that Bessie lived, and was one
link of love that held me to my old life.
I have come to London for a few words
of explanation, Sarah; they are made at
a sad time" Mary said, "but l could
not rest, after Reuben's visit to me--not
even for an hour after my husbands
DEATH"
Edward Peterson is dead!' exclaim-
ed Sarah Eastbell.
She was surprised-she hardly knew
why, but she was sorry for his death. He
had plotted against her-he would have
killed her rather than let her escape
without a ransom-but she did not be-
grudge him his life. And it left Mary
a young and pretty widow, too-but what
had that to do with it?"
He died within an hour of your cous-
ms visit this morning." said Mary.
"And you are here" replied Sarah
"Ah! you cannot understand that"
said Mary, you who will love your hus-
band all your life. But my love was
crushed out quickly, and only my duty
took me to his bedside-my regret for
the last mistake which brought about his
death, and his last act of vengeance"
"His last act Of vengeancev' repeat
I'd Sarah.
Half an hour after Mr.. Culwick had
left me. my husband changed suddenly.