Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-06-10

stealthy steps towards the library and
their uncle's desk. The key fitted; fact
Robert well knew, as it was not the first
time 1t had been tried by the unprin-
cipled nephew, and the following letter,
written with hand evidently feeble
from sickness, was eagerly read, then as
quickly returned to its hiding place, and
the drawer relocked, as they had found
it.
On the envelope was written, ''To be
sent to Sir Reginald Glendennins, Bart,
after my DEATH"
"sir Reginald Glendenning:
"My Dear Brother-You will doubt
less be surprised to receive this letter
from one who has been so many years
separated from her family, in conse-
quence of having married, secretly, the
man of her choice. Allow me merely to
say that when you read this, the sister
that you once loved will have passed
away, and, therefore, she trusts that all
hard feelings that her marriage may have
occasioned will be buried forever. Broth
er, write to you now in order to crave
a favor at your hands. My only child
half years ago, 1, with the consent of
of gentle blood and some pleasant future
prospects, and gave her the love of a
true mother. On her twenty-frst birth
day she will be at liberty to open certain
documents laid aside for her. and then
will come into possession of her own
property, for some little awaits her ma
jority. Until then, after my death, she
will be friendless and alone. Now, ask
II you will care for her until that date,
October fifth is reached? Can she not
be in some way Of service to you, and
thus compensate for her board and trou-
BILE? Do this for me, my dear brother,
and be kind and care for my beloved
Ethel, and my dying gratitude will be
yours.
"Your .affectionate sister,
GERTRUDE"
"Of all impudent proposals, that is the
climax" calculated Belle, Indignantly.
Take her into his own family, indeed!
The mink don't come here, If can help
1t. She is no earthly relation to him!
"Your opinion will not be asked, sister
mine," returned her companion in evil
deeds; "and you must remember that you
are supposed to know nothing Of the con-
tents Of that letter. But do not be alarm
ed. Our relative looked too much like q
thunder cloud to be cajoled into receiv-
ing her here"
Need we stop now, after relating such
a scene, to describe the wholly heartless
characters Of these relations of Lady
Constance Glendenning? INDUCED from
infancy by their own parents as much
as by the Lady Constance, whose whole
affections had centered upon them, in
consequence of the cold manner of her
moody, passionate husband towards her
self, it Is not to be wondered at that
they developed with each year selfish and
unamiable dispositions under her foolish
ly fond sway.
AS for Lady Constance, her naturally
amiable disposition had grown hardened.
Life with her violent tempered husband
had proved anything but pleasant, and as
she finally saw his ugly features of char
acter being initiated by these children
under her charge, she became morbidly
Indifferent and cold to such a degree that
her nearest relatives could scarcely rec
ognize in the proud Lady Constance
Glendenning the once light-hearted and
gay young cousin, whose society was SO
much sought in former years by the three
brothers before. their fathers death, when
life had been so different for each. This
morning Lady Constance felt unusually
dispirited. Her apathetic heart had
been moved the night before by singu-
larly vivid dream, in which she had met
once more her never forgotten early lover,
and the face of Sir Arthur had appear
ed in that midnight hour with all the
realness of life, while she seemed to
hear him wall in despair:
"Oh, Constance, Constancer"
Starting from this dreary sleep, she
tossed restlessly until morning, and then
after rising. found that the impression
made upon her mind had not in the least
vanished. She sank upon her knees, and
weeping bitterly, moaned:
"Oh, Arthur, why was I so unfaithful
to thy precious memory? Why did
forget thee SO soon, my own, my own
Wretched guilty woman that have been
to wed for title and inheritance, so un-
feeling and heartless a man as I, alas!
have done! Oh, heaven, forgive this, my
sin, and grant me peace with thyself
after my weary life is ended"
Long and bitterly she thus wrestled
with her own heart, never stirring from
her lowly posture until she was sudden
ly aroused by a Mortified scream from
lips she knew to be Bellies, while q
strange call in tones of anguish for "Aunt
Constance" caused her to rise and open
the door, where she, too, was startled
to see the whole household assembled in
the halls, and then the first knowledge
of some awful calamity fell upon her
heart
CHAPTER V.
Leaving Sir Reginald to his wild ride