The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-05-19

CHAPTER xXYIII.

John had told of Reuben going to find
Mary Holland at Worcester. Lucq had
predicted evil would come OF II, and
Sarah was wretched.
She must give him up--she must NOT
remain that weight upon his life, that
clog upon bis industry, which she had
always thought she was, when her love
was not bewildering her too much. Reu.
ben loved her, she hoped still--she did
not put faith In those strange suspicious
Of Lucy Jennings--but Lucy was right
in one thing; that she, Sarah Eastbell,
could not add to the happiness OF heu-
ben Culwicks life. She could only add
to the expensesl---she could only keep
him poor. If she stood apart now, per-
haps he would marry Mary Holland, and
ba master of his fathers house again, just
ast he father had wished from the hrff
She had no right to bind him to his
long enlargement, to shackle his energies
To keep him from "betterlng" himself
now that she felt herself as poor--nlor-
ally. II not legally as poor--as when be
came In search Of her to Potter's Court
II was a very quiet morning at one OF
those strange Sunday services those who
came to pray were not disturbed BY those
who came to scoif; but the evening was
bolsterous and stormy, and made up for
1t.
Lucy Jennings read the signs Of It IN
the noisy crowd about the door, and COM
pressed her lips and held her breath at
the strong language which echoed from
the street as she and Sarah approached,
under the escort Of two policemen, who
were waiting for them.
"You are trembling--you are afraid, "
said Lucy Jennings to her companion
''wili you turn back nowY
'WhyT
"rhere will be but little religion there
tonight" said Lucy, "and you are not
strong woman"
II was not thinking of the crowd---or
the service" answered Sarah.
"Of what then? was the sharp In
cuIry.
''Of all shall say to Reuben present
ly. It's very wrong, know, Lucy, but
you must not blame me for thinking Of
him SO much. can't help It." she said
piaintlvely.
They passed under the arch, where
the service commenced, and was inter-
rupted--where the old uproar went on,
and the police were tolerahly busy for
an hour and half. The service came
to an end; the stormy elements snbsid-
ed; men, women and children went their
various ways, and Lucy Jennings and
Sarah Eastbell came out together, and
confronted Reuben Culwick, who was
waiting for them.
"You have come back then" cried
Sarah In her first delight at seeing him,
In her new forgetfuness Of ali that she
had resolved upon,
"Yos---4t was no use stopping longer In
Worcester, Sarah. Well, LucyT
"Well," answered Lucy in her old
short tones.
IL congratulate you on your sermoar
but l wish the surroundings had been
more orthodox, and the congregation less
quarreIsoma; for some Of these days.
Lucy was gone She had suddenly
doubled" and disappeared down one Of
the dark turnings, and Sarah and Reu-
ben were left looking at each other.
Sarah Eastbell took his arm and sigh
Cd. This might be for the last time that
they would ever walk together thus, who
could tell7 She had made up her mind
now, and the sooner the truth was told
him the better He gave her the oppor-
tunity to speak at once, and her impui-
slveness Ieaped toward It. indiscreetly,
desperately.
II saw Miss Holland this morning.
gave her the willard you are as poor
a. old Job, grill" he said.
Yes, Reuben; have been waiting for
this poverty 10 tell you that you must not
share II with me-"
''IndeedP' was his quiet answer.
"Thnt you and are not fit for each
other. oh, Reuben" she cried, II am
quite certain Of II nowl'
because Lucy Jennlngs---charmln
Lucyl--has been at her old work, reck-
oning after her old style. fashioning out
human lives after her own purposeess
way, choosing for others path ahead
that no humAn being out Of Bedlam could
follow, doing everything for the best and
for ones good, but scattering dust and
ashes right and left like a violent vesu-
vius, Come. is not Lucy Jennings at
the bottom of the resolutlon7'
II have been thinking Of this for
weeks. have been seeing the neces-
alty for it."
SAY, through Lucy's speetacles."
"You would lose money by coming ia
me-" said Sarah mournfully.
"Nonsensel l have begun to save
money again."
"Ah, Reuben, let us understand each
other at last. don't ask me to say any
thing, do anything, but end this umuat.
ural position between us, am unhap.
Pr"
Because of this cngagemeLtI"
"les."
"You are afraid OF poverty tn me p
II am afraid Of making you poorer
than you are-os keeping you loor all
your life," said Sarah.
"If this is to be our last meeting, or
our last parting, Sarah" he said quick.
~, "let It be marred by no harsh remi-
niscence. We are going to say good by.
We have discovered that housekeeping
expenses will shipwreck US; that shall
grow In time big brute, to whom no
second-cousin's devotion will bring cam
fort, But we need not quarrel ever the
discovery. We can part friendsT'
"Yes," answered Sarah, ''the best OF
friends"
There was something In his manner
that she hardly fathomed. She had been
more prepared for an angry outburst
than for this easy-golng style Of acaul.
escence.
ut is hardly Justice" he continued,
''for you, who would have married poor
man. will not let me marry a poor wom-
an In my turn. Yon want all the SELF
sacrifice OH one side, Sarah: and even my
good luck with my pen is turned into a
weapon against me. But" he added.
1--WE will not quarrel. Never an angry
word between these two laundering 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"
Miss Holland!" vrled Sarah Eastbell.
"WhAt do you meant
Miss Holland Is In the York Road
apartments. She came from Worcester
with me this afternoon"