Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-02-19
sGGGG@@@G@GG
SSSSSSSSSS

SSSooO
Presently the street door below was
being unfastened in response to solemn
knocks without, and then the ponderous,
unmistakable boots of the metropolitan
! force were heard clamping up the stairs.
Reuben unlocked the room door, and
Thomas Eastbell, white as a ghost, crawl
i ed in on his hands and knees, took har-
| lequin's dive into bed, and drew the tat
| tered coverlet to his chin. The burly
| figures of three policemen were in the
room in an instant or two afterward.
Now, then, what's the row?' said the
principal spokesman; who's been trying
to throw the other out of the Window
who's been melting lead?' inquired
! another, whom the peculiar nature Of the
atmosphere had impressed, as it had done
| Reuben at an earlier hour.
No one had been throwing another out
of the window, whined forth Mrs. East
| bell, no one had been melting lead or
anything. They had had a little wrangle
as it got late, and just as their cousin
was going home, and the flower pots
| somehow gave away and fell into the
! court, which frightened the gal Mt the
window, who began to scream. The 20
liceman who had first spoken listened to
this explanation with a stolid stare upon
his countenance; the second official, be-
ing of an inquisitive turn of mind, opened
! all the drawers and cupboards, and ex.
amined their contents; the third msu in
spected Mr.. Thomas Eastbell, as he lay
recumbent, and inconvenienced him by
giving him the benefit of the glare from
a bull's-eye lantern on his face.
Come. that sham won't do, young fell
ler," said he; sis there any complaint to
maker"
No one had any complaint to make.
Reuben had crossed to Sarah.
Here is your chance still. Will you
leave this place?"
mot yet" she answered.; mot till
Toms safe"
"Good-by, then"
Reuben went out of the room, and the
policemen followed him downstairs and
into the court.
He somewhat ungratefully left the tri-
umvirate who had arrived in good time
to his rescue. But he could not explain,
and it seemed the better policy to be si-
lent for Second-cousin Sarah's sake. She
wished it-and it was she who had saved
him from danger. He had to think again
of the way to save her, now that he had
her away from Potter's Court.
CHAPTER K.
Reuben Culwick did not in any way
attempt to account for his late hours to
the inmates of Hope Lodge. He was the
master of his own actions, which no one,
he felt, had the right to criticise. Hence,
with this impression on his mind, the
Df 10
studious stares of her brother appeared
to be taking him in far too intently, be-
came a source of irritation to him.
''Is anything the matter, Lucy?" he
asked at last, one morning.
Lucy Jennings sat down suddenly in
the chair nearest to her lodger, and burst
forth with her catalogue of wrongs, max
ing amends for all past reserve in one
breath.
''It has come to you. You're not the
man you have been. You keep away from
home too much-you have been seen at
low places of amusement-you're going
ong-you-you-you never tell us any
thingr cried Lucy, passionately.
Yes, l have been seen at low places of
amusement" said Reuben. quietly. land
my hours of return to Hope Lodge are
somewhat irregular at present. And so
am going wrong, Lucy?'
You are not doing what is right
you jump too rapidly at conclusions,
after the habit of enthusiasts. I'm not a
sinner-that is. no more of a miserable
specimen than 1 was three weeks ago.
"Why did you ask John about the girl
in the striped dress, at the Saxe-Gotha
''Ah, the rascal has turned kings evi-
dence. then.' cried our hero:
''Whv did you ask him not to tell me?
why are you always at the gard ens p
why had you the effrontery," she cried,
with eyes ablaze now, ''to ask that
wretched, miserab BILE girl to call here for
you?"
WHAT shouted Reuben, so forcibly
that even Lucy was unprepared for his
excitement, and jumped back in her chair
some distance from him. What do you
mean?' he continued; "who has been
here? Speak out-don't glare at me, you
suspicious, heartless, disagreeable wom-
an. What girl called here for me?'
Lucy was very pale, but she held her
ground against his rage, though she had
never been a witness to it before. He
had been always a pleasant man till this
day. but now he was full of passion and,
perhaps. hate Of her. She could under
stand more clearly now why his quarrel
with his father had been bitter one.
1T was a girl in striped cotton
Dress" said Lucy. with emphasis. "She
was pert. insolent. miserably clad wom
an. She would not answer any of my
questions, save that you had told her TO
call. and she grew impertinent at last"
"You sent her away
"Yes She said that she would never
come again"
Because of your hardness and harsh
ness? ~
"She carried effrontery and desperation