Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-03-31
CHAprER Xxx -fContinued.,

montgomery Olu take Soue uinucI,
keeping up running fire Of sarcasm all
the time, which greatly disconcerted his
host, but affected Judith not at all; for
she felt convinced that he had some sub
feet of mutual interest in view, or he
would not be there.
"Now," said Montgomery, after he had
got himself into a more genial mood,
suppose we proceed to business; for l
guess that you begin to think 1 am not
here altogether for pleasure. much as l
love you. But, ahl 1 forgot; you are
too pious to transact business on a Sun
day"
There are exceptions to all rules, you
know" grinned his host.
THAT is to say, you don't object to
business when anything's to be got by
it-on. any day. This Is your adver-
tisement, isn't itT' he went on, with
sudden change Of tone, and producing
newspaper from his pocket
A look Of eager interest came into
Judith's face, and her father began to
brighten up as he answered, Yes."
VERY well, then; know where to put
my hand upon the lad at this very mo-
ment."
'You do?" cried the listeners both to-
gether. A4 }a;A
81 do. But before we go any far
ther, have two conditions to make. In
the frst place, you must make clean
breast to me of everything you know
concerning this youth. You must tell
me your motives for hunting him down:
and, lastly, II there is anything to be got,
which am certain there Is by the trou-
bic you are taking, must have my
share"
Protesting that he would speak simply
the bare truth, Mr.. Porter proceeded to
relate the same story that he had told
Silas, suppressing. however, the mention
of the locket. He knew that II he could
once come face to face with Silas' friends
that locket would be an all-powerful
lever to raise the price of his silence. To
the narrative, however, he added other
notwithstanding how, when he had
gene up to the city upon certain busi-
ness Of his own, he had seen the woman
who had committed the child to his cure
coming out Of the Office Of Messrs. Fogle
&5 Quick; how he had followed her and
heard her ask for a ticket for a certain
station in Hertfordshire; how he lad
taken a ticket for the same place, and
got out upon the same platform.
"And her destination was a mansion
called The Willows?'" put in Mr.. Mont
gomery. "You see. 1 know little" he
added, in answer to the narrator's aston
tshed look; $50 be cautious"
Her destination was ''The Willows"
He had loitered about the neighborhood,
In the hope of cleaning some inteli-
gence; but all he could learn was that
the woman's name was Madame Berne;
that she was housekeeper and confidcn-
tial friend to Mr.. George Morant, the
gentleman who resided at "The Will
lows" and that those two, with the
servant, constituted the entire household
Nevertheless. had learned quite
epough to tell me that Master Silas was
a family secret that might turn out un
common profitable one day." he conclrd
ed.
"But how did you contrive to tracl
= this woman without being recognized
Hour face, once seen, is not easily for
gotten"
"Well, you see, l was very cautious
and kept at a good distance behind hel
except when 1 had to press close Al
the ticket office, to oyerhear what place
she asked for. Then I put my handker
chief up to my face, as though had thu
toothache And she never once looked
right or left as she walked, but stalkee
straight along, with her eyes right be
fore her. Well, that Silas had not holt
ed more than a month, when l got let
ter from Fogle & Quick, to say that HI
was come into an annuity, and | was tt
send him up to their Office at once"
"But cannot perceive what hold yo,
have upon this youth. What Is the sc
rious charge you threaten to brinl
against him?'
"Well, he carried away suit o
clothes with him, for one thing" SAT-
MIR. Porter '"rhe other thing is fe
deserving his wifer'
"Deserting his wifew echoed Mont
gomery, in loud tone of astonishment
s'Do you mean to say he is married n
'To Judith there"
Montgomery was struck speeches
with astonishment, and, for a moment
could only stare with the most bewi
dered of expressions, which quickl
merged into one of intense satisfaction
More food for revenge upon tha
woman was his first thought "Wel
YOU have astonished me this time!' h
cried "But / should have thought Sila
Carston was the last man in the worl
that Judith would have selected. Rattle
a hazardous spec to risk that much o
the fellows probable marketable valu,
b wouldn't for the world make mischie
between man and wife," he said, sneel
ingly; 'but 1 can tell you that he
making up to a girl in the city. 81
seems to have a weakness for golde
hair" he added, glancing sarcastically 9
Judith's red tresses. ''This girl has th
most That reminds me- N,
such a coincidence could never occur OF
of novel"
"Oh, the depravity of the huma
heartr snuffled the Rev. Obadiah Pe
ter, forgetting himself for an instan
but the color had again flushed up int
Judith's face, and there was dangeror
look In her eyes.
"I met your old friend, Rodwell, til
other night" said Montgomery, suddel
iy looking up. eve were talking abo,
you"
Judith became excited. It was
ehance shot, but Montgomery perceive
A. had told