Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-04-28


possibly could to instill into his mind
that she must be dead. to which belief
l really inclined; but he obstinately
clung to the idea that she still lived, and
that he should find her some day. In
the meantime, 1 kept on the best of
terms with him. If she never turned
up, 1 felt pretty confident that the bulk,
at least. of the old mans fortune would
fall to my share. Years went on, and 1
began to feel quite certain that Clara
would never again be heard of; when,
fancy my CONSERVATION upon one day
receiving a letter from the old man,
which informed me that he was in the
city. consequent on having obtained some
trace of his lost granddaughter. He
lent some tramp money upon suit of
clothes, and out of one of the pockets
had dropped miniature of Clara. This
tramp fellow had told him that he was
going to the city, and thither my uncle
had set off at once to endeavor to gain
some tidings Of him. He had not been
in town many days before he chanced to
see a picture of his own cottage in a
print sellers window, He bought it, and
found the name of Clara in the corner.
That l might check any further search
L
to every picture dealer to make inquiries.
called at number Of shops myself,
and l sent you to others; you know
with what result"
"But 1 did discover her, after ALL" in
terrupted Montgomery, although in
quite another way; and had l not stay
ed at Bury so late into the Monday, you
would have known of it. However, moth
ing could be neater than the way we
managed it. Luckily you had such a
snug place to take her to-"
"Yes; I have found the house useful
more than once. An old maiden aunt,
who used to reside there, left it to me
as legacy. Fortunately, it had only
been recently vacated. AS soon as 1
had secured my fair cousin, l began to
consider what was the best thing to do
| with her., After a mature consideration,
1 came to the conclusion that marriage
was the best solution Of the difficulty.
By making her my wife l should seal her
| lips regarding the past, and secure my
uncle's fortune in the future. To my
surprise, she received all my advances
with the utmost repugnance. The cause
Of that, I have discovered, is a connec-
ton she has formed with some low fel-
low, who actually turns out to be Judith
Stokes husband. By the bye, how came
you to think of introducing those peo-
| pie at my house? You must have been
made to have entrusted my secret in
the hands Of a woman who has a spite
against meT'
"a spite against you?" echoed Mcnt-
gomery. This is the first l have heard
Of it. Now, I was deeply interested
in getting him back into Judith's hands.
I bethought me Of the house that 1 had
taken the young lady to the night before.
There must be plenty of spare rooms
there, thought; and as Judith and Mr..
Rodwell are old and confidential friends,
1 don't see that he can possibly object
| to oblige her SO far"
"And do you not think such an act
was a piece Of impudence upon your
partT
"Not at ALL" answered Montgomery
eoolly. 81 had my own private interests
| to serve in the matter-vital interests
I thought Of myself first, as you die
of yourself when. years ago, you enticed
away from me the girl who was making
my living. Tit for tatr'
Rodweu glared at him 6ercely. "Ii
that is your mode Of dealing with me,
he said, "how do I know that you may
not one fine morning call upon Mr.. iona
than Rodwell and blow the whole thins
to him ?"
"Ne, I shall not do that" answered
the other, quietly; "honor among thieves
If the plot succeeds, know that
shall get more out of you than l possibly
could out of him. Besides, there is
stronger bond even than interest tha
binds me to you-revenge!'
Upon whom?
"Upon Silas Carston."
"1n that case, think we can work to
gether better than 1 suspected; but al
you have greatly complicated my diff
culties by introducing Judith into tn,
same house, it is but fair that you shoul,
be the more ready to help me in any wa,
out of them"
"What do you mean?'
'Tn the first place, my marriage witt
Clara would have to be brought abou
Immediately; and as she is not likely t
consent, and as the days of enforce
marriages are all gone by, it is more tha,
probable that the whole plot will hav
} / to be abandoned. I am convinced tina
Judith fully intends to betray me. He
, evil disposition would never let such a
e opportunity of revenge escape. Such
revelation would overwhelm me with d.
struction. My father, at his death, lei
e me property to the value of two thor
sand per year. Bit by bit, it has bee
sold and mortgaged. l lost thousan
l on the last Derby; that was the las
: straw. My debts amount to some eigh
: or ten thousand; my doors are besiege
! by duns; my credit all but stopped, and
: am all but penniless. If l could ono
show proofs that l was my uncle's hei
. my creditors would cease to press, an
< l could raise more money. On the othe
; hand, if things remain as they are,
a should have to fly the country, beggar
n But how do you propose to indue
g your uncle to alter his will while he b.
n lieves that his granddaughter is alive
: Suppose it could be proved to hi
y that she was dead?''
The two mems eyes met in a lon
It searching look; each one was trying
r read the others secret thoughts.
"Supposing," Rodwell went on, 8
Il could hit upon a plan to silence-to r