Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-06-23
CHAPTER XXI.

1t was quite dark when Lizzy finally
reached home, after getting up to start
half a dozen times, and being stopped as
often by a fresh incursion of cOngratu-
lating Arguses.
There was a light in the middle room
that they certainly had not lit before
starting upon their enforced visit to the
sick. Some one familiar with the house
was there. And who so familiar as the
man she had been waiting and watching
for, all this evening?
Instinctively she drew back a little,
and permitted her mother to precede her,
so that she would have time to hide her
real feeling, so far as not to appear ride
ulously sentimental in the presence of
others. When they should be alone she
could pour out the wealth of her heart
to him. She was rich now. And no
selfish motive could be imputed to her in
GO suddenly making mp her mind that, in
spite of what she had said to him on that
stormy night in the edge of the woods,
near the Overcoat road, she now knew
that she loved no imaginary man, no
image of straw, but the veritable Mason
Huntley, and she was ready, willing and
even anxious to make this confession.
1t was a confession due to him. 1t
was a confession without which she must
remain an enigma to him. 1t was one
she would make that very evening, and
just so soon as they were fairly alone
together.
Even in that brief space of time in
which she had seen the light in the mid
die room, and had slackened her quick,
springy, ~school-day walk, timing her steps
to reach the front door when her mother
should get so far as the middle door, she
had thought over what recompense of
maidenly caress was due him.
She remembered how he had held her
to his heart in the center of that dread
full cyclone, and the dangers and destruc-
ton that encompassed them. She thought
of that too brief and vivid tingling part
ing near the clump of shadowy, long,
arching black raspberry vines. She could
repay him, clasp for clasp, kiss for kiss!
She would not remain his debtor in any
token of love. And her red lips parted
and her brown eyes sparkled in the CLEAN
of the lamp as she put her dainty slip
pered foot lightly across the threshold,
thinking only of him and for him.
She was certain that she saw him sit
ting there, beyond the little stand-table
on which the lamp was blazing. So oc-
cupied was she with the certainty of
meeting him that not until Congressman
Billy Biler arose to meet her and she
heard a cry of surprise and delight from
her mothers lips could she see that Billy
Biler was standing there smiling very
pleasantly, while beyond him were her
mother and her father locked in each
others arms.
There's nuthun like good luck, Miss
Wickly, to bring people out of sickness
and fetch I'M round ginerally. H-yur's
yur father, now-as soon as he gut to
hear that you were n millionaire he found
himself completely cured, and started
home at once. He knew it before you
did, too. He's sharpened up a bit by his
short stay at the hospital, you see. But
while they're talkun to ourselves, Miss
Lizzy, | want to try to persuade you t.
intercede for me with Ole Coon Redden
The ole mans terribly out with me, bout
this railroad sale business. I'm not tC
blame. | took a fee from the San'towr
un Northwestern folks, Nv course. ]
didn't do it as a Congressman, nur as a
citizen of San'town. | lone ut as a law.
yer. Nv course, they's lots a things that
as a lawyer, you can do that you
wouldn't wawnt to do as n Congressman
nur as a citizen, nur as the friend NV the
adverse party. Now, h-yur, fur instance
Coonrod Redden, he telegraphs fur me
to come home un see tnat all these h-yul
San'town supporters NV mine has thu
rights in this mortgage business. Well
I had already taken a fee from the s. &
n. w. folks, as / said. But done that
as n lawyer, yunnerstand. I'm l tolt
Redden I'd see that the railroad didn't
steal nuthun from any NV yuh. I'm they
didn't. Did they? but he's OH his high
boss. I'm he says l shant have the dele
CATION from this county. I'm I've gut to
have ut"
Go BE- continued,