Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-08-21
In the first room she.1.sslGnlred:

lous voice.
/ A lady who had already appropriate ted
the lower bunk raised herself on an ell
bow.
The little apartment. like every part
of the building save the rooms reserved
| by Brands directions, was packed al
most to suffocation. This, if harmful
| in one respect. was beneficial in an
| other. The mere animal warmsA of so
| many human beings was grateful aft
| er the freezing effect of the gale on
people literally soaked to the skin.
/ The girl, not unmoyed by curiosity.
held the light so that it illumined Mrs.
Vansittart A woman of forty, no mat
ter how good looking and we'll pre-
served she may be, is in sorry plight
| under such conditions. Constance saw
a beautiful face, deathly white and
haggard, yet animated and clearly
chiseled. The eyes were large and lus-
trous, the mouth firm, the nose and
chin those of a Greek statue. Just
now there were deep lines across the
base of the high forehead. The thin
lips, allied to a transient hawklike
gleam in the prominent eyes, gave a
momentary glimpse of a harsh, per-
haps cruel disposition. A charming
smile promptly dispelled this feeting
impression. Instantly Constance was
aware of having seen Mrs. Vansittart
before So vivid was the fanciful idea
that she became tongue tied.
sDo you want me?" asked the stran
ger, with new interest and still smil-
ing. Constance found herself wonder
ing if the smile were not cultivated to
hide that family caught suggestion OF
the bird of prey. But the question re-
stored her mental poise.
"Only to say that Mr.. Pyne"- she
began.
"Charlie-is he saved"
Mrs Vansittart certainly had the
faculty of betraying intense interest.
The girl attributed the nervous start,
the quick color which tinged the white
cheeks, to the natural anxiety of wo-
man who stood in such approximate
degree of kin to the young American.
"Oh, yes" said the girl, with ready
sympathy. Don't you know that all
Of you owe your lives to his daring?
He asked me toto say he was all
IlSul, duu-tldI hS AOpCo yoo w SiS AOe
utterly collapsed"
The addendum was a kindly one.
No doubt Mr.. Pyne had meant her to
convey such a message. Mrs. Vansit-
tart, it was evident, had received a
shock. Perhaps she was timorous,
shrinking woman, averse to the sudden
stare of others.
81 know. nothing" she murmured.
s'It was all so horrible. o God, shall
1 ever forget that scene in the saloon
How the people fought. They were
not human. They were tigers, fierce
tigers, with the howls and the bafeful
eyes of wild beasts"
This outburst was as unexpected as
her staccato question. Constance bent
over her and placed a gentle hand Oh
her forehead.
"You must try to forget all that" she
said soothingly. Indeed, it must have
been very terrible. 1t was dreadful
enough for us, looking down at things
through a mist of foam. For you
| But there! You are one of the few
who escaped. That is everything. God
has been very good to your
She was STOPPING low and holding the
lantern in her left hand.
Suddenly Mrs. Vansittart's eyes
cleaned again with that lambent light
so oddly at variance with her smile.
The slight flush Of excitement yielded
to a ghostly pallor. With surprising
energy she caught the girls arm.
'Who are you?" she whispered. ''Tell
me, child, who are you?"
'My father is the lighthouse keeper"
said Constance. 81 am here quite by
chance. r.
"But your name! What is your
name?"
"Consta nee Brand"
Brand did you say? And your
| fathers name?'
"Stephen Brand. Really Mrs. Van
sittart, you must try to compose your
self. You are overwrought, and"-
She was about to say ''feyerish." In
| deed, that was a mild word. The
| strange glare in Mrs. Vansittart's eyes
amazed her. She shrank away, but
only for an instant. With deep sigh,
| the lady sank back on the pillow and
| tainted.
Constance was then frightened be-
yond question. She feared that the SCI
zure might be a serious one under the
circumstances. To her great relief an
other woman, who could not help over
hearing the conversation and witness
| ing it's sequel, came to the rescue.
Don't be alarmed she said. "Mrs.
Vansittart is very highly strung. She
| tainted in the saloon. She does not
realize that Mr.. Pyne not only saved
her. but nearly every woman here,
when the door was broken open. Now,
don't you worry, my dear. I will look
after her. You have a great deal to do,
| I am sure"
Constance realized that the advice
| was good She could not attend to one
! and neglect many.
| Telling the women Of the plan to dry
! their underciothing in sections, she ask
| ed them to help her by arranging mat
II II -