Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-09-21
eYou have had a letter from my

-
.sYou have had "a letter from my
uncleY'
Eyes, a charming letter. but cannot
understand it. He says that some very
important and amazing event will de- !
tain him in Penzance after we reach
the place. He goes on-but ] will read
it to you. am quite bewildered."
She took letter from her pocket and
searched through it's contents until she
found a paragraph. She was about to
read it aloud when some one came
down the stairs. 1t was one of the Of
ficers, yet Mrs. Vansittart was SO fur
ried that she dropped the sheet of pa
per and bent to pick it up before Pyne
could intervene.
'sOh, bother!' she cried. 81 am dread
fully nervous. even now that we are in
no further peril. This is what wish
you to hear"
And she read:
Nothing but the most amazing and un-
looked for circumstances would cause me-
to ask you to postpone the date of our
marriage for at least a month after you
reach shore. This is not the time nor are
your present surroundings the place for
telling you why I make t.is request.
Suffice it to say that think-indeed.
am sure-a great happiness has come into
my life, a happiness, which you. as my
wife soon to be, will spare
The American, while Mrs. Vansittart
was intent on her excerpts from his
uncle's letter, studied all that was visi-
BILE of her face. That which he saw
there puzzled him. She had suffered
no more than others, so he wondered
why she wore such an air of settled
melancholy. Throughout the lighthouse
gloom was dispelled. The sick became
well, the lethargic became lively. Even
the tipplers of methylated spirits, dead
ly i'll before, had worked like Trojans
at the rope, as eager to rehabilitate
their shattered character as to land the
much needed stores.
What trouble had ebefallen this wo-
man, so gracious, SO facile, so worship
full in her charm of manner and utter
anee during the years he had known
her, that she remained listless when all
about her was life and joyance, she.
the cynosure of many eyes by her cos
tunes and graceful carriage, covering
from recognition? Here was mys-
terry, though she had repudiated the
word, and a mystery which, thus far,
defeated his subconscious efforts at So
luton.
She lifted her eyes to his. Her ex-
preston was forlorn, compelling pity
by its utter. desolation.
"What does he mean?' jshe asked
plaintively. "Why has he not spoken
clearly? Can you tell me what it is,
this great happiness which has entered
so strangely into his life and mine?'
II have never met any man who
knew exactly what he meant to say
and exactly how to say it better than
Cyrus j." said Pyne.
"But he has written to you surely.
Does he give no hint%'
"His letter is very short one. To
be candid, / have hardly made myself
acquainted with it's contents as yet"
"You are fencing with me. You
know, and you will not tell"
Her mood changed so rapidly that
Pyne was not wholly prepared for the
/ attack.
ut is a good rule" he said. 'never
| TO preCenO you eau uaHuIe dAolAel
mans affairs better than he can handle
them himself"
He met her kindling glance firmly.
The anger that scintillated in her eyes
| almost found utterance, but this clever
| woman Gf the world felt that nothing
would be gained, perhaps a great deal
lost, by any open display of. temper.
| She laughed scornfully.
I ''Mr. Trail is certainly the best
| judge of those worthy Of his conf
| dence Excuse me if spoke heatedly.
| Let matters remain where they were.' -
"Just a word, Mrs. vansittart. Ny
uncle has written you fairly and
| squarely. He has not denied you his
| confidence. If understood you, he
| has promised 1t to the fullest extent"
Eyes, that is true"
E"Then what are we quarreling
about?''
He laughed in his careless way to
| put her at her ease. She frowned med
| itatively. She who could smile in such
dazzling fashion had lost her art of
IHIe.
Ito be Continued)