Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-03-07

Mountberry In very short time. 7 an
getting out at Beignton myself, and | will
put you in the care of old Staple, the
station master, unless you know your
way about"
No, oh, no." she broke in nervously
"This-l am a stranger. have never
been on a train before. I--oh and |
shall have kept Mrs. Thorngate waiting.
Oh. dear ~
Never been in train before 7" repeat
ed Jack Glendurwood in amazement. He
knit his brows and pulled his handsome
golden-brown mustache. What manner
of creature was this. with her sweet,
childish voice. her curiously black draped
figure in cumbersome cloak and thick
veil her shyness and her ignorance? He
laughed little easily 1T must seem
strange to you. But did | understand
you to say you were going 20 meet Mrs.
Thorngate?'
Yes; at-at Mountberry. Mr.. Thorn
gate told me she would be waiting for
me- and now"
His voice was so kind that Audrey felt
irresistibly drawn toward him.
well. she will not have to wait long
Lord John answered, ,hrerfully, and
then he all but whistled aloud, for Au-
drey, with a quick gesture, had flung
back her veil, and he beheld her face
in all its beauty. Tears We're still hang
ing on her lashes, but her eyes shone
through them like sapphires: her raven
black hair, brushed vigorously back from
her brow, enhanced the dH.'cate pallor
of her skin. Jack Glendurwood thought
he had never seen anything so perfectly
lovely in his life as the straight, small
nose, the red lips, the pale, ivory COM
plexion, and those wondrous deep-blue
eyes. He forgot all about his haste, his
muddy appearance, or his lame hunter
he even forgot his manners-in his ad-
miration and surprise, till deep blush,
spreading over her throat cheeks and
brow, recalled him.
Are you going to stay with Mrs.
Thorngate, may l ask" he inquired al
most nvoluntarily.
Audrey felt strangely shy and child
ish. He seemed to her ike King Ar
thur, with his tall, stroug figure and
courteous manner.
Il wish Jean could see him." she
thought to herself, and then she glanced
at him like a shy, startled oild when he
asked her that question.
Il beg your pardon. II nave no right
to ask you such a question:" he stam-
mered, hurredly; ''it was only because
Mrs. Thorngate is friend of mine"
II have never met Mrs. Thorngate,"
she said in a quiet, respectful manner.
Nor am 1 ever likely to become her
friend. You-you have made a mistake,
sir; l am not lady, l am only a ser
want maid"
Lord John felt an involuntary confu-
sion in his breast Audr,y's clear, re-
fined voice, her curt, proud words reused
his ire against the fates that condemned |
so fair, so young a being to a mental
life.
STAPLE will do everything for you,
and there is a train drectlv," he said
hurriedly. II hope you will reach your
destination safely, and-I Will say good
morning now"
"Good-by, and thank YOU Oh, thank
you - Audrey answered him.
Now that he was going, she clung to
him as to something bright and pleas
ant such as she had never known be-
fore. In q vague sort of way he seemed
almost like friend and protector to I
her.
Audrey sighed as she felt herself being
whrled along to Mountberry. Now that
she was alone again, all her nervousness
returned, and she was quivering with ex-
citement and fear as they reached her
destination.