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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1889)
WKST SIIOKK. I7t AN OCEAN WAIF. BY VKLMA CALDWELL MKLVILLK. I'AKT V. AT precinely half-pant ten the following evening two r ftjiurt'H in long doakn crept out of the Mason- Hrowiiinji house, ami moved stealthily toward a little nide entrance, known an the "east gate." A magnificent elm waved i t h punt arum als.vc it, ami IwHide it wuh a little rustic bench. A tall, dark figure Htarted from amid the nhudnwH and entne to meet the two women. " Mon )iVm ! at hint you are here my darling and I may chiH you once more to my loving, aching hrciiHt." Imogene wan in no mood to relish lover'n nonsense, and with curling lip moved aside where she could guard and yet Ik1 undisturbed, nave by an occasional unguarded exclamation from Monsieur, or a s..h from his trembling victim. It wan growing late, ami when a HUllicient time, in her estimation, had elapsed, she approached them, chancing to arrive just as Mon sieur, having exhausted his stock of argument and loving entreaty, had reached the tragic stage. - " Then kisH me farewell, swn t one, kiss me fare well," he wan caving in his weird, musical voice; at the name time the tiny dagger Unshed in the pale moonlight. " Stay! don't. Monsieur, don't." pleaded I'd, catch ing hold of hia arm. " I have told you Irfore Mi rrVrr.that coldness from you means death for me. As the matter stands 'lis death to either Monsieur (ielt.KK or myself, and I prefer to die an innocent mm. I ii" fri. n.l-. no one to (died a solitary tear when I am g " 1'et was nobbing piteoiisly now. " Here," went on the Frenchman, "will y i"'t In mi one last favor-grant a dying man's rH "t Take this ring ami wear it al-nt your m- k in memory of one who died for love of you ; and this pur-- cm- tainn money. M , t lie in the '" 1,1 1,1 it not Ih- naid that Antoine l.e (in.nd. th- I.H ..ftl. fan.oua line of a Crands, and a duke by right l" an unmarked grave. And you w ill . ' """" ..nee in a while at least-and kneeling by th. '. mound, think of the despised cr-nt'ir- "I"' lv ""' wan loving you ts well." IVt'n nobn had ceased and she l..t-...'d ... ''""' silence to the rvthmical voi.e, .banting ' thin gru,-.n.e charge. Kvii Incg'"'' r """'''"' will and practical trend pI-hI r-i-l 'I"' ' seemed an age to her, standing there ... h ........light, before IVf. whisr brl- th-a. .1 liens. i " I will go with you Monsieur I drand," she said ; in a lone of determination a determination lrn of utter lnceiMicxs and despair " To-morrow night at twelve o'clock I will await you here. Have a min 1 inter with you, and Imogene shall Ih the witness . (iH light " Inpatiently, almost angrily, she pushed her lover aside an he fell on his knecn Infore her, and essayed to clasp her to his breast. " l.et me go Where in Imogene ? " The mwn of "Mrs, Hivwnlng'n romance," an xc pie wen; ph aed to term it, sprea among her friends, and a merry, informal company gathered in the pretty cottage the evening after the clandestine J meeting at the cnt gate. Music wan in constant de- j mand, and l'rf licit w.hhI had never heard his dangle t. r play as she did that night, or look no lovely either j II. r color was unusual, and the blue even damvd and sparkled with nuppresncd excitement. " I have never seen our little girl no charmingly I animated." he remarked to Mildred, late In the evening "She in certainly looking very bright; but I do not ijiiite like hr manner I fear another tiervoiin at tack," replied the latter, anxiously noting the h.vlic Hush The father sighed " Si like her mother No, she is not strong, and I shall haw In ak your consent to take her abroad n.s.u " Mildred' even HI I'll with tears, but she answered brav.lv: "Whatever i for her gl will inert with my approval " Nit one but IV m.thvd that Imogene was alm'til from the rin neveral timm during the ewning When the company had taken their have Vt kissel the I'ri.f. ir and Mildred g.snl night, ti lling the latter that she mid imt go nptair They l,lh rnni nilH red afterward ho fevirih lo r bps had felt, and ho bmogly she clung aUait their nnkn No .Hiii. r bad she mo h.-d her w o r.m than her strength fur""k lo r, and when lmV'i.e came fur her, she wan km. ling I'V the Ixd.ide, till in the light dma worn during the evening There was no time to then nud ". Imogenr had bld her into a traveling miit r!erj thing I ready ImW," she whispered " M n .ii or ti k the valiM' early In the rvi nlng " Hie had to support the tn ioblii.g girl part of the lime ntne-t carrying h' r until they wi fe j..lne. by llir impatni.t b.wr A il"e earring.- In waiting and t. g thrr lU thn rnlrnd and were driven away A i h fgyinan pri vnunly m-lillitl awaited tin in In ,: .tudv lie started at sight of the (Mile, I hil I Ilk J. but lliiogenr'a prwlicr Mll-I e.nlir fe .(."I him III I'-m than an hour frm the tnor lh