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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1890)
292 WEST SHORE. " My dear madam, pray tell me what yon think 7" and be then told her the whole story. When he went away it was with the understanding that he would call again in the morning. Meanwhile the lady related the story to the girl, advising her to go with him. Vividly she portrayed the two path! In life now open before her. " I think," ahe concluded, " in deed, he aa much aa laid it, that he will make you hia wife at once if you will consent. Let me assure yon it is love, not justice, that has made him spend months in seeking you out." When Oaylord came next morning, this worldly-wise woman left the pair to themselves, and when Lute went away the girl blushingly told her mistress that she had consented to marry the gentleman. " I ain't the cousin he's talking about, but if he is willing to take a poor kitchen girl and give her a fine home, I am willing to go. It will be a great thing for me, having no home since mother died." Ten days later Lute Gaylord and wife registered at the hotel just oppo site the building in which Kodgera & Son had their offices. In the early evening, as Reece the mere ghost of his former self was riding down the street, he saw the young couple coming down the hotel steps, start ing for a walk. As he caught full view of the bride's face, he suddenly reined up bis horse and ejaculated : "Rose! Misa Wilton!" Simultaneously the two gentle men raised their hats, and Gay lord said, proudly: "My wife, Mrs. Gaylord, now;" and then be watched to see her recogniie Rome old acquaintance; but she only stared blankly from one to the other. At the introduction and entire want of recognition on the part of the lady, Reece grew sud denly dizzy and would have fallen out but for Lute, who caught the reins and steadied him. " I am better, now," said Reece, faintly, holding out shaking hand for the lines. Mechanically the young hus-l band watched him off, and turn ing to bis wife, asked, almost aternly: " Don't you know him?" " No, I never saw him be fore." " Oh, Rose!" " I insist on your calling me Annie," ahe said, haughtily. "I have told yon all the time that I am not your cousin Rose, and was never In Oakland before and know nobody here; but I am your wife, now, and yon have to use me well." Lute had another chill-he always had them when he got to won dering whether he had not made sad mistake. Then there was an other fear that was even worse. If this was Rose, the shock hia mother had given her had affected her mind, and she was deranged on all nutters relating to herself as Rose Wilton. When he spoke next he proposed Uiat they walk toward the Villa. Surely the sight of the beauti ful home would move her; and he determined to watch her closely. Very lovely she looked In her stylish suit of white flannel, but every few mlnutea there would be something in her manner or speech that made him nneasy She teemed delighted with the Villa, but so far aa he could detect there was not the faintest memory connected with it for her. " And shall we live hereT " ahe aaked. " Yes, but I shall pay rent until the estate is settled. Rose, don't you remember anything alwut the place T " " Mr. Gaylord, don't ask me any of thow hard questions spin, please don't." " Call me Lute, dear." " Call me Annie, then." After that they walked back in almost utter silence, and the past waa avoided aa much aa possible. rople knowing Rose Wilton called on the (iaylorde at the Villa, but they new called a second time. Annie waa an excellent cook and a neat seamstress, but there hei accomplishments ended The fine library, the grand piano and studio were useless to her. Thus a Aiv) Ik .'I'.V 'l .if. 7- N. o -- year passed. li Lute Gaylord suffered for lack of culture and refinement in his wife, and with a secret dread least her malady take a worse form, Reece Rodgers suffered ten times more. He had never met her face to face since that first evening, and hearing many of the strange stories in circula tion a gloom settled down upon him. " If she were dead I could bear it," he said to himself; " but it Is like knowing that her ghost is haunting the old place." One Friday night, when Lute came home, he told his wife that the Wil ton estate was settled and that his mother, himself and sister were the heirs. Annie had been mistress of the Villa a year before she undertook a general bouse cleaning. She heartily enjoyed it, and somehow Bhe felt that things would seem more like her own if they were moved about. But right In the midst of it all an awkward servant upset a quaintly carved cabinet that stood in one corner of the family sitting room. Over It went with a crash, and something giving way a row of little drawers was revealed. She looked through them curiously. There were papers and letters lying loose and bound in packages, but she piled them neatlv aw One after another of the tiny drawers was opened until a curious bit of shining silver caught her gaze. " Why ! " she exclaimed, catching her breath, and picking it up. It was attached to a faded, blue ribbon. "Why!" ahe said again, her hands shaking as she examined it closely. Then she went to the small trunk in her own room, her only possession before her marriage, and from a tiny box in the till she took a charm precisely like the one found In the cabi net, only it was attached to a pink ribbon. " I can't understand, I can't understand," she said, over and over. Then suddenly springing to her feet she let both the trinkets fall to the floor, while with hands outstretched in an imploring manner she cried out: "Can it be? Can it be?" Growing calmer after a while she put the charms in her box and went down shirs. Eagerly she opened each paper and letter, scanning the lines closely. In the very bottom of the same little drawer where the charm had lain was a Ann nviw .AIIKRI.Y REK'S ROWIKRH CAl'OIIT AT THIS OM." psper, f; ow and worn, she opened It, and the first line that met her eye was : Last ill and Testament of Florence T. Wilton." It was an old document, signed in New York, and the date was more than sixteen yews pJll'w , I? DI"hi" her PoMioM to her beloved daughter, anTlJil GayS "'er h"" elUally AMM House cleaning suddenly lost it, charm for the mistress of the Villa, and .donning one of her prettiest suit., she took the two charms and the yellow document and started for the ofllce of Rodger. A Son. Keec. was m his private ofllce alone. He arose when he saw his vis- rell he .tatted back a. if ,l ud ,truck him , Kose-beg pardon-Mrs. Gaylord! " a. .lltr in q7lin WM Dot wwtowi to doing legal business, and usual thing, ,h. was extremely diffident; but to-day she was another Uon. in. voice quivered with pent-up emo-