THE NEW AGE, roit'l'-LAND, OREGON.
MISS MILNE AND I.
CIIA1TEK VII Continued.
It wqb not untlr I had read and re
read tlild lcttor many times tliat I
grasped anything of the deviltry of Its
moaning. At first It struck mo as not
Being more than a hugo and horriblo
Joke. Thon I read it again, and saw
tho caro I hat had boon bestowed upon
Its composition. A third reading
brought out ItH logic and careful argu
ment, and then I began to roallzo some
thing of tho hold bIic had over mo, and
between tho lines of her lcttor I found
tho natives that woro inspiring her.
When after an hour'n ntudy I had
thoroughly compassed Its full import,
my first Impulso was to throw It Into
tho flro and let her do hor worst; but I
soon saw that such a stop would cer
tainly bo followed by a good deal of
anxiety, and, after revolving many
proJoctH, I decldod to seek tho advicu
of a legal friend and patient of mtno
who lived near mo, and In whoso opin
ion 1 placed tho greatest confidence.
After hearing my fltory nnd reading
tho letter ho bluntly told mo that I
was in a bad box, and that tho best
thing I could do was to squuro tho
matter with the woman nt onco nnd
get oft au cheaply as I could.
I went homo that night tho saddest
man In London. A torrlbly thick fog
enveloped ovorythlng, and my heart
was in my boots. Tho following dny I
consulted two othor leading lawyers,
and rocelved from thorn oxnetly simi
lar ndvUo. And bo In tho ovcnlng I
Kent by tho pngo boy tho following
note:
"Doctor Rlgby would bo glad to see
MM Mllno thin evening on business,
if hint could sparo him n few minutes."
I walled his return with a good deal
o( nnvloty. To my nstonlHhmont lie
Brought back a mesHiigo that Miss
Mllno would bo with mo In nn hour
I say, nHlonlHhment, because I did
not licllovo It possible that sho could
do other than avoid a porsonnl Inter
view. I busied myself In tho Intervnl
foolnr nntlcntfl, and wondering what
I Pliould nay to hor when sho came,
Presently, punctually to tho moment,
Miss MMno was announced.
Fho walked Into tho room with a
friendly, fnmlllnr nod nnd a "flood
ovcnlng, Dr. Klgby." Her mannor was
jaunty, but her exjiroMlon linn and do
torinlued, and I miw that I had a her
culean tank boforo mo in appeasing hor
or getting off, as tho lawyer said,
"cheaply." Shu spared mo tho difficul
ty of beginning tho conversation by
leading off herself.
"I fear my letter must havo caused
you a good deal of astonishment, Dr.
Rlgby. hut now that you havo had tlmo
to think It ovor, I am suro you will
agree with mo thnt It In hotter to hnvo
(ho nmttor settled."
"Certainly," I replied meekly nnd nl-
most modestly, for I felt nlready na a
child In tho hands of this woman, with
ner damnahlo offrnntory"cortnljily. if
Ihoro In any mntter to settlo."
"Thoro can bo no doubt of that,
fluroly you havo been told bo much by
tho ninny legal friends you havo con
ultcd." "Legal frlondn."
"Yen; I know how you Rpont Inst
evening anil tho greater part of today.
Il.it don't you think wo had bettor get
to liuslnesn? I hnto worrying people,
nnd I am suro this Intorviuw Is wor
rying rou."
Tho calm, cool, Rntanle confidence
of the woman disarmed nud unnerved
mo completely. In dcnporntlon I
groaned out: "Havo you no conscience,
Miss .Millie?"
"No," sho replied, with perfect com
poRiiro, no. thank you, nono, Hut
fouio. won't you get your check book,
And let us closo this intorvlow? It
f only pnlnlng you unnocoHrtnrlly."
I was, as far as closing tho Intorvlow
was concerned, only too glnd to fall
m with her suggestion, but, lmlf dazed
as I was, I had still too much sonso
left to put myself (au sho evidently
wished) ontlrely Into her. power by
writing a check. I had provided my
self with change, nnd unlocking my
rlrnwor, I nBked: "How much do you
vlsli ma to give you?"
"I havo been thinking," sho said,
"thnt If you gave mo ton pounds to
night. It would help mo out of a few
pressing dlfllcultles, and wo might set
tlo as to tho future In n fow dayB."
Without a word l counted out tho
amount nnd handed It to her. Sho took
it and carefully counted It to seo If It
were correct, and then turning to me,
aid: "Yon ennnot think how It wor
ries mo to bother you this way."
When tho door had closrd behind
her, I sat down to write tho daily' lovo
letter, which waH no longer a pleasure
hut a terrible tank; for now, liiBtend of
tho ihapsodlos of a full heait, I had to
assume a gladness and hopefulness
that I could no longer feel.
Over the hluo sky of the brightest
prospect that over dawned upon cro
capable of appreciating hluo skies nnd
blight prospects, thoro had nrlsen a
cloud charged with black destruction.
I Btnutgled hard to wrlto as I hnd
done, ami dlsgulso as best I could my
trouble, hut the effort waa useless; my
letters were stilted and forced, and had
been becoming moro anil moro so its
this terrible trouble grew. Tho result
was, as I know It must bo, a request a
few days later on tho part of my In
tended wife that I should run down nnd
Tender soinn explnnntlon of thin
fltrnnge alteration that sho had noticed,
not only in my lottcrs, hut also In my
manner,
Hdlth Pelhnm, the girl whoso heart
r had won, end who was soon to
bcromu my wife, was tho daughter of
nn ort'.rer who had retired on half pay
to a small villa nt Chlaelhuvst.
When I Eirn'lcul along tho road from
tho siatkn to Lewis Villa, on tho
fiuturdny succeeding tho nceno last ro
iorU"l, it wii with a fooling overhang
ing mo nltogethor unllko anything I
hnd hoforo experienced. 1 know some
thing dreadful waa going to happen; It
mkht be a misunderstanding with
Ki: It mlabt be a demand from hor
ffcfier tho dlanWed colonel, for nn ox
Plnnallon tfor Kdlth might havo told
htm of '.l.o change In my lettorsl; It
might possibly bo u postponement of
tho wedding, but it could not bo, no It
wns altogether utterly out of tho quoJ
Una mat my ongagomout could bo
::fta
broken off.
However my worst fears woro not
realized. Nothing was said to mo
about tho mattor uppermost in my
mind until Kdlth nnd I woro nlonc In
tho parlor after dinner, nnd then sho
qucsl'loncd mo In such a gcntlo man
ner thnt I took henrt of graco nnd told
her tho wholo story of my troubles.
I rnn rapidly through tho Btory I had
to loll, without ovoklng nny sign or
movement from her until I reached
tho fi'.tnl lcttor. Then a slight Bpnsm
that ran through hor and tho Increased
rapidity of her breathing told mo thnt
her native Instinct hnd already divined
tho cud. Hut she did not movo until I
hnd finished. Then sho aroso slowly
from hi i scat and, looking up from tho
flro witli n Blight change of color, as
the only external sign of tho terrible
shock .she hnd received, said:
"I Biipposo if thcro hnd been nny
doubt nhout this woman's hold ovor
you, giving her tho money settled tho
qucptlon."
"Yes yes, It does," I replied.
"Now, Allan, toll mo what Is tho
worrit thing thnt could hnppon If sho
did hor worst?"
"Tl.o loss of you, my quoon!" I
gronncd. And in tho terror of tho
thought I rushed toward hor. Sho
gently pushed mo back.
"Thoro Is no tlmo for lovo-maklng,
Allnn. Wo must think how to dofeat
this this I supposo I must call hor a
woman, nut now, Allan, answer my
question definitely. What Is tho worst
thing that could hnppon?"
"If a Jury convicted mo ob thoy most
cortalnly would, I should get soven or
fourteen years' ponal servitude"
"Thoro la Just ono other question I
should lllto to ask you, and that U.
do you think thnt tho goodnenn of
henrt, tho kindness to her neighbors
thnt you spoko of, wnn rcnl or part of
hor diabolical Bchemo?"
"And thnt, Kdlth, Is about tho only
question that I could not havo mado
some attempt townrd answoring. Tho
Minractor of this woman Is, I bollovo,
beyond ull fntho;nlng. it nppcara to
me that both powers of good and tho
powers of ovll thought hor worth tight
lug for, and tho hattlo resulted In n
compromlBO. Thoro Is no height of
goodness that I do not bollovo her ca
pable of reaching, nnd, ns wo know,
thcro Ib no depth of dovlltry to which
she could not (.Ink."
"Then tho enso Is not a hopeless ono,
Allan. I think I enn sot this matter
right myself."
"You you, child?"
"Yes, oven I, Allnn. You tell mo
thoro In no height of goodness to which
this young womnn ennnot attain. You
ovldontly bollovo thnt hor good deeds
were genuine. You say tho npMrit of
good ban part possession of hor. It
tills Ib so, I'm suro I could mnko hor ro
lax tills terrible hold sho has over
you."
"Kdlth, I don't understand you. Ib It
poBslblo that you could dream of seo
lug this woman yourself, nftor all I
havo told you? I would not allow you
to go into tho same street with hor If
I could holn It. And If I wcro black
guard enough to lot you undortnko
miclt a mission, do you Jmaglno for n
moment your father anil mothor would
r'vo you permission?"
For a fow seconus sho was flllont.
nnd thon npparontly recognizing tho
Impossibility of tho scliemo, sho lookod
quietly up and with a sigh said:
"Ah, woll, Allan, I Biippodo thoro's
nothing for It but to wait for n fow
cliiys and let ovonts develop thorn-
BClVOB."
And thon coming ovor to mo, sho put
a band on ench shoulder and, looking
straight Into my oyen, anld:
"You must not talk again of losing
mo, nud you must not think this so
very dreadful. Togethor wo will do
vino nomo mothod of beating hor. but
don't lot us talk any moro about It to
night."
Nor did wo, but hold together by that
firmest of all bonds a mutual sorrow,
helped by tho consciousness, on hor
tide, thnt I ,had suffered greatly, nnd
on mlno, thnt Bbo of nil women wns
tho most horoie and noble, wo spent nn
hour In tho silent, or almost silent, oc
stusy of lovo.
When, nt Inst, a vory Rlgnillcant
"Ahem!" from upstairs told us that wo
must pnrt onco moro, wo, returned for
u moment to tho consideration of tho
great question, nnd decided that wo
should await tho dovolopment of
events thnt In tho njonntlmo nolthor
Colonel nor Mrs. I'elham wns to ho told,
and that, with such lovo as ours,
neither heights nor depths, things pres
out nor things to come, need causo us
nny anxiety.
I returned to work enrly on Monday
morning with a llghtor henrt than. I
hnd been blessed with for many n long
day.
CHAPTEU VIII.
On Monday ovenliiK tho postman
brought mu a lottor from Kdlth, writ
ton nt hor anut'a Iioubo:
"DcaroBt, darllns Allan," It began,
"what wll you nny when you hoar tint,
contrary' to your advlco, I lmvo today
gron Mtaa Mllno? I doturmtiiod to boo
hor on Saturday, aftor hearing your
atory, but did not tell you for foar of
being mado to nromUo not to. Oh,
my poor darling, how I pity you, now
that I hnvo doon this woman. Sho wns
not rudo to mo I almost wish alio had
boon; It would havo boon castor to
boar than hor cynical cruolty. I won
der It Satan, among hla othor dis
guises, can assumo a woman's form
and talk philosophy? Hut oh, Allan, I
foar I havo dono no good, and yet 1
did everything, down ovon to going on
my kncoa to her. (you must not bo
niiKry. my darling, 1 bollovcd whon I
sot out It was my mission to savo you.)
1 tried another line that 1 thought inust
Biiccoed I tried to get to tho mother's
side of hor, by taking hor llttlo boy on
my knees, whon sho quietly took him
off. snylng, 'Ho is too heavy to nurso.
Allan I I am nfrnld this Is a sad bitBl
I10B4, but wo must cheor up; something
suroly will happen to Improvo matters
that seem at their worst, 1 am writ
ing this noto to ask you to bo auro to
como down again on Saturday, I will
meet you nt tho station, and wo will
have a long, long walk, and talk It
over. Oh, that dreadful, dreadful, wo
man! I shall dream of her. And yet
1 felt nil tho tlmo that sho waa not
half so bad as sho painted herself. My
poor Allan, don't bo angry with mo,
love, I tried to help you, nnd I am, on
tho whole, so glad to havo seen her;
'tis a new oxporienco altogether a
sort of education. Good-bye, and God
bless you, darling. Yours moro than
over,
"EDITH."
Hero thcro followed a
"P. S. Don't on nny account lot pa
pa or mamma know of this."
This letter of Edith's camo on Mon
day evening. For tho rest of that week
my work wnij dono automatically, mo
chnnlcnlly, and without a shadow of
Intorcst. WJien work waa over I Hat
down .mlserablo to think It was dono.
and when morning enmo I groaned at
having work to do. Twenty times a
day I took from my pocket tho photo
graph of Edith that I carried then, and
still carry.
I aaw nothing moro or miss Miino;
but on tho Wednesday a noto waa
brought to mo from her to tins enect:
"I'leaso send ten pounds (10) by
bearer. M, M."
With this request, or command, na I
ought, If strictly truthful, to call it, I
gladly complied. I Bay "gladly" bo
causo anything wbb hotter than seeing
hor; and knowing hor first ton pounds
must bo spont, I felt confident that sho
must como or sond for moro within a
few days; and the relief of escaping
another Interview wad indescribable
At last Saturday camo and I Btarted
off for Chesolhurst.
When. I audited from tho train I
looked anxiously round for Edith. Sho
wub nowhero to bo Boen, out, sianuiug
near tho station uoor nnu wuicuing
closely with his hloar oyes each man
who passed, wub my om inonu uio
gardener. Ho no longer woro His
round frock, but had on tho coach
mnn's coat nnd tall hat; ho waa gloved
and shaved, and I gathered nt onco
that tho carrlngo waB waning ior mo.
In a moment I waa at his side. '
"Tho Colonel told mo to glvo you this
noto," ho Bald. And then in a whlspor,
"Thoro'H Bummnt up."
I toro It open and read:
"Dr. Illgby: Dear Sir Slnco your
last visit, an ovont of somo lmportanco
hnB occurrod that rendorB It deslrablo
that I dhould see you beforo you pro
ceed to Lewis Villa.
"I will therefore await your arrival
at tho Commorclnl Hotel, whoro I havo
tnkon a prlvnto room, which kindly ask
for. Faithfully youra,
"W. FBLHAM."
Dcsporatoly anxious for a fow .min
utes to myBolf, I sent tho gardonor
with ti messago that I had u telegram
to dispatch to town, nnd would thon
Join tho colonel. With this I loft for,
not tho telegraph oillco, but, tho waiting
room. Through tho llttlo holo that
communicated with tho rcfroshmont
rnnm In tlinnn ilnvn. I Called for BOmQ
brandy. It waa nocoasary that I should
havo something to kcop mo from rink
lug In tho whirl of wild emotions that
woro absolutely stupefying mo. What
can hnvo happened whnt can havo
litippenod? I asked myBOit again anu
again. That it waB part of Miss
Mllno's diabolical schamo I had no
doubt. "Tho girl you think you aro
going to marry ' roturnod with ter
rible import now, nnd if I loved Edith
beforo, my God, how I loved hor now!
1 tried to collect my thoughts and for
mulnto somo plan, but It wns usolcsa;
nil tho futuro was desolate, vaguo and
horror Btrlcken. But I must not linger
hero, I thought, nnd, Jumping to my
foot, I hastened down tho street to
moot my doom with tho desporntlon of
tho poor unfortunate who,, from tho
summit of Waterloo Bridge, Jumps
from tho holl that Is into tho holl to
como.
(To bo Continued.)
ssoGjasjesacjasaaassEKsaasc
Things That May
Interest
You.
JeEG2E-2E!E
Cuba lias akeed to bo lulmitted to tho
international postal union.
Tho work ol demolishing Nowgate
prlbon in London 1ms commenced.
ltishon Thomas O'Gorman brought a
gift to l'rosidont Roosevelt from Pope
I.eo.
A Piusslnn army edict against
American lard and Imported hams lias
been issued,
A 150,000 obforvatory is to bo built
this year by Wosleyan university nt
Middlotown, Conn.
Tho Cleveland, 0., boarjd of health
lias started a war on tho uso of dirty
inoiioy in that city. ,
Thomas A. Kdli-on tolls a Copenhag
en paper th ut, electricity will icplaco
te.im in less than threo decodes.
President J. J. Hill paid, ho expected
that next year earnings of tho North
ern SecurltfeM Company would 'bo $15,
O00.0QO. The big anthracite foal strlko will
compel householders to uso the bitum
inous product in furnaces nnd grates
before tho winter is over.
The Mar department linn 'decided to
withdraw army olllcers detailed as in
structors unlets u higher standard is
maintained by schools so favored.
King Kdward hns promised tho chiol
secretary for Ireland, Georgo Wyndham,
to visit Dublin, Cork and Belfast In
February at tho latest, possibly in
November.
Tho Fronch premier declares reports
hIioa that roynlists are responsible for
the agitation over the closing o( schools
in Finisteire and that prosecutions will
follow.
Tho navy department announces that
contractors will be held responsible for
non-porformancu ol work hereafter, and
that no penalties will bo remittod.
Tho Bethlehem Steel company, Ifor
whiqh Charles M. Schwab paid 17,600,
000, has been sold to the United States
Shipbuilding lompativ at a figure stated
to be 126,000,000.
Serious clashes have occurred betwea
the people and troops in French towns
and provinces over the efforts to cIom
unauthorized schools of religious associations.
R. A. OAT.
Excelsior Planing Mill
Mouldings, Brackets,. Turning,
Stair Building and General
House Work.
Phono White 601.
E. Seventh nnd E. Morrison Sts.
PORTLAND, OREGON
TELEPHONE SOUTH JIM.
Ann Arbor Home
Bakery.
M. SHIELDS, Proprietor.
HOME MADE BREAD,
CAKES AND PIES.
Sixteenth nnd Gitalin Sts., Portland, Or
George Miller.
Hiram Fugltt.
Wagner Cafe
Phono Main 878
M8 Sixth St., Portland.
Comfortublo Qu.irtcra for Commercial
and DimlncfB Men.
B. JUL. MAYER, lrcVt and Bec'y.
Fieckenstein Mayer Co.
EsUMIiihcd 1870. Incorporated 1831.
Importers and Jobbers
WINES AND LIQUORS.
OurBpcclMtlca:
Maryland 'Club Rye and
Kentucky Taylor Oourbon.
27.I!MnrtltiFt.,
CINCINNATI, OHIO.
sn.l-2.lj Oak fit.
PORTLAND, ORE.
CITY LAUNDRY CO.
Gents' Work a Specialty.
Phones: Oregon 429, Columbia 410.
FOURTH AND COUCH STS.,
PORTLAND, OREGON
HARNESS, SADDLES, STRAP WORK
See Our Prices Before Buying.
Bend for (reo catalogue.
Kxtract from Itet. liar. MaVora P. A. Mar.27, 1WJ:
"Vanktrlt A Wilton are itiottiiKIrIceitln their
cataloKiio that no retail dealer tare to meet."
That' what the Ring ' of ui. Oct our
Prkei.
VANKIKK & WILSON, ISO Front St
Real Estate
Bargains!
Six-Room M,odern Houses
in Woodmere.
Flno nerenpj on olcctric car lino suit
able for ilutUnr. i I
Choice lata on easy tcrna.
Home i built to suit and sold on easy
terms. II
(1EO. W. BROWN,
203 Palllnc Building, 3d and Wash
ington Sts.
I.GIUTTOK
1'rett.
C. C. WOODCOCK
Ylco I'rvtt.
8. d. conn
Beo'y
. Standard Box Factory
(Incorporated.)
Gates, Berry Boxes, Fruit Pack
ages, Packing Cases of all kinds.
Cor. Water and E. Washington Su
TUpko;EU 4. PORTLAND, OR
V. HKl'P.
W YTir
m IMF
)WaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaSsSSm
Established Jan. I. 1889.
Incorporate July 8, 1891.
Portland Coffee and Spice Go.
For the Trade Only.
Tea, Coffee, Spices, Baking Powder,
Extracts, Etc.
OUR SPECIAL mtANE-3: Spices, Acme. Mult
nomah; linking Powders, Defiance, Double
Quick; Coffee, Koyal Illcnil; Sugar, iixi Bar.
24-ZB Front Strati,
Bet. Amh and Ankony.
PORTLAND, OREGON.
EDWARD HOLMAN
UNDERTAKER
Fourth and Yamhill Sts.
BOTH "PHONES NO. 607
RENA STINSON, Ladr Anlilant.
L.W.CAnNAHAN, President.
C. II. GARDNER, Vice President.
W. W. TERRY, Treasurer.
Portland Implement Co.
JOHN DEERE PLOWS,
HARROWS, ETC.
FARM MACHINERY
AND VEHICLES.
188-194 Front Street, Portland, Ore,
PARK GROCERY.
A.J. JONES, Proprietor.
Retail Dealer In
STAPLE AND FANCY GROCERIES
dnd All Kinds of Imported Delicacies.
21 N. Park Street,
PORTLAND, OREGON
THE Ha Oa ALBEE COMPANY
.. DEALERS IN....
Second Hand Machinery
260 East Water Street. PORTLAND, OREGON.
Zimmerman Wells Machinery Co.
Incorporated.
Marine; Mining Saw Mill, Logging, Wood Working, Hoisting and Traru
miuion Machinery. Engineers' and Loggers' Supplies. Agents A. Lcschen
& Sons Rope Co., Celebrated Hercules Wire Rope, R. N. Nanion tc Co.' Lu
bricating Oils and Compounds.
41-43 SECOND STREET. PORTLAND, OREGON
Any Nil
Any
MACKINTOSHES, RUBBER AND OIL CLOTHING
Uulitiar tlnota and Ntiona, Halting-, racking and Ilotn.
Larteat and Moit Complete Attortment ot all Kindt of Itubber Ooodt. l
OOODYEAR RUBBER COMPANY
B. H. PJCABK, Prctldent. K. U..BIIKPAIIU, JK.. Treaturer J. A. SUEI'AItD, Secretary
73-76 FIRST STREET, PORTLAND, OREGON.
Tho E- ' ATKNS co
Atkins Saws are
Always
Ahead a a
Sample Uoomt.
l'.1cctrlc Mb'litt.
THE ST. HELENS HOTEL.
J. P. URADLEV.
i
Never Closed.
CHl-HALIS,
Beds nnd Meals Firtt-clufa.
Loewenberg &
MANUFACTURERS
Tmyler Street
f te 194 SeeendStreet
Phones: Oregon Main 770., Columbia 430.
The LA GRANDE CREAMERY GOMPANT
BUTTER, EGOS
AND OHEESE.
All goods wholesale and retail. '
204 Yamhill St., nr. Third, Portland, Or
FREDERICKSBURG
MUSIC HALL.
SEVENTH AND ALDER STREETS
Our FrlendB are All Cordially Invited
To Attend.
BROWN & GRANT.
W. I MCCADB,
Bcattle.
E. fyiAMILTOlf,
Tacoma.
M'CABE & HAMILTON
.. STEVEDORES ..
PUCET SOUND
Also Honolulu, H. I.
Head Of Poos Taooma, Wash,
, Cable Addroisi McCADE
GRACIE, BEAZLEY & CO., Agents.
14 Water Street, Liverpool.
1
i Do You
I Know the News ?
Vou can havo It all (or
Per
Month
50c
i cr
Month
X InTlio Evcnlnc Telegram, ot Portland,
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X all tho nuivn of the itatu uiitl ol tho n.
X tlon. Try it lor. a month. A lamnlo
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THE TELEGRAM,
Portland, Oregon.
ynmitltr
Anjr Style
Paolflo Ooast Branch,
No. BO First Street,
Portland, Ore.
Patlu.
All White nolp
American Plan
WASHINGTON.
Special Rates by Week or Month
Going Company
OF AND DEALERS IN
Stove Ranges,
Hollowware nd
Household...
Specialties... s
Handled by AU First
Class Dealers... ., ..
i -
Royal Steel Ranges Are
the Best and Cheapest
in the Market
,. m ....
PORTLAND, ORMRON
X.
im
y
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A
i ii7Miiiiu.-7'fT'""'"Tr-'''"T"i-in',r'-",'- " ' itnu-i urii-an
iiiti aj.irr"irrnirT
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.'-."maiiiiMaiiii ni