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About The Bend bulletin. (Bend, Or.) 1903-1931 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1904)
I i ft The Planter's Daughter 2 FATE'S REVENGE Br AIRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON Author of "A Waif from the 8ea," "Her Brightest Hope," "Wayward Wlnnefred," etc. CHAPTER XII. (Continued.) In th dlmnc of the hdowy hall tfter the outer glare she scarcely no ticed the form Chat lootued beforo her until two arm encircled her aud he felt henrtf drawn Into her father a embrace. "Claire, uy darllug chlMl" exclaimed the old man fervently; "how happy, how unutterablr baiiPT I am to-dayl Dr. Groahara ha just left jour mother. He ha tnaita a thorough examination, and It entirely atifled with her condition. A Croat change ha taken place lit her, which he aMtirea me will be permanent." Glair druggled out of that fond em brace, and atared at her father In araase- tnent. "What do jrou mean?" ho faltered; "can It be that mother' life wa In dancer?" "We hTe purposely kept you In lroor- ance of the facta," wum the trailing re ply; "but now that all danger I pait, I can apeak frankly. Yes; we entertained the gravest fear for your poor mother' life. Gresham warned me that our ml arable poverty waa killing her by Inches." "Killing her!" gaped tho girl; "kill. Inr my mother!" "Yea, my child; nd her aaWation I due to the thought of your marriage, of your happiness to this respite of peace and comfort." Claire turned away with a ghaitly pal lor overspreading her countenance, which the dim light of the ball served to con ceal; and staggering toward the italr- cae she supported herself for a moment upon the rwwel-poat. "Merciful heaven!" aha thought, htr brain In a dlzxy, alckenlng whirl; "my refuial to marry signifies our return to the misery of poverty, and that will kill my mother. Father, If I have been of advantage to you, do me a favor In re turn!" She panted an Instant for breath, and then wen: on swiftly: "When Mr. Courtlandt aaka fur in, beg hhn to ex cuse me; tay that I am overcome with diffidence anything you choose, so long as I do not see him until to-morrow. Father, will you do this for me?" "Certainly, my child," was the sur prised rejoinder: "you shall not be dis turbed to-day, I promise you. But, Claire," bo added baatlly as she Mixed the stair rail and sprang up a few steps, "Claire, there Is something it U our duty to Inform you of to-day 1" "Yes, yes; I knowl" she janted, glanc ing back at his anxlons face; "you mean the poor little child whom we have to recognixe. I agre to k; I will receive him n-benorer Mr. Courtlandt sees fit to bring him to me." And as If patience and fortitude had alike departed, she tied up the staircase and vanished In her chamber, locking the door behind her. No less mystified ttnn relieved, Pblllp nurget gazed after the white robe with It fluttering violet ribbons until It was lost to rlow. "flho knows all!" ho muttered; "who could have told her?" In spite of the innumerable questions with which he was plied concerning Claire's mysterious dlnappearance, the old man was as good aa bis word, and Insisted upon his daughter being left un disturbed. All that day and until the following morning Claire's wedding morn peace and quiet reigned throughout the Bur sea mansion. It waa not until Martha Dunn entered ber young mistress cham ber at 8 o'clock that the very iihadows that lurked In the radiant sunlight were startled by the tidings that she brought down to I'htllp Burgee. "Bend for the doctor!" cried the faith ful creature; "Mis Claire U III, very HI and looks as If she were dying!" It was no exaggeration. Poor Claire had pawed a night the horrors of which roust ever remain a secret with ber, so that when the dawn broke it found ber In great exhaurtion. Grevham, upon his arrival, added fuel to the Are of excitement by stating that Claire might be able to be dressed and stand long enough to be married In the house, but he should forbid her making the exertion of going to church, a she might expire on the way. To Luclan Courtlandt, who drove hastily over upon the receipt of the startling tidings, the wily doctor said: ' "It will be Just as well, perhaps, for you to make no public parade of the cere many, since I am informed that your first wife Intend to be present." "Sylphlde here I" gasped Courtlandt, In dismay. "She is staying at the village Inn under the name of Mm, Hastings. So the soon er and more qulutly the affair is gotten over the hotter!" CHAPTER XIII. Dr. Grcshaui's advice was followed la every particular, and while the little church In tho village was filling with a crowd of townsfolk, curious to see the strangers from the city, the clergyman was speeding away in bis carriage to sol emnize the wedding ceremony at Elm- When they had attired her In her snowy robes of costly satin, with the veil and orange bloasoms In her hair, her ap pearance was so absolutely ghastly that, but for the nervous flashing of her rest let eyes, she might well have been mis taken for a llfelets bride wrapped In the ceromenU of the grave. The woment his experienced eye rested upon her livid face, Dr. Gresham whis pered to the clergyman In attendance! "lie aa expeditious a po Utile; I have my doubts whether she laata until the benediction!" f Hut In that he wa mistaken. With remarkable nerve Claire kept her feeOjt Courtlandt' side. When, howover71h last "nmen" waa pronounced, she way ed blindly, and had not ready hand plac ed htr gently In a chair, she would have fallen. And yet not a word had ben exchang ed between the bride and groom, and though I.uclan Courtlandt would hav been glad to have ipoken tome rcaurinc word to the luffcrcr, Greihant hurried him out of the room with the murmured words: "Leave her alone for the preaent; he needs ret." Later In the afternoon, when the sun sent lU blood-red lances through the clon ed blind of that (tatcly flower-scented drawing room, the widow Courtlandt found henelf alone with the bride. Ap proaching the chair where Claire lay ap parently loMt In a day dream, the lady raid with tender solicitude: "Will you not retire to your room and rest you, my dear?" Claire ralred her heavy eye with a total abaence of expreialon aa she re plied: "Thank you, madam, I am resting here." "Are you suffering?" "Sol I am only weary. I may ay o now, I tuppoae," with a faint ami), "sine the comedy I over." Bending over her, Mrs. Courtlandt pressed her Up lightly upon the pallid brow. "I admire your bravery," ahe said. "I have need of considerable yet," murmured Claire, "In ordtr to faes ths enemy." "The enemy! Whom do you manl" "Tho who wish me dead." "My dear child, my fondeit hop and dearest wish are to win you back to life and health. I would give the last drop of blood In my Telna to aee you wU and happy!" "You hav a kind heart, madam!" There entered at that moment a little 'Child, with a marvelous!? beautiful face, great, wondering eye and ringlet of Jet black hair that couched hi walit. With a glad cry he opened hi tiny, dimpled arm and ran to the elder Mr. Court landt. "Grandma!" he cried, affectionately, nestling In that lady's arm. "Who is tbi child?" demanded Claire. "Can you not guess? He call me grandmother." Attracted by her voice, little Leon walked ihyly to Claire, exclaiming: "Oh, what a pretty, white lady! Won't you take me In your lap?" Claire stooped and cast her arms about him. "I cannot lift you, my darling," she faltered, after a Yatlant effort; "I am not strong enough." With glad alacrity Mrs. Courtlandt raised the boy and placed him on Claire's lap, while the latter murmured, kissing the sweet Up: "Yea, thete are hi feature, hi eym hi son!" and with a sudden access of af fection, gathering the child to her bosom, "and my onl" "My mamma," faltered the child, with a puzzled expresrlon. "Yea, Leon," said Claire; "are you not willing? Will you not be my boy?" "Ye. ye," cried the. boy; "I kv you whhe lady!" With th child nestling in her bosom. Claire suddenly raised ber eyes to find Luclan Courtlandt standing upon the threshold of the room, silently regarding the lovely picture. Quickly putting the child from her, she exclaimed: "Mr. Courtlandt, I suppose you hare come to receive some tidings of me; make your mind easy on that score; I am suf fering horribly." "Claire, retract those cruel word," he critd. A she did not epeak, and in the awk ward pame that eniued, Mr. Courtlandt took little Leon' hand and led hhn to wards the door. "Good-by, little white mamma," lisped the child, and then went tripping away, "Good by, good-by," sighed Claire; then, turning to Luclan, abe added; "Pardon the Irritability of an Invalid. I beg you not to be offended if sometimes I am lacking In a due cense of roy obliga tions." "Obligation!" cried Luclan contritely! "the obligation I entirely upon my shlc. Do you fancy that I fall to appreciate the Immense sacrifice you bare made for me to-day?" Claire shook her head aadly, aa she answered: "No, no; my part of the contract will not bo fulfilled until I am gone. Would you hare choien me, had you been told that I could be cured?" she demanded. "Is not the mother of your son alive?" "Yes," came the reluctant reply, "she Is alive." "Do you lore her, or not? Answer me, upon your word of honor, as a gentle man." lie turned away from her and wiped the beads of perspiration from his brow. "How much you will bare to say to each other the day after my death!" It U probable that his patlenc would not hare stood this last hard tt had sot a errant suddenly entered the room. "Mr. Courtlandt," ho siild, "there I n lady at tho door nuking for you.1' "A tadyl" ho gasped; "what I her name?" "Mrs. Hartlng." "Sylphlde hero? How dared sho come?" Kre he could command himself sum clently to articulate a word, Claire ruio from her chair. "You ace," ahe aald, with cutting dis dain, "the poor woman tins been neglect ed for two week, and die ha come to Itnd you." Then, ns sh staggered to wards an Inner door, ih cried: "She will not even wait until I am dead!" Aa she pnaaed out of light he came to hi senant with a start. Ho turned to find himself face to fci with Sylphlde. "What are you thinking of?" he said. "Why arc you here here In my wlfo'a very apartment?" The rigidity of her feature relaxed, th spell wa broken, and In a low, tetiae tone that thrilled with Indignant reproach idie replied: "Your wife, do you ayl Ah, you uae that word a though you had been mar ried as many years aa you have known her day. But, my good air, you have but one wife, your child ha but on mother and I am hl" "Sylphlde," he faltered, advancing a step, but pausing abruptly aa though her accusing eyen distilled aome baleful Influ ence; "Sylphlde, why are you here? What have you come to do?" "Why am I here?" came the iharp re tort "are you aware that It I two mortal wee . since I have een either you or my aon' I am here to satlafy myaelf that I , hav i not been forgotten. Since 1 hav beet separated from you," she continued pltrously, "1 have become ss one mad; the strangest fancies have taken poxes flon of me. I Imagine that you have abandoned me forever, that I shall never see you again; a (lend kee-ps wblipcring In my ear that they have stolen your heart and my child's heart from me. I leaven help me, I doubt ths very sun shine which Is all the warmth I have left In llf.l" I She prrned her hands upon ber eye ' for an Instant, a though striving to blot out tome hideout prorpect; then, remov ing them, h concluded In low-toned de-. peratlon: "Then muat be an end to thlit When ever the horrible vagaries ovsrpower m, I must be ao placed that I can see you, apeak to you." "Impossible!" h lnterpod, firmly. "Whil Claire live I must not I will not, tr you!" , "It I true, then!" ahe panted;" my antplclona are correct. Your paternal . ollcttud I all a farce; you hav clever-' ly dlrembarraaaed yourself of m In order to marry a woman who. In all probabil ity, I no more an Invalid than I am!" In th very desperation of desptlr, Courtlandt glanced from right to loft, Itn potently hoping to find ome proof of a j convincing nature that would satlafy thl ' moat obdurate of doubters; aa luck would have It, Fate stepped In at the eleventh hour, and discovered to hi wandering eye a web-like bit of lace which Claire hud repeatedly presaed to her lip, while he occupied the chair bealde which It had fallen unnoticed. Darting upon It, Courtlandt held It aloft by the two cor ner before Sylphlde' eye. "Take back tboie word!" be cried; "ah, do not turn your eyes away! Iok at that stain. Her blood, her life blood! lt the right of It dlaalpate our fears; i he will not last long. Hut I conjure you hare pity upon ber; let hr die In peace." I She crept step or two toward him and laid her hand upon bit wrist I "So, Luclan," ahe faltered humbly,' "your bouae 1 closed to me? And you . will not come to me? And I may not see my child?" "No, Sylphlde. You ought to know by this time that the word of a Courtlandt I Inviolable; I had rather die than break It. So long as Claire shall live, I will fulfill the ascred duty that the title of husband impose while Claire live, you xhal! remain an utter atranger to me. ' Hut when God In hi mercy ha called the poor tufferer home to him, then w will return to you, Leon and I, and wa will never more loave you. I wear it" "It I well," she rejoined, prerslng ber Up for on Instant upon hi hand, and then relinquishing It ss one replace a dad hand upon the pulaelea breait. "It Is well. I know what your plighted word mean. I will wait." I She slowly gathered her dark wrap about her and prepared to depart; but, aa though the place exerted in Irreahtl ble spell. he turned to one of the win dow and adjusting the data of the blind, looked out upon the un-lit garden with the lawn beyond. "I am somewhat more at peace with myself," she murmured. "She Is really rery III, and Luclan feel more pity than lore for her In ber suffering. Still It I of paramount Importance that I ahould know everything that take pace In tho house! I stand alone, forlorn; with erery , man's hand against me. I muat hare a ' friend at court, here on thl rery spot! I will know from hour to hour how furea this highway robber who has deprived me of name and lore, and trampled my moth erhood beneath her feet. Should ahe be tray the allghtcat symptoms of Improve ment, I muat know It beforo other sur pect It, so that I may take her fate- Into ' my own hand. But whom shall I se-1 cureV" Tho words expired In a startled whis per. A quick step smote the plnzza, and i a pair of eyes, set clone to tho blind, ' f.Tnnrmt thmtltrh friA nnan alnta Intn li.r ' own. Had fate sent her an accomplice? iTo be contlnnril I A Price to He Paid. "I thnmrhr." aald the Hhonner. "Hint -. -.---. this was a bargalu; that I could get It for a song." "Well, you can haro It," replied tho ' denier, "If you enn rench a fow high notes." Philadelphia Prt. A ton of sugar beets pounds of refined sugar. yields 210 Bell Boy (outsldo of room Ml) Any, tho gns Is escaping III (hero. Country imtn (Insltlo of room M) No, It ain't: I locked tho door. Kx. Mother Johnny Jones, did you get that nwful cold out skating? Sou Mother, 1 think I caught It wnahlug tny face yesterday morning. Judge. Chumply I don't know whether I ought to tnko your daughter from her father's roof. Her Fnthrr Slip doesn't live on tho roof. Plillndelptiln llullo Un. "I any, Broom!" "Coll me by my whole name, If you ploiian. It bus a handle- to It, nnd It wan mrnnt to be ucd. air." "Thnt'a so. Well, llrooin handle, how aro your I Curtoio Your name 1 Ephraltn, la It? How'il your parents route to give you that namo? Modrstui I don't know for certain, but I sunpect It waa becnuse I waa u toy. Boston Tran-J script. "Women claim that tho way to Ret on with n uinn la to give httn plenty of nicely cooked food " "Well," an awercd Slrlua Barker, Irrltnlily, "why don't loiim of them try It?" Washing-! ton Star. I A Great Debt: BraRit I owe noth-' Ing to any man. Now lit Oil, yea, you do. Brnge No, alrl Ncwltt Oh, yea. You owe nn npology to orery man who has to listen to you blow. Philadel phia Press. ImproTomcnt at the flna OITIcp: "Did you hare any luck when you went to complain about the gas tilll?" "Better luck than Inst month," anawrred Mr. Meekton; "the man didn't laugh this .time." En I "Funny about Balaton wanting hi former wife to get a dlrorco from her second husband o that they might gel married again." "Not rery. Ile'a al ways been falling In lore with othet men' wires." llx. Dally Gulde to Flattery: If there la something on the table that tin hostess know la ao badly cooked that ih feela tored ntout It, ask for morn and cat It with the grrntrat apparent rclleh. Baltimore American. "Hnve you any tasto for Thacke ray?" naked Mrs. Oldcnatle. "No, I can't aay that I hare," replied her hostess: "la that nnrthlng like this paprika they're puttln In everything now?" Chicago Itecord Herald. What ho Would Bother llao Ex pressed Differently: Gushing Lady Oh, but Mr, Jones, I should lovo to to beautiful even If for only half an hour! Jones Yes; but you wouldn't like tho coming back n gal til Punch. Conductor All aboard! Please get aboard quickly, Ml; the train Is about to start, Young Ijdy But I wish to kiss my sister good by. Con ductorGet aboard, get i board; I'll attend to that for you. Yolo Itecord. How to Hold Actor: "It always makes tnn mad to tnlk to nn actor. 11 pretends to listen politely, but his at tention Is wandering all tho time. Krer tmtla lV "Vn I iilirnvi tnlU In I them about themselves." Philadel phia Ledger. Owner of Plihpoud (to man who Is trespassing) Don't you scu that sign, "No Ashing hero? Angler Yes, and I dispute it. Why, there's good flail ing here. Look at this baakctful. The man must haro been mud who put that board up, Cholly A fellow told me to day that I didn't know enough to go In when It rained. Mlns Sharp And what did you say? Cholly I assuhrd him It was quite unnecessary, doucher know, because I nevah go out when It rains. Philadelphia Ledger. "It whs only llvo years ago that I started In with our firm nt Ave dollars a week," said Bragg, "and now I earn I fifty a week wltnout any trouble." I "That's so; It's kixj to earn that," re plied Nowlt, "but how much do you get?" PMUdelpbln Press. Ida I don't bollovo Mr. Smart be lieves roy handkerchiefs aro linen. May Why not? Ida I told him I had my pin money wrapped In my , handkerchief and lost It Ho said , thcro was a great deal of money lost, lu cotton theso days. Chicago News. Fond MoUtcr I don't know what to do, I want to scud my daughter to collego, and yet 1 don't want to send her Into the world unprotected, wise visitor, who lias observed tho daugh ter's disposition You menu that It would bo unkind to send her out Into the unprotected world I Nover say again that a nowspaper writer Is not a master of diplomacy. One of the fraternity was to wrlto up tho history of an old lady of 08. Ho vas told she had nover so much as learned her letters. Did he blurt It out In priut? Not a bit of It He merely stated on his finely written I article that "abe can read the finer print as well as she ever could." Aytrs Impure blood always shows somewhere. If the skin, then bolls, pimples, rashes. If (he nerves, then neurnlcla, nerv ousness, depression. If the Sarsaparilla stomach, then dyspepsia, biliousness, loss of appetite. Your doctor knows the remedy, used for 00 years. "Il.lutnlii trow l'U r. I f.if.M wifk. Mr kll W.I, h4 iii illli wm ion. ltMll txlll.ot Aftt't tMIMHIIII HUlUr M.IM" II. C lk)im.tt.hinU,r. SIM tMlt, All .Imjiiuu. t p. irspro., for I Impure Blood Aid the Snrflnpnrllln by kooplng tl bawels roitulnr with Avora Hill Aid the Snrflnpnrllln by Hooping tlta bewols regular with Ayor'a fills. It takes two to make a quarrel unUI you hare one of your own, and then It la alwaya the other one who make It. riTO rrmnntir Ctimh. xonu.r n.rroutnM rlld fl.f llr.lilr'UMu(lVf.Klli.llfIN rill) kMiorr. kb4 n Y' lrullmlmj Intita I, u. it. uiio, ij a..u akJi m, rtiiihiiii, r rltu'ora. Rome proplu think success means simply to get rich. Others think It menu merely to keep out of Jail. One of these definitions la about n near correct as the other, eaya a phlloso nhrr. lKceMiy Livuwnimrnini" i ubaiiui LTgura iMHis rirawflLniLTturru) -- ton run. rwriKuiMJ w HrtnivaamMii poTt ANOjOflfr Sometime we may learn more from a man's trrors than from hi virtues. Loegfdlow. MottMiiwtllnnd Mm. Wlmlowi'a Boo thin napthUatrin1r la um lor tbttr child i during lbs utnlng psilod.. Indian and negro, a a rut, are poaseaacd of ketnur bearing than whit people. IMio Cur f a remedr forrough, cold and romumptloii. Try It. Prlc3onU( Idrugglita. The population of Japan I twtlv time n dent aa that of th United State. ABSOLUTE SECURITY. Genuine Carter's Little Liver Pills. Muat Boar Signature of I'ac-SlmlU Wrppr thtow. Try smU aaul wr t take as aegits. FOR HEiSACHE. rOR DIHIKUI. itti r run lUUUiHL). iVPR FOR TORNB LIVER. PILLS. FOR CONSTIPATION. ruaa.au.utf imhi rOR THE COMPLEXION HI Ull I MM Will " cuns sick headache. ""HOWARD i mTONAuavtr soi Qrnuit" Hp.dni.il rrlrn. Ould, Mlvtr. lm, II J Hold, HIV vr.T.MiioM.luailnaofCptr,l, t'nlUIMl. Milling tnvt lopM and full prlr lul "nlon pplK' lliio. Control and UinMrvwor .nllrttrd. I.d- 111. Uolu. JllirmicCirtcDtfl'l liaak. W. L. DOUGLAS $4.00, S3. 50, S3.00, S2.S0 VM SHOES TtATOMo. W.UDOUglflflBhoCH nro worn ljy moro men than tity otlior inako. Tho rcitflon Ih, they hold tholr nhnpo,ritbotU)rwoiir loiiKor, und havo Krontor intrinulo valno than any Otlior 6110CH. Soli Cmruwhirt, I.IIOK lup MMMta and i.rlea am bul Imu. Iluuicls lite Corona Cuttakln, which I Trrnlierncuiiriileilnlitliallnrt 1'Klent jMlieryelirniliicil. fatt Color lylilmH. Oboe li ui.ll.u niiIi itr. Wilt fof CnUlo. Y. I DOUULAM, Urooklou, Has. Bs.tlSrr'.'Iii.'Lb. B I lutlm. Boldbrdnuutou. If CARTER'S I afc ft S "'Bafl fjf XtFWjfl fskw9 ' rlfy &vi ''ailii;liirii7 s