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About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1907)
THE CHARITY-'GIRL I Oy EFFIE A. ROWLANDS I CHATTER XIV. (Continued.) Dr. Sentance's hopeful prognostica tions were fulfilled. Jack glendurwood awoke after that long, heavy sleep a dif ferent "being. It was evening when the slumber left him, and at once his gaze went round the room in search of that lovely girlish face that had haunted his dreams so delightfully. "Audrey!" he whispered, faintly, and some one came hurriedly out of the dusk and knelt beside the bed. They said no words, only his hand clasped itself round her two little ones, and he lay gazing at her sweet eyes as though they were heaven itself. "Now you have turned the corner, and lire going on well, I am going to look after your wife, Lord John," Dr. Sen tance said, cheerily. "My wife !" What a world of passion ate tenderness; even though it was whis pered and not spoken, rang in those two little words! Audrey's heart thrilled. "She must rest; she is young, and needs plenty of sleep, and she has been fretting over you in a most terrible fash Ion. Come, Lady John, you can leave his lordship with a light heart, for he could not possibly be better. The best nurse, absolutely the best nurse I have ever had, Mrs. Frascr!" he declared, pleasantly. Sheila Fraser did not return to Din glewood, nor did she vouchsafe to, corre spond with her stepmother. She remain ed on in London, a victim to the most bitter disappointment and mortification. For nearly two minutes Sheila - and Beverley were struck speechless as Lady Daleswater rushed In with her bad news. The girl had turned ashen white, and ueveriey s nanas ciiucueu vuemocivco in voluntarily. Lady Daleswater recovered herself first. "Who is this gentleman?" she asked coldly, feeliag annoyed that she had be trayed her family affairs before a com plete stranzer. Beverley answered her at once. "I am a man to whom this intelli gence is more painful than you can pos sibly Imagine, Lady Daleswater," an- swered Beverley. "Mr. Beverley Rochfort means that he is madly in love with this girl, who has flung herself at your brother's head," said Sheila sullenly. "It will be better to explain everything to you, dear Lady Daleswater." The countess listened attentively; she was so deeply enraged with her mother, brother and the poor innocent. little crea ture who bad allied herself to the ducal family, that every nerve thrilled, to be able to seize upon something, however faint, that might be worked upon to bring about an annulment of this odious mar riage. She uttered a sharp exclamation ; it almost sounded like joy as she listened. "All Is not so bad," she cried. "Sheila, don't you, understand? -Mr. Rochfort, as this creature's guardian, cannot only object to the marriage, but, according to the letter of the bond he holds, can in sist on the girl living where he wishes. Mr. Uochfart, that piece of paper must be in my lawyers' hands to-night; and unless I am very much mistaken, they wili ratify -what I say that you will have absolute and entire control over the girl." Sheila's cheeks grew a shade rosier as she heard Lady Daleswater's clear, proud tones. "The countess is right," she said to Beverley, as they were alone; "you will be able to break this absurd marriage. You must ! You must !" . "There are other ways of disposing of the marriage tie besides simple annul ment," he skid to himself, cynically, and h smiled Into the flames. "If that course fails, as fail it must, for we have not a leg to stand upon, I don't think I shall be very disheartened. My wits have nev er failed me yet, and my day will come !'' It was quite nine o'clock and the earl had just returned from Mounlberry, and had poured an account of what had oc curred between himself and the duchess into his wife's ears. Lady Daleswater was simply furious with resentment against her mother, but she did not dis cuss the matter further as Sheila came in. The legal advisers of the earl and countess had answered her ladyship's hasty summons promptly, and all they ... '. i ...1 - ,.- nn.mi.lmr I ? Auli f m rf fy. on. W 111 1UI nHD 1.. Willi' .UV1I1UL . ,W t f pear. . Just when conversation on the vexed and important question was In full swing, a note was brought in and handed to the countess. She read it through, and grew white to the lips with mortification. "Mr. Kochfort has deserted us and gone over to the enomy," she said, curtly, and then she handed the letter to her husband and bid him read it ajoud. Beverley wrote very clearly and briefly IIo hud already consulted his lawyer, who had told- him promptly that any question of annulling the marriage was tig impossible p absurd ; therefore he beg' gcd Lady Daleswater to accept his de cided refusal to join her in this matter. "I am sure when you are less, and, I may1 say, justly, Incensed at this mar riage," he wrote, "you will see that as a man of honor I can do nothing but this, for were I to enforce my guardianship, I must rob Lady John Glendurwood of the large fortune which was bequeathed her ly Mr. Boderlck Anstruther on his death bed. I regret that I can offer your lady ship no avail In the matter." "It Is a good move," he said, alone In his rooms. "Of course, If that confound ed paper would have stood the light of day I would not have scrupled to use It, 4ut it Is too Xeeble a bridge to carry me over. 'This other Is a safer and a surer one! Once a friend in John Gleudur wood'g house, the rest will be easy t" and he laughed softly. Boor, sweet, young Audrey, how little .lid she know the storm clouds that were gathering over her clouds born of Judas like treachery, envious hate, mean spite, Jt-graded passion, and other evil human motives. CHAPTER XV. The excitement and gossip about Lord John Gleudurwood's romantic marriage lingered much longer than the proverbial nine days. A mouth passed away, and a curious month it was to Audrey, livery day she cjut with her . mother studying French and Italian, and having her first lessons un the piano and in singing. Audrey uved in her dreams and in her studies. .She was so strangely, incompreheusiBly nappy. To define her condition of uiiud would be an impossibility. It seemed to uer as though some fairy had suddenly touched her wiih a wand, and everything about her had changed to this delightful existence. In a dim, misty sort of way, sim recognized that she had become a rand lady, but that was not by any means a certainty. . he wrote often to Jean Thwait and reiterated her vows of never-ending love, oat somehow Jean's letters pained her and left a sort of discomfort. '. Jean, in fact, was alarmed at all that had happened to her whilom friend, and now that Audrey was a grand married lady she was separated trom her humble childhood's companion by a social chasm ihey could never bridge over, therefore Jean wrote timidly and with much con straint, and both girls sighed over the 'simple yet . strong friendship which had lived and now was ended. March having come in like a lamb, was going out in the most approved leon ine fashion. How the wind blew, and how dreary the gray skies looked above the tossing trees. "We shall have a fall of snow,- depend upon it that is what is coming," declar ed Dr. Sentance. "Take my advice, Lord John, fold yourself up in as many rugs as you can find, and flee away south to the sun and the warm breezes. "Where ought I to go?" he asked, wearily. "Well, I think Florence would be an excellent spot. Suit both her ladyship and yourself." "I I am quite sure that Aud my wife will never consent to this arrangement." "Pray, why not?" "She oh, well, hang it all, doctor, look how she neglects me ! I might be dead and buried and she wouldn't care! She has never been near me for a month never gince I was so bad !" "It strikes me that you are a very foolish young man, Lord John, if you imagine your young wife doesn't care anything about you, and as to her not coming to gee you, well, I think if you reflect a little you will agree with me that so young a girl is apt to be shy and modest. Modesty is so rare nowadays, my lord, I would not try to do without it if I were you." The young man's cheeks were quite healthy in color. ' "I dare say I am a fool, but I have been worrying myself that, perhaps, Au drey had married me only out of pity when she thought I was dying and ' "And a lot more nonsense of the same sort, of course," broke in the old doctor, cheerily, his eyes twinkling as he spoke. "You don't seem to realize, my lord, that you are" the hero of a romance. It is not every one who can boast of such a marriage as yours, but, though romance has Kg pleasant points, It also has its disagreeable tones, and unless I am very much mistaken, that sweet little maiden will be ever so much happier when she is rescued from the curious and carried away for a time by her husband." Jack Glendurwood nearly shook Dr. Sentance's hand off. "What an idiot I am !" he exclaimed. "Most lovers are,", was the dry reply "And you will take my advice about this foreign trip?" "I will go and find my my wife this very moment, and If she agreea we will start at once." ' CHAPTER XVI. Audrey had finished her Italian read ing and was sitting before the fire on a low stool, playing with one of Jack's dogs, who seemed to adopt her as their mistress while he was ill, when the door opened slowly behind her. The duchess had had this little room arranged for the girl especially ; It was a dainty 'place, fit nest for so exquisite a bird. "I do believe Tat could speak If he liked, mother dearest," Audrey laughed softly, not looking round. ' "If any one could make him speak, you could," a voice answered her, softly, The girl sprang to her feet, while Pat, a shaggy, rough-haired Dandy Dlnmont, rnn forward with a whine of pleasure to greet his master. Audrey's face was first rosy and then white. "Oh! What have you been doing?' she cried In deepest anxiety. You you " . "I am walking across the room," Jack laughed, very "gently; and I assure you I feel better every step I take." Audrey's heart was beating so wildly, It seemed to send a thrill through all her limbs. She was startled, and was Terr shy and nervous. She had no Idea he was so well as this ; it was a great shock to turn round and see him standing .there, smiling with his eyes and lips as he had trf r Ho a standstill before her, "are you not going "I am very glad " There she stopped, for he had sud denly thrown his arms about her and drawn her close to his heart. "My dearest, my sweetest wife!" he nurmured, passionately, while a flood of olor rushed into her cheeks. "My own, my very own !" and then, before she was aware of it, he. had stooped and kissed her lips softly, whispering tender words all the while. With an almost Inarticulate cry she buried her face on his breast and clung to him with a force which was the sweet est sensation Jack Glendurwood had ever experienced. lie saw then how wise the old doctor had been, and was grateful to the common sense that had prompted him to end tho unsatisfactory condition of affairs. By and by he sat down In the bTg chair, and she nestled on the floor beside him, and holding and kissing her hands alternately, Jack unfolded his plan for taking her away directly. Sentance says I must go, he added, plaintively, as he waited for her answer. It will cure me entirely." "Then" she blushed quietly "then let us go at once, my my darling." And so, when Constance Fraser entered the room a little while later, she found the two sitting together, and learned that as Boon as everything could be arranged, the young couple were ready to start. ith smiles and deepest blessings, they took their departure a few days later. Audrey bought a present for Jean In ev ery foreign town she visited, and when the season was over Jack had promised she should have her poor little' school friend to stay with her for as long as she liked. They had not settled where they would live permanently, but they were both in clined to Craiglands. Lord Iverne was going to be taken abrond by his mother to some mineral waters, and the poor fel low had expressed a wish that his brother and his bride would make Craiglands their home for a time. ' "It will be so near mother," Audrey had said, and Jack had not told her that Mrs. Fraser would no longer inhabit Dln- glewood House. He felt that It would give her so much pain, and, besides, he wag so ashamed and angry with Sheila for her cruel conduct, that he determined not to discuss her just yet. There was no need to let Audrey know how JSheila had behaved, for Mrs. Fraser would go to Cronberg with the Duchess of Harborough, and would in all probability reside abroad for a few months, Audrey exclaimed with pleasure as they drove into the pretty grounds at Hurlingham, and was so lost in gazing at them that she was quite unconscious of the sensation her appearance ; was causing the crowd of fashionables. Of course, they had done nothing but discuss the John Glendurwood marriage, and now the sight of the young man s handsome and well-known face revived the curi osity and gossip afresh. "Jack Glendurwood is here with his wife! Have you seen them? What is she like? A nurse girl, wasn't she? Of course she is awful? What hardihood to bring her out so soon ; she must be raw, however pretty ! wnat will Miena Fraser and Lady Gladys Daleswater do?" These and'dozens of quick questions and remarks of the like sort ran like wildfire through the throng. Jack was very calm. He lifted his darling down and gave a few direction to the groom, while Audrey looked around her, a picture of exquisite simplicity and unsurpassable loveliness in her soft-white silk dress, with a little high white bon net crowning her dark locks. She was not only beautiful, she was that most desired of all things, "good form." From head to foot her attire Was per fection. Constance Fraser had carefully superintended this, and had chosen noth ing but the prettiest and most youthful dresses. "I see our mothers," gald Audrey, turn ing to her husband. , "Come along, we will go to them," re turned Jack, who could scarcely conceal a smile as he read the utter amazement and admiration written on nearly every face. Audrey walked through the crowd quite easily. The strains of the band sounded pleasantly in her ears, and she smiled across to where her mother sat waiting for her to come. The, duchess bent toward Constance Fraser. " "My dear," she said, warmly and ten derly, "the' child has conquered already. She is perfect ; look at her walk, at her carriage. Why, there Is scarcely a wom an here who can hold herself like Audrey does. I am proud of her!" Lady Daleswater was standing some distance away from where her mother was sitting. The rupture between them was open ijossip, so neither took any precau tions about guarding against remarks on the fact of their not speaking. Sheila Fraser was with the countess; in fact, she was staying with the Dales' waters. There was a younger brother of the earl's whom Gladys had destined should win and use the Fraser thousands for this reason, and because she knew that Sheila was an implacable foe to the girl who had dared to thwart her plans, and who she determined In her imperious fashion should yet be made to suffer. (To h viT)tlnii"d. An a Reminder. "This tablecloth," remarked the den tal student boarder, "reminds me of the moon, because It Is so different" "How's that?" queried the landlady. "The moon," explained the d. & b., "is subject to an occasional change, you know,'V , . , ; - ; pirirag Impure or effete matters n fae blood during the winter spring such disfiguring and painful troubles as boils, pimples, and other eruptions, also weakness, loss of appetite, that tired feeling. The best medicine to take is Hood's Sarsaparilla, which thoroughly cleanses the blood, and effects permanent cures by giving healthy functional activity to the stomach, liver, kidneys, bpwels and skin. SarsatabS are Hood'i RimnDiirllla In vhimulateU tnlilot form. They )mv mentinnlly the name curative properties i the liquid form, bOHldes aoourni'y of dnne, conwnionoe, economy, no loss br evanorntlon. brtinkniro. or lcakaire. $1, of druggists or promptly of us 0, 1. Hood Co, . . - . . . I, 0, 1. Hood Co., Lowell', Mau, Guaranteed under the Food and Law of American Deaert. "Good-By, Baby!" "One of the oldest humane laws In The German Empress litis been hertrd tbia country," said E. J. Snnford, "Is to say that the happiest periods of her lu force In Nevada. " In that section of life were the few weeks following the the American desert which lies In Ne- birth of each of her children, when she vada travelers in distress may flag the was able to retire from public duty and limited passenger trains and compel enjoy her new treasure. the train crews to give them water to It happened when the youngest son drink. The law makes it a felony to of the German royal family was an In refuse to comply with the traveler's fant that one of the ladles of the house request." hold, upon going Into the nudsery hast- Mr. Sanford said numerous Instances jy, discovered the empress kneeling be- were known In the earlier days when side her baby's cradle, travelers took advantage of the protec- Her majesty rose hurriedly, and tion this law afforded, but In recent came forward with her eyes full of years few persons attempted to cross tears. the desert except by City Times. train. Kansas Tokio is a hundred years older than St. Petersburg. Nearly one-fifth of the students Swiss universities are women. at "THE MARRYING SQUIRE." Justice Geo. E. Law, of Brazil, Ind , Hat Married 1,400 Couplet. Justice Geo. E. Law, of Brazil, Ind., has fairly earned the title "The Marry ing Squire," by which he is known far and wide, having al- ready married eome 1,400 couples. Ten years ago he was dep. uty county treasurer. "At that time," said Justice Law, "I wa" sufferingfrom an an - noying kidney trou ble. My back ached, my rest was broken at night, and the passages of the kidney secietions weie too frequent and contained sediment. Three boxes of Doan's Kidney Pills cured me In 1897, and for the past I nine years I have been free from kidney 'complaint and backache." Sold by all dealers, 50 cents a box. Foster-Mi lburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y A Wonderful Oil Stove NEW PERFECTION Wick Blue Flame Oil Cook-Stove Its heat Is highly concentrated, Does not overheat the kitchen. OH always at a maintained level. Three sizes. Fully warranted. It not at your dealer's, write our nearest agency for descriptive circular. 5 jRdS& Lamp round household THE HZXriT T of brass throughout and beautifully nickeled. Per fectly constructed ; absolutely sale ; unexcelled in light-giving power; an ornament to any room. Every lamp warranted. If not at your dealer's, write to our nearest agency. STANDARD OIL COMPANY ., . .. (IftVWaPOBATEU) Are always reported when Seeds are planted. Why ? best on this Coast. Our Annual tells all about fertilizers, incubators, Aik fur Book N. , tl Tnu, Shrabi. 1 PORTLAND SEED CO. Portland, Oregon D-Oumoirs accumulated cause in the Mrs. L. .Blekford. Qossvllle. N. H., says: "Every spring- I was completely prostrated, run down, from dyspepsia and tlint, tired feel ing. Hut 1 have found Hood's Harsaparll la helps me frotri the first dose, completely l...la restores Hood health and strength." Drugs Act, June 30, 1900 No. 324. "No, she said, smiling unsteadily Into the anxious face of the lady In waiting, "nothing Is the matter. I was only saying good-by, baby. You know I have to give him up to-morrow, and It la the last night" Hatrrloare a Real Lottery Here. Every year In the Itumal country, In India, a marriage lottery Is held, gen erally In October. The names of fill the marriageable girls and of the young men who are tired of bachelor life are written on slips of paper and thrown Into separate earth pots. One of each kind Is drawn at one time by a local wise man. The youth whose name Is drawn out obtains a letter of introduction to the young woman whose name ' accompanies his, and then all that rernains for him to do la to start ro,irt8h,D. wlth all the ardor of which he Is canable. Such fortuitous court- china mtrhr nnt nnnonr or firar alirhr rn 1 . a M . . .irB nn!lhlll1 ,tUUIIDV IV. J . .-. " . .uvu.v happiness; but, nevertheless, In the majority of cases, everything turns out very satisfactory. A man who used glue to thicken the gravy in the meat pies he sold at Oldham, i England, is now serving a three months' sentence in the jail there. t rance produces more than twice as many potatoes as the United States. The average price a bushel is 23 cents. Entirely different from all others. Em bodies new ideas, new principles. Easily managed. Reduces fuel ex pense. Ready for business at moment of lighting. For your summer cook ing get a is the best lamp for all- vJ..f...,wiiiMjMUirggTO'fi f round household use. Made (The Finest Gardens Portland Seed Co.'s "Diamond Brand" Because we sell you the kinds that grow handsomely Illustrated and descriptive our Seeds, Plants, Roses, Spray Pumps. Brooders, rpultry and Bee Supplies. 260 W tto hv tptelil ul.lof En,". Bosk N 261 In nqma. - SpoKano, Wash,