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About The Columbia register. (Houlton, Columbia County, Or.) 1904-1906 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 1906)
HjUiUIUUil i m-r44-r-r-rc-e-rs Is t TT-Vj) OR A BITTER RECKONING fl By CHARLOTTE M. BRAEM8 mtllMMt I KKMtHH HI hhw CHAPTER XXIV. It wat Sir Geoffrey's first dinner par ty, and Ethel felt juat a IUt! nervous aa ahe received the guesU. Captain IMUnf waa watching her in the pause or as chat with Berfha Colliua. lie caught her eye preaently and auitled at her reassuringly, for ahe had confided to him her dread of the awful occasion. -You are an old friend of theirs, are you not?" Bertha waa saying to the captain. "We all think Miss Mailing quite charming. I took to her from the first; but, do you know, ahe la not easy to get on with. Of course ahe la all one could wish aa a hostess; but it is impos sible to gush with her. She haa a way of sifting all cue says and allowing up anything that is absurd without certaiuly In the least intending to give offeuse. You woull hardly believe it, I dare say, but I hare adopted the habit of trying to talk seriously when she is listening." "I think th it is the greatest compli ment you could pay her. Will you adopt the aame practice with Die?" "I should not dare," alie replied, with mock gravity. "If I were to get a repu tation for seriousness I should probably die an old maid. Men always prefer frivolous talkers for their wives. There Is the din ler bell. Are you to take me downr I.ater in the evening Miss Collins drop ped into a quiet comer and discussed the things with the utmost freedom with n intimate friead whom ahe had not seen since the end of the Reason. She was describing the breaking up of the party when Pauline's iuteuded marriage had been discovered. "Now tell nie could there be anything more ridiculous than her runniug away from her own house and marrying, or trying to marry, a man secretly, when there was no one to prevent her doing It openly? My dear, you should have ecu our faces when Mrs. Sefton read us the note she had left behind, as we dropped in, one after another, to lunch eon! At first everybody looked very eur prised, and then the absurdity of the whole proceeding struck us. Why could ahe not have bee.-i married properly? No one could have oujected to her marry Ing that gooJ-looking artist if ahe chose to do 80, "Waa she very much 'gone on hiinT "Awfully! It must have been a terri tile blow to her when her husband turn ed up." "Bather! Isn't It odd, his being vbere?" "I don't think so. He was very good to Sir Geoffrey when he was in less effluent circumstances, I believe." "Things seem a bit mixed. From what I conld make out, he had believed him self a widower, just as she had though herself a widow, until they met in the church. Don't you think it probable that, while he was under the impression that his wife was dead, be may hare bad a liking for Miss Mailing?" "I believe yon are right," Bertha re plied, energetically, "for I aaw him look ing at her before dinner with his heart In his eyes." "It Is certainly very strange that he aliould have fallen in love with the girl who was being kept out of her right position by his own wife! It looks like the finger of Fate, doesn't it though which way the finger ia pointing I can't see." As the guests, one after another, took their departure, Ethel felt her burden lightening. Her first party had been an unqualified success, but she was none the less glad to have it over. Iord Sum mers atayed behind, talking earnestly with Sir Geoffrey. "I admit I was disappointed when I Leard that ahe had taken the family jewels with her," he said, in allusion to Pauline. "I'm afraid she has inher ited some of ber father's want of prin ciple. The Luftons were never particu larly distinguished for honesty. What do you mean to do' about it, Geoffrey?" "Nothing openly. I am in communica tlon with ber waiting maid, who had promised to let me know if there is any idea on Pauline'a part of selling them and I shall, unknown to ber, become the purchaser." "An excellent idea and a very gener ous one. By the bye, as. things have turned out, how fortunate U is that the engagement between' our charming Ethel and young Doruton was ' He stopped suddenly as .Ethel and . I'elliug came back from bidding farewell to Miss Collins. They both caught the drift of his words, and Ethel glanced at Telling's face; but it was calmly 1111 conscious. Thinking this a good opculug to talk of Jack, he said: "If you are not too tired, I want to "Go on," he Mid. and waited with knitted brows for what ahe had to say. Ethel in her short life, had often had unpleasant tasks to perform, but never one so unpleasant as this. "Out of your own m uih shall you be judged," ahe began, smiling at him to hide the trembling of ber lips, "lou say you have become so used to working In company that you cannot move a step by yourself; but 1 say you must take the one needful step by yourself that will ee cure you good company to work In for the rest ot your life. Go to Paris at once, seek out your wife, and give her the protection of your presence. She will yield. You must not judge her by her wards when you last met. lou had her at a cruel disadvantage. Thiuk what an awful aliock your sudden appearance must have beeu to her! It Is very, very hard for me to say this to you. after all your kindness to us in the past; but you will not misjudge my motive. I am speaking for your gixxl. By and by, when yon are quite happy with each other, you will be thankful to me for sending you away in this abrupt manner." You wish me to go at once? be asked. "That is a very cruel way to put It." ahe answered, gently. "You know I do not wish you to go at all. True fr;ends are not so plentiful that one ran af ford to play battledore and shuttlecock with them for cue's own pleasure. For your own good. Captain I'elliug, I advise jour going at once." "You are one of the best women that ever lived," he exclaimed, "and I am proul to have had you for a friend! I ought to have known my presence would give you pain, and refused Sir Geoffrey s invitation. Ion't apeak until I've fin ished." be went on, hurriedly, holding up his haud to check any interrption. "I shall follow your advice to the letter. I will thrust aside my own inclinations, and run over to Paris and see what Mrs. Pelting is doing, spend Christinas among the Frenchmen, and perhaps in the New Year Captain and Mrs. Pelling may have the honor of receiving Sir Geoffrey and Miss Mailing" at the Wigwam." For once Ethel looked at him with her eyes brimming with tears; but she did not dare make an attempt to speak. He took her hand in his, and held it close aa he finished. "You must make some plausible ex cuse to Sir Geoffrey for my abrupt de parture in the morning; or, better still, I will wire from town. I shall write to you from Paris, if I may. And now, before I say good-night, I must give you this letter. I received it two days ago from Dornton. I know it will please you. He and I, correspond regularly; so 1 shall keep you posted up In his move ments. Good-by, my true, honest little friend." She sat. as be left her, holding Jack'a letter In her hand, hearing his voice very faintly in the distance as he excused himself with the plea of fatigue to her father, and wondering how it had hap pened that this interview, which ahe bad brought about for the sole purpose of hearing news of Jack, had ended in so sudden a determination on the captain's part to seek bis wife. She knew his re solve was the result of her advice, and she hoped devoutly that good might come of it. And Pelling mounted the wide stairs very slowly, deep In thought as he went. "She is quite right, as she is always. It is the only thing To do; and I never saw it myself. My place is undoubtedly by my wife's side." CHAPTER XXV. 'I tell you your presence here Is an unwarrantable intrusion!. If you do not leave my apartment of your own free will, I shall be compelled to have you ejected!". It was the third day since Pelting left Ethel, and this was bis wife's greeting! He bad bad a long battle with himself; but duty bad been triumphant, and his mind once made up he was not to be dis couraged by a few bitter words. "That is not necessary. Of course I will leave you; but you will not refuse to anawer me one or two questions first V "Ask your questions then, and, If I choose to answer them, I will. If I don't choose,' I will not. But, for heaven's sake, get over them quickly! Will yon tell me something of our child, Pauline?" he asked. Slio sprung up with a look of desper ate fright on her- face. "How dare you come here to' brow beat me like this?" she exclaimed, ve hemently; and then ahe sank back on the couch again; But, after a pause, she how you a delightful style of title naire said quietly enough: "You have touched' - - i . , , . m that I came across tins morning. I my one wean point, ui course you nave thought yon might elaborate the idea for to hear what there Is to tell. My baby for your 'Central Africa.' It is on this table somewhere." "I am afraid my share of 'Central Africa' will not be anything to be proud of," be replied with a smile, "That Is nonsense, and you know W, Captain Felling! I have made tip. my mind that your sketches are to be the principal attraction of the book, -t It is really unkind of you to make light of your work after all our interesfln It!" "That Is just it," he returned,' laiigK- Inely. "I have become so accustomed was born a weakly little thing. I had hard wprk to -keep body and soul together in,. those first days after my fathers death. V knew from the first she could not live long. She died when she was1 three months old.. . "I wish she had lived." "Why do you wish such a mad thing as that?" "Because, If it hnd not been for seo- you? 1 would kill you even now. If your death would undo any of the harm you have worked me! Uut It la all over, and the next thiug you will hear la that 1 have killed uijrieiC" "Way do you hate me ao bitterly, Tau lite? be asked; and Be studied her attentively whit she auawtred: "Because you have been by evil geu! ua ever alnce I became your wife. If I had not married you, my life might have been as happy and pleaaant as other wouieu'a lives are. No soouer did I kuow that 1 waa my uncle's heiress than my happiness was destroyed by hearing that I was to Inherit only on the condi tion that I did not marry without my guard an'a consent Thanks to you. this condition wss already broken; and my six years of possession have been em bittered by the certainty In my own mind that you were alive somewhere and would surely find me some day, and deprive me of all that 1 bad rlaked ao much to obtain." Pelling sighed heavily and took up his hat "You will let me come and see you again?" "Why? You do not care for me In the least. Why should you take so much trouble to be civil to me?" "You are my wife. No amount of die like or shortcomings on your part altera that fact. We have been very unfortu nate In the past. 1 can see you are un happy: and. in an Indirect way. I am the cause of your unhapplness. I would give a great deal to mnke wings urigmer for you. If you would let me." 8!ie was touched by the earnestness of his manner and tone. "You are very good," she aald; "and I am airry I behaved ao badly to yon." She stood silent for a few moments, Pelling watching her quietly; while they so stood the clock on the mantelpiece struck 1'.' "Yon must go now," ahe told hlra hurriedly. "I have an appointment to ride with some friends. Come agaiu at this time tomorrow." He did not attempt any outward dis play of affection, but sasaed down the scalrs. He met Babette half way down "With whom does your mistress rule lo-d:iy?" he asked "With the Baroness de Belette" a woman well known for the pertluaelty with which she had clung to the extreme edge of respectable society for the last five vears. "Thev have a wager as to who will ride the greatest distance on a horse beloncine to Monsieur Crevln which has always refused to carry lady." Pelling went on with a little unac knowlelaed anxiety In his heart. He would go back and try to dissuade Pau line from this mad freak, but that he knew it would be useless; and any show of authority on his part Just now might perhaps undo the little good he believed he bad accomplished. He drove straight back to the hotel and sat with his chin resting on his hands at the little table in the window of bis room. He was In a strange state of mingled hope and dread. He did not know what he wished; he only knew that he meant to do what he conceived to be his duty; the rest be must leave In higher hands. While thus musing over the past, h was brought back to the present by th sieht of his wife cantering by In com pany with several others; and, following them, he noticed a fidgety chestnut horse, with a side-saddle on, which was being Inl r croom. Pauline looked up and bowed gravely; he returned the greeting, How handsome she looked! How well she snt her horse! How prond'he might hsve been of her if she had never allow ed tho love of riches to crowd the worn filines nut of her heart! He leaned forward and watched her as far as h could see from the window. e An honr later Pelling was atoopin over his wife's poor crushed body In one of the little chatlcts in the Bole de Hon logne. She had hcen thrown and tram filed on, and was dying of Internal hem orrhage. Her voice was very low, and her words came slowly, with many pauses. "It Is heaven's justice! After you had gone this morning I made up my mind to do as you wiahel. I thought I would try to love yon you were e good and we should be happy togeth er. I had no right to be happy after my wickedness, atid heaven has settled It!" "My poor mistaken girl!" "Yes, that is true. I've been mis taken all my life. No one ever tried to make me good. I was always left to servants when I was a child. Heaven Is Just, and the great Judge will re member my great temptations. Will ou kiss me just once, Alec? Say you forgire mi. It will make my mind easier." In spite of his efforts not to disturb her last moments by any show of feel ing, a large tear dropped upon her face. She looked at him womleringly, and put up her finger to his cheek. ".For me," she said very softly "you cry for me.' I do not deserve to have one mourner nt my dentil bed. I have done evil to every one but Jack. Give him my No, I will not leave mes sages; they might bring a curse." Another spasm seized her; and, when It had passed, the hue of death was creeping over her face. It was all fin ished now, and the strong young life tlint had been so misused had come to an end. .',;.,..' Pelling took out a card and left it with the people of the house, arid then went straightway to see that all the necessary arrangements were made for the interment of ber who had once been very dear to him. He wrote a short let ter to Sir Geoffrey that nlgut. It ran: "Dear Sir. Geoffrey Your niece, my. wife; was killed by a fall from her horse are Intact. Dabette tell tne, an, they wilt be sent by special courier. When the funeral la over, I thick I aaau Join Uorntoa In Italy, and toward the spring we may work our way homeward U rompauy.' Ask M m Ethel U keep us ever green In hr memory. I've set my heart on see ug our young frlsud Jack a Keyal Academician before many years, With his talent, he wants ouly a little Jud.clous pushing, and I mean to devote my time to pushlug him. "Alwajre your sincere frleud, "ALEXANDER PELLING." Ethel was greatly affected by thla Ut ter, and ahe went about with very aober face for some weeks, until the preparatlona for Christmas absorbed ber, ud left her no time for thinking ot andsome young artists or anything else. But. even In the midst of the excitement f Chrlstmaitid. there waa always cravlug in her heart, a dreary sense of mptluess, which grew and grew until she was compelled, with many blushes, to admit Its presence, and to acknowl edge to herself that only one person In U the world could fill the void. iTe be ooutluu.Ll LONELIEST SPOT IN BRITAIN. flow Tine la Hpent lo the Dkerryvore Lighthouse la Hoell of hit Weeks, The Skerry vore lighthouse I ou of the loneliest pln.v In the British) Isl a nds. it la the chief rock of a reef which Ilea ten miles southwest of Tlrec and tweuty-four tulles west of Bum Previous to FALLS CLAIMED BY CANADA. Urealer Perl mt lliiraeab Msra Mar Uelwwar lioiwlnton. It line I way a been supposed by the ..coi.li of the fulled Stalca Hint tlJf ..wiiisl one half t ttu Horscsuo full f Niagara., but grave danger menace their claim to audi A title. Hie Inter national dispute. If such It limy be termed, line crept In since tlu mem hern of the International Waterways Commlsslou were at Niagara. Tbee men studied the conditions aa they found them and reviewed maps out lining various features. " Shortly after till Prof. I.aflamme, if Quebec, an eminent Canadian ge ologist arrived at 'Niagara to makt a survey and Inspection of the fulls. Sus picion waa aroused that the Canadian tieoibora believed they bad discovered something that, waa overlooked In the public mind, and It waa Intimated that (he Domlulon government would ulti mately lay claim to nearly the entire Horseshoe fall. Such claims, If well founded, would leave the Canadian eouitulesloncrs representing more for the preservation of Niagara thau the I'lilted States commissioners. Tim Importance f rvcu'a suggea Hon that the t 'itundlniia own more than I half of the great Horseshoe fall Is ot I great moment. This can be under- annually for forty jeara. Tbu lltflit-! " bouse w. begun In WW n.l took six 1 f"r ' r lu,u? f years to c.ii.plcto. the cost i.u,g water passe, over the Horseshoe fall. CNI.W7T. It will ahvuya be InteresUi.g. j '" uf ";nn J; If only for the fact that It was e.e.-ted ''" I""". ,H I'''1 .y IloUTt Unl Stevenson's tm.-li-.l ,,n ""''i Aim. !.,. r.llowmt the method adoot- "Bier i me upper nrr mm o ed by bis father, It. rt, In the Bell1 It would plunge over tho Horseshoe. lighthouse. , The Skerry o-e lighthouse! ."' - conaitinns wuercny me .iincrican iau waa nearly dry. i 1.14 feet high; It l 4'.' feet In dl.im- ter at the base and M feet at tht. The light, which Is a revolving one. enn be seen at a distance of 14 nautl t-nl miles. The tower Is built on a rock which Is about 1.1 feet above With the Dominion of Canada own ing nenrly all of the Horseshoe. It Is clear that ahe would own and control the amo percentage of the ebvtrlc high-water murk. This I the Urgent power tnni migin i.e iieveiopea oy rock above water of the whole clialii ' utilization of the full flow of Niagara. and Is about HO yards lung by i Today over Hn.im electrical horse yards LmuiI. but Is so Intersected by power la being develops! on the Cnnn- channels cut through It by tho action dlan aide of the rails, wnne tno isev of the sea and Is so uneven that walk- lug Is difficult. To kill the time on the rock when r.ot olllclnlly cngnged tho keeper try various kinds of handicraft work. 'Just now," writes the prluclpiil keep York aide has only about IjO.uim) de veloped horse power. Should a great demand for electric power arise through new possibilities of application or permission tho United States might I dependent upon ('-an- er, "I nin finishing an Inlaid table that ,ndn fH" much oP Its power eupply has taken up niy spare time these liur , from tho falls of Niagara, and It would three winters. It consists of ove bo an easy matter for the Canadians S.txiO piece of wood and of fifteen illff to place an extort duty on power, emit kinds, and Is all hand done. I also do a little photography In the summer time." As It would be almost Impossible fo, human beings lo rcsldn toutliiuounly on a place like this, the keepers are supposed to be on duty for six wicks, when they get a fortnight ashore. Tin shore station, where their families re side. Is In Ennnld. on the southwest of Mull, twenty-rive miles away. Life Is montotiotis, even at the shore sta tlon, as the lighthouse families are the ouly Inhabitants. Kiplalns Confusion at Battel. "Among Ignorant persons," snld Frank E. Wallls, secretary of the Architectural League of New York, "there Is a belief Hint architect are useless that a builder I enough of nn architect for all practical purpose. I attended a session of court not long( ,pci(1dly piU,w n(1 ago when nil architectural cuse wu being heard. A young architect was put on the stand, and, nfter be Im I given hi testimony, the lawyer for the opposition began to cross-examine: him. The questions ran like this: "'You nre a builder, I believe? "No, an architect.' "'Builder or architect, architect ot builder. It Is much the amine thing, Isn't It?' . " 'No, not at nil.' "'What Is the difference?' "The young iiihii explained wliotthe difference wns, ami the lawyer, with Hneer, snld: '"Oh, very well. That will do. And now, after your very Ingenious dis tinction without a difference, perhaps you can Inform Ihe court who wii the architect of tho Tower of Biibel " 'There wns none,' he unsweicd, 'and hence the, confusion.' " Proverb Comes Out. Miles You rcincnilier Siiplelgli, who went went a couple of yenrs ago and married an lielresH, don't you? Gilt Yoh. Whut of hlin? Miles I understand ills wife got ft divorce from hi in recently. Giles I'm not aurprlaed to hear it Miles Why? Oiled Becuuse a fool and liU money are soon parted, you know, "GHOST" IN MANOR HOUSE. Oeeaplrr Telle Slrenae storr ! 'Ike Osts Itoor." A curious ghost story Is told by the 'occupier of the Manor Home, Knares- borough, a charming old mansion, parts of which date buck to tho early days of the thirteenth century. The occupier, A. W. Howes, recently re stored the building, and during tho al terations the skeleton of a woman was found under one of the stair cases, and It Is this discovery that hn,i led Mr. Howes to tell his story. He says there Is something about the building that cannot be explained. Formerly he and his wife occupied the blue room, lu which stand an old oak bedstead, on which Oliver Cromwell once slept. This room, like the others, a eup- thing I ihould eay for your goodr ;Ing her grave, I should' have gone on I uarehlna for vou until I iound you." d . . . - , i ...' 1 1 i . . . i i "Ah! And II vou had round me then, to-day. ve were reconcneu ai me msi, Tell your aaugmer i can never express for sending me here source of thankful would hare done? I would have killed uess In my heart The lanilly jewels to working in company that I find I if you had come to Malllngford quietly Tell your daughter can't move a step by myself." and said, 'Pauline, you are my wife; my gratitude to her I "You would not be offended at any- come with me;' do you know what I it will always be a Unlucky Thirteenth. Mrs. BIkss Mra. Divorcee tells mo idie lias Just declined au offer of mar rlnge. Mra. D1kk Indeed! She haa al ready had twelve husbands. I wonder why ahe declined another, Mrs. Biggs I think she's superstl tlous. , , Trouble Afoot. - The Two-Step They , are all after my scalp. . The Waltz Well, you're the fellow who crowded ma out Cleveland Plain Dealer. board, which was formerly a priest's hole, or hiding place, concerned by a siting door. During the night sounds of foot- aieps are heard on the landing, and Mr. Howes aays) It Is Impossible to keep tho door of thts room closed. We have locked It and put a chair agnlnst It, and In the morning we have found It open. There ere no draughts to account for the opening of tho door. Since we have moved out of Jl'1 room footsteps have still been heard, and ou one occasion they were accompanied by a loud bump on tho door of our preseut room." Mr. Howes Is Jocular on the subject of the ghost, ami snys Hint neither he nor his family are alarmed, or Indeed believe in .the supernatural, but after fifteen yenrs' experience of tho house tney are still at a loss to account for the sounds. "We used' to say It was Oliver's ghost," he remarks, "but now we say It Is the woman whose skele- tou we found." Chaucer Is supposed to have vlilted the house, and here learned some of the Yorkshire dialect which appears In his story, "Iteeve's Tale." It Is be lieved to be the only bouse In England In which stand an original roof tree. In this case an old oak of the forest, with Its roots still lntnct, rlRes through the kitchen up to a bedroom, where It Is cut short being no longer necessary for the support of the roof and Is used as a small table for 'the occu pant's candlestick. Iindon Chronicle. .Bird Broke Pun of Ulaea. i The momentum of a swiftly flying bird is considerable, a pannage new against a window of the gymnasium at Williams College the other -day, crashing through the glass and fall ing to the floor dead. The force 1? the blow may be Judged from the fact that the glass was "triplethlck" and not more than 20x12 In Hie.
