An Oregon Girl: A Tale of American Life in the New West

by Alfred Ernest Rice

  After Hazel had completed her attire for a visit to Mrs. Harris, shedescended the stairs with the same feeling of gloom and depressionupon her.

  Slow and hesitating as was her action--as though undecided as to thepropriety of leaving Constance, and while drawing on her gloves, sheaimlessly wandered into the music room and listlessly sat on the pianostool. Then, with her head turned looking out of the window, she lether fingers ramble over the keys of the instrument. Then she sawVirginia pass up the walk and enter the house, but after the lapse ofa few moments and her cousin not appearing, Hazel entered the drawingroom to greet her--but too late. Through the open door she heard a stepon the main stairs above. Hazel followed. On passing the table thedivorce bill caught her eye. For a moment she paused and picked it up;then laid it down, her breath coming in gasps, for she instantlyrealized a crisis of a very grave moment had appeared. She ranupstairs, surmising that Virginia was connected with the "divorcebill," for she had not seen Mr. Williams.

  And then she heard Virginia's voice. Softly she stole to the door andlooked in. There, kneeling on the floor, were Constance and Virginia,looking into each other's eyes, Constance drawn back in timid alarm,and Virginia blinded with tears, clasping the hand that held thelaudanum phial, her free arm thrown lovingly around Constance's waist.

  Hazel silently drew back, an overpowering emotion suffusing her eyeswith tears. "Poor Constance! Her trouble thickens fast. What will theend be?"