Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-07-11
gulf between them as broad a. the ocean, m

"She's out for tho day." answered Miss
Pedder, arising and planting herself in chair.
There was little TO do, you know, as did not
expect you home until dinner"
"Then no one will hear u.s."
He drew chair nearer TO that Of his Blstor
and sat down beside her.
whats your idea ?" he asked, In whisper.
"My idea is to separate them to turn their
love to hate; to dig pit beneath their feet
that will remain open fOreverl"
But howpT
"Will. Hawley Is poor, isn't he2"
Certainly; there is no mistake about that.
His mother was helpless invalid for the last
ton years OF her life, and Will. insisted on her
using for her comfort every penny he earned.
1t hasn't been six months since he was relieved
OF that burden. He's poor, there fore, ss Won
say-poor as Jobs turkey |"
"Then he'll have to leave his darling Clara
sneered Miss Pedder venomouslv. "He'll have
to absent himself from his deary in order 10
earn their mutual bread and butter. In short,
nell have to so to sea againl"
We'll, yes; l suppose he will" assented
Pedder. He can get better wages at sea than
elsewhere. He'll sail again soon, no doubt"
thought as much. And the sea is full OF
terrible dangers When do you sail again for
Australian"
I'm about two weeks-possibly in ten days,
az the ships filling up rapidly"
"Hawley ia thoroughly comne,ent In Ia no,,r
first mater" ''D'
Pedder looked wouderingly at his sister
moment, and then answered:
"Of course. l know Of no better man for the
post"
He must be your first mate, then. You
nave influence enough with your owners,
hope, TO turn out the present Incumbent"
"Why, the post is already vacant. Mr.. Jar
dlng-,you have seen him Mr.. Jardlng has
Just been called home suddenly to Ohio, on
account OF his fathers Il ness"
Good That's fortunate. You must rec
ommend ds"ley Tor the vacant place to your
owners, and get them to engage him. The
thlng can be doneT
without the least doubt. 1t was under
stood, you know, as just now remarked, that
W was wa 10 heiP HaWIey at the nrst opportunity.
wen accordlngly suppose that he sails with
me as rrst mate the ncXtVoyage. Whatthen"
You must loaVe hlm-not dead, but pris-
oner-0n some desert Island between here and
AqslIana !,,..
Pedder looked his astonishment
'lt 1t can be DONE" he said, after pause,
WRat next
You must come back and report that he is
Ieau, i9rhl ~hihS iull details and good proofs.
Ihose detalls and proofs Will not be difficult to
Hlahulac'ure' linen You must be all Kindness
anu sympathy 10 the young WIDOW, as she VIII
suppose herseH 10 De, and IN less than year
tnereaiteI sne Will DO your vile"
IN, II thls thing were possiolep sighed
reader, peglnhnG 10 LOOK renewed.
=, roSs'We| ts as simple o. kissing. And
tne IiomeHt you are malrled 70 CARA, VIII
CahS trlp 10 Australia lor my health, and nat
uraly enough, stumble upon the very island
WheIe you nave LETT Hawley effect bis rescue
.ei hilii .i his wne e., Is ueau condoie and sympa-
tniIe WIN MN ike an angel and conclude the
Whole comedy py becoming MS wife and settling
~ hustIan lou IL mus nave your CARA, on
this slde OF the ocean, and Shall be happy
WIN aawley on the other:
one was slnlling now, with every sign OF anti
clPateu triumph
AS 10 fcdder ne twisted nervously in his
cuaT vi scarcely Vehturing 70 breathe
there's just one difficulty he muttered-
Inat OF getung haWley on the desert island
without his suspecting anything"
IL can De done, ana the lips OF MISS Ped
ger came toSether IKE the jaws OF vice.
mere no dfhculty about hnding q suitable
lSland r
not tho least. l saw the island In my
n am5 eye .ne moment you uttered the word,
siiu GLORIOUS one ~ Is iOr our purpose.
u. suggested Miss Pedder thoushttully. If
us near your route, you can call there for wa
Ter. II its out OF your way, you can be blown
there Dy ADVERSE WINDS, or De drifted there by
unknown currents, or fetch up there by mis-
lake ID your reckoning or fault in your chro-
pometer. And once there, you can have Haw-
ley seized by some trusty agent, while he is
ashore upon business, OF you can send him
ashore under some pretence, such as looking
lor deser'er IRON the ship ortor shipwreck-
ed sailor, and then sail away without him"
say no more" INTERRUPTED ~ oder. with
wlld exultatlon, ~ see how to manage the
affair from It's b ginning to its end"
ana you now see that we can undo that
hateful marrlager.
q little time and patience, of course, and a it,
tie expenditure Of MONEY. but wa are spre ~
triumph. Capital gluriousl What load Won
have taken from my soul, Ruthl What A
genius you arc
He eaped to his feet and began pacing to
and fro rapidly. with the most eItraya9ant
signs and ordinations of ioyln
''First to get Hawley on lis island, -" resumed
Miss Pedder musingly Next for You to mar
nv the pretended wI,Iow. Then for me- IN rescre
the prisoner and marry him. And tnally for
you and me to be happy, YOU in YOUR wav. and
| in mine-you with Clara in Nov York and T
with Will. in Australia. You comprehend the
whole project clearly :"
From the first step to the last. There's
only lust one possibility of failure"
|And that one ?"
"a refusal on Hawlev's part to accept the
post offered him-a refusal based upon his
marriage"
Miss Pedder turned pale at the thought.
WRnt be won't ret,ise sbe soon SecI.roa
recovering her eouanimity. "He has long been
wanting lust such place. Married or SINGLE
he can't neglect his bread and butter"
"Wel said Ruth I think wa can cornt
upon him. The post he came here to ask ma
for is now vacant, and [ will! accordingly have
it offered to him, lust a. if nothing Lad hap
nensd y -NN asp
bAact'y' You needn't speak OF his marn-
aSe' OF seem 70 know anything about 1t. You
can simply otler nm the post IN question, in
accordance with the old understanding. And
ne WIZ accept IL, he can't possibly have any
suspicion Oh anything wrong, Oulwardy aud
apparently We are all on good terms with one
announcer, ana VIII remain 80. Let the wages
onered MN be liberal: Possibly he NAV object
10 leaving MS young bride so seon, but the next