The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-08-13

reJOlCe dJ IL, aS ntVo uuno All uio udy ue-
fore came here?"
Still she made him no answer, and the
captain, little disappointed, put the letter
back in his pocket ~
q. go Captain Burrill, /" she said, coming
to herself at last, SIS there no other way
Must really go to Philadelphia ?" lI.
Certainly not" replied the captain, in
some surprise /" certainly not, if you have
any objection, but you will never have an
other chance like this. Are you in doubt
as to your ability? have no fears of
that.'' r'0f .IH
"No," she said, "not that--not that.p
"And what thenP'' asked the captain.
81 should suppose you would be willing to
make any sacrifice to get away from the
scene of your past life. imagined this
city to be odious to you.''
She turned away from the fire abruptly
and, walking to the window, looked wear
lily out into the night. The captain, after
moments hesitating wonder at her strange
manner, followed her.
'Mary," he said, ''there is some weighty
reason why you do not think favorably of
this plan. Can you not yet believe me to
be your friend? No one can have your in
terests more at heart than l. Will you tell
me what this objection is ?''
"Oh," she cried, burying her face in her
hands, sit is because you are so good a
friend to me that cannot tell you. You
would hate me, you would despise me, if |
should whisper it,"
"Can it be worse than what you have al
ready told me?" he asked "You have
related some terrible things about yourself,
and yet have not hated or despised YOU"
at is worse-a thousand times worse"
she said, "because it betrays weakness
thought had conquered long ago. Spare
me this, sir, and lot me go on in the old
way. l am earning very little, but let me
stay here"
"You shall stay, if you desire it," said
Captain Burril knitting his brow; "but
you have disappointed me-"
go my God ~ she cried, wringing her
hands. "You will wrench it from me.
Can you not see the truth %
mo, on my life can't" replied the
captain, bewilderedly.
She turned to him and gently folded her
white arms about his neck.
81 love you she whispered.
If a thunderbolt had come crashing
through the ceiling and buried itself at the
captains feet, or Satan had risen, robed in
all his blazing terrors, from the glowing
Goals in the fireplace, the captain could
hardly have been more completely astound-
ed. So great was his amazement that he
invountarily recoiled a step and seized the
woman by the wrist. In an instant she
tore herself from his grasp and sank
down upon the floor, trembling like leaf.
:" knew it," she cried, swaying herself
to and fro in the intensity of her emotion.
"Why don't you tell me that you hate
me? Why don't you strike me from you in
scon and contempt? But you made me
say it. You made me say itn f F Il
So bewildered was the captain still, that
he remained gazing at her for several mo-
ments in sort of stupefaction, without
replying word. When he came to his
senses at last he gently raised her to her
feet and led her to chair at 4
"Mary" he said, taking a seat beside
her, "you have surprised me more greatly
than / can express, but do not believe that
] hate you or condemn you. Still let me
be your friend-your sincere and faithful
friend-as have been since that dreadful
night of long ago. More than that can
not be, for whatever l may once have been
am now no longer in possession of my
freedom. can blame no one but myself
for this. should have told you long ago"
And them as gently as he could, he whis-
pered TO her listening ears his own story.
He told her of his early life, his subsequent
career upon the sea, his success and rapid
promotion in his profession, He spoke of
his little windfall of fortune, and lastly, he
told her of his approaching marriage, and
described to her the virtues of his intended
wife. Throughout the whole of the recital
his listener sat motionless, her eyes fixed
steadily upon the fire and her hands fast
clasped in one another. AS he ceased his
story, she raised her hand and asked sim
question. p'e ipa1nm AhrrWs.tV 4
"Will you tell me the name of your fu-
bure wife?" .,,.,.f
Simple as was the request, Captain Bur-
rill could scarcely bring himself to answer