, 1877-10-21

meek, anu dropped against hi. heart He strs.a1 n
her close to hun, kissing her with lonc. nssa
ate Kisses, calling her hv hundred eplr,,;aa:.
nafnes,-secming TO forget everythine sara 70 as
TACT that she was III his arms again f,er e
| separation. Ut length, with sudden ravr1.i
OF feeling, he thrust her from him, o1sNtaa 1ooa
roughly, sarng, in voice Jared with supnre.
passion, Have you forgotten your OATH S.sa
oa1h you sFore to me that last night, under ,ss
moonlight, when we stood together IN 11a ane
fathers garden?" 1oof
She covered against the wall. shrinkino fro-
his eyes rs chlld from the hand Whit ~ ~
stricken it. II forget not:ine,'' she moaned US
| "Say that oath orer, them" be exyla;n.a
holding her han1s in his. US in a wise >'"14ea
"Spare ME this" she cried.
"What have you done TINT / shon1d er..-
you!' be retortcd, almost brutally. "(;ompsa Tpa; !;
have faucy to hear that oath, and hca- !,
will. can prompt you with it, And then -. :.
one speaking in 4 trance, she spoke: -
~ ever during Your absence let any m,,
touch my lips. or willingly listen to any vnsi. 11s
of love, become, in the least word ough. mvus
or deed, unfaithful, may I be slain, sonj M
body, so help ME God!" ""4 s"
"That's the oath YOU made and broke. the,,,
be exclaimed. still holding her hands, stl 1an.
ing at her lave with his keen, ptiless ewes. ''@
40 Mark!'' she cried, II love yo, an; u,-
you 1t is not too late yet. Tomorrow 1at ~! -,
| fly together.,.' 'e' a'
NO, VIC can't get out Of it like that. n be -.
| joined II don't know that I've much c'e M
science; or it may be that have good ,le,l ~
| my own way. Where two folks love ~s, each X
%aa; olheF' they tI;,1 make uhs; Their own laws, i
is right, aud what's wrong is wrong hn, 'ss9a t;a
man, your husband, I'll toss him over. ~ ~ ~
rouGh weather we've tossed overheard far mn,a
precious cargo to save the ship. am not w.
men call pious either. don't live different m
Sundays to what do other days. and Tu, 10,
nv$f, 1rs>+,+ rr;r
ashore; but ain bit superstitious~ he1ers
in God, and, if your oath meant anytime i
meant everything. II you'd made h|unJer'
married this man, loving me all the lime sn'3i
just said simple and childlike, Mark, [ IN
sorry. Forgive me- I'd have taken you bac,. IT,
my heart, and thought nothing hard Of you.
But We can't get away from this oath. VIA.
sort Of God would He be who would let H1s
name be taken and sworn b. just to make Inc
sound! No. We can't escape it. Don't van
know we can't! Wasn't it for this. just to NEE:
you here, that the ship came bacE
three mouths before the time she WI
due? Do just as tell you," and he would
have takeu her in her arms again, but at tb,t
moment the door opened and Oldworth cane
iu.
~ told you I should be ten minutestnbs
said, "and have been twelve. Come Aa,y.
your room is ready, Wish your friend god
night"
IL strlhes mc. oDseIfeu MARX, '$ ahes not
as anxious for that as you would have her.
You've come back too soon: We haven't done
our talk yet; we'Ve fancy to finish it On tho
shorc.''
"a fancy which you must most certainly r.
sign" replied Uldworth, forcing smile, though
he was white as death, and his hands and lips
were Ouiyering.
s.Mary, my dear, are you coming!"
mo, she isn't," put in Mark. "Do you
think she'd rest without knowing mr news!
tell you again, you came back too soon. Five
walk aud talk on the shore, and then
it will all he over.''
t'Ycs. Then it will MI be over, dear,n said
Mary. going to her husband,
Iol don't want 70 .,ricye NC, do Youln be
''conic, MaEy."
'No. must 60 to the shore first" sho n
oled. "Indeed, should like it, 1t Is such
strange news Mark has for n1c, that it makes
ny head tirob anu burn, and tile night Al,
''You will tell me everything!'' said Old
rorth.
''Yes. everything" she answered
swell, oi course shall come with you-'
"As you like" calculated Mark, who during
Ills brief dialogue had been waiting with q look
# sullcn impatience OH his face.
so those three went out into the night. Tho
Th:te. panic-strIcken moon seemed to be fying
Trough the SLY, followed by great masses Of
loud As these three came to the shore, you
1ilu hardly tell which WIS louucr,-the winds
oicc, or the sens The spirits of the ocean and
&c storm seemed to be holding some wild reyeL
he huge. black, foam-crcsted waves came with
le sound OF thunder against the land, and the
ssing SPRAY, blown up like smoke &ashedin the
ICES Of tile two men and the woman Whenttey
IRE fairly On the beach, Mark turned to Old
orth. aud said. in a voice which was quite audi
e through the sound Of wind and waves:
- Look here, now; I'll be frank and above
,nr.] with I 1nva6 fhi: tvir 10 fe,r ttrna
o; VIC we're playmates together: and its
ugh on NC that she should love Won better.
>1ne, now, don't be greedy; let Us have I've
lnutes to ourselves tosay good-by III, and then
Will never again cross your path OF hers. Ihi;
;wcar.n
turned to his wife.
= Do you wish it! he asked.
She murmurcd faintly, s. Yes, it will be bet
r, | suppose"
50 be held her with his arms for minute
,ile he kissed her lips lovingly: then he let
r 90, and walked aside, turning his back tothe
The moon was hurrying through the
avcns, and all around Q)dworth the
rht shook and claalored. At times
seemed to hear footsteps coming and going
a. him, and at times he seemed to hear
1nd Of singing through The storm, but these
re only sick faneies. He waited five minutes;
waited ten; then he turned and went nearer
the sea, but his eyes could not discover that
which they were looking.
Mary!' lie called At the top Of his voice.
Harry. my darling, where are you!"
}ut there came no answer to his call. W1no
sea laughed him to t.eE1sion, and oyerhead
moon lied faster than ever between the great
ICES of black cloud. Odworth searched the
tch in all directions; then lie went to its e.
nifty, where two sailors we're lounglng To-
her.
Have you seen man aad WOMAN pass up
5 way!'' he inquired. !
We saw you aud another man go down with
irl some minutes ba:k,'' replied enc Of the
ors. "Thcy certainly have not come npthls
:. Now think Of it, they can't have gee
nd any other way, because the tide Is hiSa
over the rocks-'
Why, you must be drunk, Bill, to 1ak IKE
t." cried the second sailor. Don't ]oa
W the gentleman was married to her to-daEs,
n he turned to Oltlworth: "Never mlna
!, sir. They've only gone higher up. -! M q
nd we'll find them fast enough "naS
Int the mans name bc!'
How, in Heavens name, should that 1elp
% returned Oldworth desperately. "lno
as name was Mark Shaw, and he wasa
Or"
Mark, Mark! Why, that's our mate" Gned
!. men together .s Well, we'll do all ne
)" And they went down to the seq, anu
|e OIdworth stood, feeling that the horror
ii he suspected could not really DC, an0
dcrin- what be should do next, the meR fe
led, bearing something with them. IT,
It's Il wo1nun's Int, SIR" said tao
nd sailor, the one who had
|ed his companion for what ~ ~
ned his inconstcratc speech. "But dons
take on, sir; more hats than one get olo"n
: this weather. .
'rh,ot ,n, r l,ou +ha hal returned