New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-11-10

trance, she spoke;
aft ever during your absence I let any
man touch my lips, or willingly listen to
any words of love, or become in the least
word, thought, or deed, unfaithful, may
be slain, soul and body, SO help me
God!'
''That's the oath you made and broke
then ~ he exclaimed, still holding her
hands, still looking at her face with his
keen, pitiless eyes.
ooh, Mark r. she cried, 81 love you, and
only you. 1t is not too late yet. To.mor-
row let us fly together"
mo, we cant get out of it like that, "
he rejoined. 81 don't know that I've
much conscience; or it may be that I have
q good deal in my own way. Where two
folks love each other they make their own
laws, is what think. What's right to
them is right, and what's wrong is wrong;
but this man, your husband, I'd toss him
over, as in rough weather we've tossed
overheard far more precious cargo to save
the ship. am not what men call pious
either. I don't live different on Sundays
to what do other days, and I'm not par.
ticular about going to church when I'm
ashore; but 1 am bit superstitious.
believe in God, and if your oath meant
anything, it meant everything. If you'd
made blunder, married this man, loving
me all the time, and just said, simple and
childlike, Mark, 1 am sorry. Forgive
me, I'd have taken you back to my heart,
and thought nothing hard of you. But
we can't get away from this oath. What
sort OF God would He be who would let
His name be taken and sworn by just to
make fine sound No, we can't escape
it. Don't you know we can't? Wasn't it
for this, just to meet you here, that the
ship came back three months before
she was due? Do just as tell you;"
and he would have taken her in his arms
again, but at that moment the door
opened and Oldworth came in.
81 told you should be ten minutes"
he said, ''and have been twelve. Come,
Mary; your room is ready. Wish your
friend good night
sit strikes me" observed Mark, "she's
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 the shore.
"a fancy which you must most certainly
resign, replied Oldworth, forcing smile,
though he was white as death, and his
hands and lips were quivering.
"Mary, my dear, are you coming? ?"
mo, she isn't" put in Mark. "Do
you think she'd rest without knowing my
news? 1 tell you again, you came back
too soon. Five minutes walk and talk
on the shore, and then it will all be over"
"Yes. Then it will all be over, DEAR"
said Mary, going to her husband.
exon don't want to grieve me, do
you2" he answered. "Come, Mary"
: No. I must go to the shore first, +"
she replied. Indeed, should like it,
It is such strange news Mark has for me,
that it makes my head throb and burn,
and the night air might cool it."
"You will tell me eVerything?" said
Oldworth.
Eyes, everything" she answered.
"Well, of course shall come with
you
"As you like" calculated Mark, who
during this brief dialogue had been wait
ing with look Of sullen impotence on
his face,
So those three went out into the night.
The white, panic-stricken moon seemed
to be flying through the sky, followed by
great masses of cloud. As theses three
came to the shore you could hardly tell
which was louder, the winds voice. or the
seas. The spirits of the ocean and the
storm seemed to be holding some wild
revel. The huge, black, foam crested
waves came with the sound Of thunder
against the land, and the kissing spray,
blown up like smoke, dashed in the faces
of the two men and woman. When they
were fairly on the beach Mark turned to
Oldworth, and said in voice which was
quite audible through the sound of wind
and waves; 'sLook here, now; I'll be
frank and above board with you. I loved
this girl long time ago; we wers play
mates together; and it's rough on me that
she should love you better. Come now.
don't be greedy; let US have eve minutes
to ourselves to say goOd-by in, and then
will never again cross your path OF hers.
This swear"
oldworth turned TO his wife. "Do
you wish it n" he asked.
She murmured family, ayes, it will be
better, suppose"
So he held her with his arm for min
ute while he kissed her lips lovingly
then he let her go. and walked aside.
turning his back 70 the sea.
The moon was hurEying through the
heavens. and all around oldworth the
night shook and clamorsd. Al times be
sssmsd to hear EOotstsps coming and
going near him, and ct times he seemed
70 hear sound Of singing through the
storm, bat these were only sick fancies
BE waited i've minutes; he waited tan