The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-09-13

turn, which was to be twelve months
later. Then it was that spoke out te
Waif aud she promised to be my wife
The day before left, was walking
with my be.rothed alcng q retired par
of the beach, beyond the heads up yon
der, when we were approached by q
stranger. to me at least. As he drew
nearer. saw that he was handsome
but looked rather dissipated; he wa,
evidently gentleman, as far IS the
social sense Of the word goes l Wa.
abol. 10 bid him good day and pass on
when n my astonishment, he raised
his ha, sr cefully to Waif. and. coming
up 10 us. ufsred her bis hand ~ if h
was an old acquaintance. 'Ah, Wifi
good morning" be said; pray who is
this friend of yocrs!"
"'Why, this is Johu-John Wilde
whom have told you 20 much about.
John. this is Captain Ogilvie.'
Il was utterly confounded and stood
stirring stupidly At him. He smiled
lapguidly. seemed amused, looked me
up and down, and bowed negligently.
After few more words. he left Us.
Why. john cried Waif. as soon
IS he was gone; what is the matter
with you? yon seem cross. Have
offended you y
"'No. DO. Waif.' answered absently.
Let us 60 back
directly we reached the house
called mother aside and asked her il
she knew Captain Ogilvic. Why. yes
john she answered. He is staying
at the rectory over at Peuncliffe and
strolls down here quite often. He has
been very kind and attentive to Waif,
l am sure
Mother, l dislike his looks, said,
shortly
".Ah, John jealous. ch 2 she retcrt-
ed laughing, and then aided. more
seriously: Is this Whist your learning
has taught you. my son, to doubt the
woman you love.'
"V.xed at the view she took Of the
mater / answered not word pur.
pos-ly kept by myself the rest Of tn"
day. and in the evening tool brirf
frr-wsl! o. Waif and departed. Fool.
foot. that l was! Why did l not stay
to shield her, Why did l restrain the
passion that wnnld have slain him as
hr st "i there. languid and insolent.
with 'Waif.' 'Waif.' upon his lips, only
to let woman's reproach drive me
away from my darling in anger!
1T was about six months after my
return to work. and had forgotten
all about the chance visitor'-as I had
come to think him-thst tho letters
began to come mole rarely from the
coast. until at length they entirely
ceased. l waited and waited, and
wrote and wrote. and SO four months
more passed. when one morning re-.
ccivcd letter bearing the wsll-known
post mark. but directed in my mothers
poor hand. Tearing it open, l read:
NV Der Son:-Come home at once
That was all. Without slipping to
pack an article, I fled to the coast. I
arrived At the nearest station to Sea-
comb at dusk and hiring a horse, rode
madly for home At the cottage door
l met my mother. her face clearly shown
by the light within, as pale a. death.
| opened my mouth to speak. but she
caught me by the arm: She heard your
horses gallop, aud she has Aed,' sho
shrieked. pointing wildly to the be .ch,
Follow her. follow her. for Gods sske,
or
Iheard no more. but rushed forward
through the darkness. over the rough
bouldere down to the smooth sand:
then. to the right Of me, saw family
. white figure gliding with incredible
speed along the edge Of the incoming
wave. toward the great black rock
down there which slopes up from the
shore. and projects far over the break
ers beneath. Fast as ran, tho figure
outstripped me; it reached the foot Of
the rock. glidsd up. ran out to the end,
paused just long enough to bow its
head over a white bundle which it
clutched to its breast, and then shot
like a meteor through the black air into
the boiling water below.
There is little moro to tell. For six
weeks after that fearful night l lay
rAving at the gates of death. would
to God had passed away then and
bet n at rest But l slowly recovered
and when grew strong enough to bear
il, my mother told mo how the serpent
had s.aid about the place without her
suspecting anything wrong. until one
day, when she had spoken Of our mar
riagc to Waif the child had suddenly
burst into q violent fit of weeping.
Then it all came out, and she told nv
mother how she loved the stranger and
WAS going to marry him. Then my
mother saw the evil. aud determined to
send for ms at once. but just then the
stranger disappeared, aud she thought
she would wait and let Waif forget
him. But she soon saw that nope was
gone. and that the destroyer had done
his work; still. sue had not the heart
to write aud tell me this. So tho months
went on. and Waif waited sadly but
confidently for her lovers return. But
he did not come. ana in course Of time
the child became mother. Then. less
than ever, would she have sent for the /;
but Wsif sank lower and lower. and at
leugth. when she felt death near. she
asked for me. Bat when she heard my
horses sallop. she seemed seized with
. supernatural strength, and. lcsping
from her bed. fled into the darkness
with her babe. You know the rest.
Soon after my recovery my mother
sickened aud died. leaving me alone in
my misery. Then l went forth to set
my foct on the serpent, but he Was
already dead. having been killed 10 .
duel. Icame back here. . crushed and
broken man. determined to live where