The Osceola times., 1879-02-01

precious cargo to save the ship. am
not what men call pious, either. ! don't
live different ON Sundays to what | do
on other days, and I'm not particular
about going to church when I'm ashore
but I'm bit superstitisus. believe in
God, and II your oath meant anything
/ it meant everything II you'd made a
blunder, married this man, loving me all
the time, and just said, simple and child>
like, Mark, Pm 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 Just to
make fine sound? No, we can't escape
it. Don't you know we can'tY Wasn't
It for this, Just to meet you here, that
the ship came back three months before
the time she was dueY Do just as tell
you," and he would have taken her in
his arms again, but Mt 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"
at strikes me-" observed Mark, "she
is 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 q
a iancy to finish it on the Shore"
"a fancy which you must most Ger.
tainly resign" replied Oldworth, forc>
ing a smile, though he was white as
death, and his hands and lips were
quivering. "Mary, my dear, are you
soming9"
mo, she isn't" put in Mark; "do you
think she'd rest without hearing my
news 2" l tell you again, you came
back too soon. Five minutes walk and
talk o the shore, and then it will all be
ever"
Yes, then it will all be over, dear" !"
said Mary, going to her husband.
You don't want TO grieve me, do
you 2" he answered. Come, Mary"
"No, ] must go to the shore first" she
such strange news Mark has for me, that
it makes my heart throb and burn, and
the night air may cool it,"
"You will tell me everything said
Oldworth.
Eyes, everything she answered.
swell, of course shall come with
you"
"As you like" calculated Mark, who
during this briei dialogue had beer
waiting with look OF sullen impatienct
on his face.
So these three went out into the night
The white, psnic-stricken moon seemed
TO be flying through the sky, followed
by great masses of cloud As thes
three came to the shore you could hard
ly tell which was louder, the wind
voice or the seas The spirits of tb
ocean and the storm seemed to be hold
ing some high revel. The huge, black
foam crested waves came with the SCUM,
OF thunGer against the lsnd, and th
Kissing spray, blown up like smoke
dashed in the faces of the two men ant
the woman. When they were fairly ol
the beach Mark turned to Oldworth ant
ssid, ia voice which WAS quite audibl,
through the sound of wind and waves
"Look here, now; I'll be frank anC
above board with you. / loved thi
girl long time ago; we were playmate
together; and it's rough on me that sh,
should love you better. Come, now
don't be greedy. Let us have five min
utes to ourselves to say good.by 10, and
then will never again cross your patti
or hers. This swear"
O,dworth turned to his wife "Do you
wish it? he asked.
She murmured family: eyes it will
be better, | suppose"
|
So he held her with his arms for q
minute, while he kissed her lips lovingly
then he ct her go, and walked aside
turning his back to the sea.
The moon was hurrying through the
heavens, and all around Oldworth the
night shock and clsmored. At times he
seemed TO hear footsteps coming and
going near him, and at times he seemed
to hear sound of singing through the
storm; but these were only sick tances.
He waited five minutes; be waited ten
then he turned and vert nearer to the
sea, but his eyes could not discover that
for which they wefe looking.
Mary !" he called at the top of his
voice--"Mary, my darling, where are
your"
But there came no answer to bis call.
Wind and sea laughed him to derision,
and overhead the moon fed 'aster than
ever before between the great spaces OF
black clouds. Oldworth searched the
beach in all directions; then he went
to its extremity, where two sailors were
Iouneipg together.
Have you seen man and woman
pas up this way p he inquired.
ave saw you and smother man 20
down with girl some minutes back, u
replied one of the sailors. "They cer-
tainly have not come up this way. Now
| think OF 1t, they can't have got round
any other way, because the tide is high
up over the rocks
"Whst, you must be drunk, Bill, to
talk like that" cried the second sailor.
"Doh't you know the gentleman was to
be married to her to.dsy?" Then he
turned to Oldwortb: "Never mind him
sir. They've only gone higher up Pil
be bound we'll find them fast enough.
What might the mans name he z"
"How, in heavens name, should that
help you p returned Oldworth, desper-
stely. The mans name was Mark Shaw,
and he was a sailor
MARX, Mark! Why thst's our mate
cried both men together. "Well, well
do all we can"
Aud went down to the ses, and while
Oldworth stood, feeling that the horro'
which he suspected could not really be
and wondering what hs should do next
the men returned bearing something
with them.
"It'ss wumsn's hat, sir" said the
| IL aa;snr ,La aua ~hA hoI rarrouad