The Republican journal., 1882-04-27
81 Will Repay

Il Will Repay,
He stood on the deck of a splendid
ocean steamer, looking back on the great
city of san Francisco, fading away in the
distance he was a young man, not more
than thilty-tive, at the most, but over
his clear-cut features there reigned an
expression better betitting one of twice
that AGE, one of utter sadness and Weari-
ness OF life.
The mammoth steamer glided steadily
onward over the sparkling waters, clear
and beautiful in the sunlight, their bois-
terous play tossing the great mass of iron
and wood up and down, as though it had
been but a straw.
.Pretty rough, Mr.. Wallace" said
CHEEKY voice behind our friend, "at least
the passengers think so; believe there
is only one besides yourself, Il lady. who
has not retired in disgust to pay Father
Neptune tribute All. and here she
comes to enjoy this splendid breeze; you
two brave ones should know each other,
especially as you have such long voyage
TO make in company Chester allow
me to present to you our new minister to
Japan, Mr.. Robert Wallace. | must ask
on W tNCuSt lllt llONr Npu tetlI tulti tan
each other"
And then the busy Captain hurried
away never stopping to notice the strange
conduct of the two whom he had thus
brought together.
The lady, scarcely more than a girl in
years, turned very pale, and sank heavily
into chair, like one stricken by a sud
den blow, her dark eyes fixed intentiy
upon that other white, slim face looking
down upon her.
There WAS silence lasting several mo-
ments, during which each seemed 10th to
be the first to speak at length Robert
Wallare advanced impulsively until he
stood before the lady just introduced TO
him as Mrs. Chester.
"Clarice," he said, huskily, Gle called
it be your taithless heart after discarding
the one man you had sworn to wait pa
tiently for, and marrying his richer rival,
has SO quickly recovered from the shock
of your husbands death, as to take vet
another in his place already"
Hespoke wildly, rapidly, and she gazed
at him in silence with dilating eyes, the
look of pain and terror on her swee,
face changing as he went on, into one of
beWildcrment
"AnsWer me-" he exclaimed roughly.
II had hoped to never more look on your
face, but now, that We have met, | would
like to know the process by which you
arrived at the point Of lifting the man
who had left you so hopefully, to win the
fortune You were to share, and marry ing
the man you had always professed to des-
pise! Martin Boyd was rich that is your
answer, is it not ~
He paused, his hands clinched, his
chest heaVing.
II do not understand you, Rob-Mr
Wallace" she faltered "You speak as if
had married Mr.. Boyd"
''Dare you deny it 2" he exclaimed bit
terly.
Il certainly do deny it, as it is not
true"
He laughed, a wild, bitter laugh, as he
drew from his wallet, bit of newspaper
crumpled and worn, and placed it in her
hands.
There is the printed lie to your deni-
al, he cried ''I have kept it by me these
two years that | have been rowing over
the world to teach me to hate you! |
have studied it over and over, till know
every word
MARRIED. In Washington, January 10th. by
the Rev. John Watson. Clarice IOrton to Mar
tin Boyd.
"There is the proof that just six months
after left you under promise to your
father not to write to You for one year,
you deliberately broke your solemn pledge
to me and married another"
Carice Chester had been looking from
him to the bit Of paper she held in her
hand, strange, wild look of pain ard
fear deepening on her features now she
spoke slowly and with effort.
"This is marriage notice of cousin
OF mine OF the same name: she went to
Washington after you left and married
Martin Boyd. | never broke faith with
you, how dare you say it 3. when, before
the stipulated year was out, you yourself
married lady in Sacramento! Hush !"
as he raised his hand impulsively. ~
know it is true, for | saw your letter to
John Chester, in which you boasted Of
your conquest of an heiress, and gener-
ously requested him to break the news
to me gently, as had really seemed to
care quite good deal for YOU 1t was
we'll done, nObly done, honOrably done,
Robert Wallace, thus to act towards one
who-who trusted you, and then to con-
vey the news of your baseness through
another person"
No longer pale and trembling, CIarice
Chester stood before him, her beautiful
face all aglow With the fervCr of the clio
tions her words had called up.
A moment Robert Wallace stood, gaz-
ing fiAedly into the pain stricken eyes,
that had once made the sunshine of bis
life, then he spoke slowly and solemnly,
with a tremble and quiver in his voice,
which told but too clearly Of the struggle
within for calmness and self possession.
"Clallce, as you value your soul answer
me truthtully; was this that You have
just told me, the reason you broke your
plighted word to me? But fer-for my
marriage he smiled bitterly as he en-
phaszed these two last words, "would
you have waited for me to come back to
you?'
Some magic in his earnest tone and
words seemed to compel her to answer in
spite of her proud will.
"a LOrton's word is never broken. Yes
| would have waited ten times one year
had you asked it. Even as it was re-
fused John Chester's pleadings for more
than year, and yielded at last, only
three months ago, because my dear moth
er "a widow now needed the luxuries
that | could give her in no other way"
Her voice ceased in long drawn, quiv-
ering sob.