Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-09-27

aAu PCiclc1cACJ LILO 3 SAOoo VI oOAA 1hOA-
niman kept filling up her life.
Only ghost The truth flashed a
shudder and strange regret for its
emptiness ofttimes through the loveless
days.
John Renniman was dead. A con-
tagious fever had broken out on ship
board; he had died after few days
sickness, and was buried in the sea.
His baggage, the papers found upon
his person, were handed over to the
proper parties, and, all in due time,
Raymond Renniman came into posses
sion of wealth which ranked him one
OF the richest men in the country, and
first among the many suitors for the
hand of proud Adam Greydon's daugh-
ter.
There followed, ere many days, a
quiet wedding at Croydon Manor; for,
though grief was sincere, love was i'm
patient, all the same One was there
among the few invited guests-one
who listened to the marriage VOWS
with a pleased smile upon her lips as
she saw the eyes of some directed to-
ward her, aud knew what they were
thinking But
She was over it little, Renie Endi-
colt had thought; she had run the or
deal bravely, was all she could con-
gratulate herself, that hour it was
over. And to one thing quickly she
made up her mind. She could not
she would not look more on the man
she Lowell in his first flush of happi-
ness with another; she must, she
would go away.
~ need change; I will go to
Benton for the winter" So, quietly,
the next morning, she said so to Aunt
Endicott and Jacques, and two days
later she was on her way to the little
Western town which, past time, was
called her home.
1t was a long journey; she always
dreaded it, and this time it seemed as
though it never would reach its end.
She turned surprised as one in the car
remarked that they were travelling at
breakneck, dangerous rate of speed.
For her the train logged on all too
slowly, whatever its rate might be.
She was SO forlorn, SO lone amid all
this chatting crowd of people: she
had not even that absurd fancy which
other times had borne her company.
She had
Only ghost, she thought.
1t was relief when man entered
at station and took the seat beside
her. 1t seemed not quite so drear, so
lone, though the still long journey he
never once looked at her, nor vouch-
safed word. She had dreaded most
he would, yet she could but wonder he
did not; she could not forbear an oc-
casional fleeting glance Of curiosity
into his grave but handsome face.
1t grew a fascination it grew-a
terror. For the thought suddenly
seized her it was all fancy-that the
man beside her was simply vision
her imagination had conjured up. A
fresh thought flashed she could not
endure; quite beyond herself, she
stretched out her hand to touch and
know what this strange thing might
be.
"Only ghost-her ghost?"
The cry was on her lips almost the
words were pouring out, when, sud-
denly
A crash-one dreadful little moment
of shccz of horror, and she found
herself sitting amid mass of debris,
close at the waters edge. She was too
stunned, too dazed to remember what
had happened lacking the conscious
ness that she was unharmed, and
impulse to extricate herself, she sat
duly listening to the cries and groans
around her, most fancying it dream
Suddenly looking down ward she saw
the face Of the man who sat beside her
in the car-upturned, white, motion
less, at her feet. The eyes were closed,
little stream of blood trickle1 down
from the forehead; he was surely dead,
she thought, as the dreadful fact Of
the accident came back to her; but,
quickly she bent and stanched the flow
as best she could, dipping her hand in
the near, blessed waters, and bathing
the lifeless face.
Might it be that he should live? So
she queried, looking with an all-ab-
sorbing interest and anxiety down at
him, with strange growing feeling OF
right and kinship she never thought
to question. A cry Of Joy burst from
her lips when, at last, the lids trembled,
and the dark eyes opened slowly.
Just he looked at her, and then a
mile broke on his face. 1t was asmile
men had not seen on that face for
years.
Dear" he said, family, sis it You,
after all this time? I am glad-so
glad"
He groped weakly for her hand, and,
all naturally, she gave it to him. A
pang thrilled her as suddenly he