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

delirium set in and waged brief but
mighty war against her.
Her first clear thought was to the
strange event Of that last moment, and
it absorbed her through the days. At
times it seemed all a dream, wild
fancy born Of the excitement of the
moment and the white face she looked
upon. Again, and each time surer, it
was simple, rational fact ; this was
only another John Renniman whom
she had CHANGED to meet.
She stroye to forget it quite, so sure
the latter grew, and somehow so much
pleasanter seemed her weird. But she
could not each day it filled her mind
the fuller, each day she saw more
clearly the rare, fond smile, more dis
tinctly heard the mysterious tender
words this John Renniman had spoke
to her. She was lost in it still the day
this little note was brought to her:
"May have the pleasure of seeing and
thanking you again for your kindness at
Raven Forks2 JOHN RENNIMAN.'
The gentleman was below, the ser
want said. She went down confusedly,
with just the clear thought that she
was glad. Glad for what? That he
had recovered from his injuries, she
quietly said to him. But as the dark
eyes smiled down on her, and the deep,
rich voice responded, the realization
flashed that, though she had for ever
lost her weird, though this was but a
new John Renniman, she was glad for
something else.
1t was pleasant interview; it was
all SO natural at parting she should ask
him to come again. And again and
again he came, each time more eagerly
welcomed and anticipated, till finally
his presence grew an essential sweet
ness to her life, and the image of Ray
mond Renniman, as fate oft ordains it,
! dropped out of memory.
She loved this new John Renniman:
she knew that he loved her. But there
was a strange reticence between them
which puzzled her on both their parts
His blood seemed ever to tremb,e on
his lips, but he did not speak it; she
knew surely, at times, that he forced
it back. And she could never bring
herself to speak to him of Little
Haven, much less to tell the tale of
that other John Renniman, which
should have been all so natural.
She was pondering its strangeness
even in his company one evening when
a letter came from Jacques. She
opened it for mere glance at the con
tents, and her eyes fell on bitof news
which made her quite forget herself.
Raymond Renniman was bankrupt; by
the rashest speculations he had lost the
entire wealth which had but just ac-
crued to him.
"He has done this r she cried
aloud, Raymond Renniman has done
this? Thrown away in chances the
money which came to him only from
dead man What" she spoke as
if to herself, but suddenly she paused
remembering, and startled by the look
in her companion's face Itwas look
of surprise not unmixed with pain.
"You know Raymond Renniman ?"
he broke in hastily. "And you say
that he has done this folly? /" His
look changed; smile, much the smile
of that other day crept over his eounte-
nance. 81 am very glad" he finished,
grasping with sudden venting passion
the hand which held the letter, $50
glad, little Renie, because this news
rids me of all perplexity, and makes all
things right between us"
What did he mean? She could only
stare at him; while he, bit freed from
that first blissful thought that had so
engrossed him, looked back, ah, as ten
derly, but again surprisedly, at her.
"You have known all this, and you
never suspected me?' he said. "But-
how could you? 1t is a strange tale,
little Renie. A few months ago l was
in London, and decided to return home
My stateroom was engaged; had
written to Raymond when would sail;
but almost at the last moment the
freak seized me not to go. A poor fell
low had long known was anxious to
go over, and to him / proffered the
passage. intrusting to him some i'm
portant papers and my baggage. think
ing to follow at my pleasure. Ten
days after I read what you know. The
facts moved me strangely. He had
been taken sick day out, and dying
in delirium none had ever learned his
name. There was naught in his be-
longings by which the truth could be
traced; he was not unlike me in ap-
pearance. Moreover he was friend
less man; to no one his death would
matter. 1t all flashed on me, and
was an unhappy man, little Renie. 1
had often wished was dead, and re-
solved to leave the matter as it was.
l knew Raymond's troubles and
determined to let him have my for
tune and to live, where / did
not care. somewhere away from
him. I drifted out into this new