San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-20

eesScu HSr. Inc lgnJ IN tine room was
dim, and the women failed to see the
deathly pallor that eread over the girls
face, did not notice her silence and un-
nerved sinking back in her low rocking
chair, bat just prattled on heedlessly and
unsuspectingly about her husband, her
baby and herself, the narrow confines of
her world.
At length Janet spoke. Her throat
seemed dry, her white lips hard and
stiff, and she shivered as if with cold,
but she forced hen voice to ask:
docs your little girl look much like
her father"
sob! she is the very image of him.
The same blue eyes and light hair
Fighter than his, OF course, because she
e only baby yet, you know-but as
much like him as-well, you will see for
yourself when he comes in person to
thank you for saving his little Edith's
life"
Janet went out and walked on the
beach in the darkness alone. She could
not see where she was going, but that
did not matter. The rain was falling,
but she was not conscious of it. With
her arms folded tightly across her breast,
her fingers clinched in her flesh, her jaw
set hard, and her wide eyes fixed upon
vacancy she moved slowly, mechanical
ly, trying to think.
So that woman was his wife! What,
then, was she? A wreck. Love had
come into her life with the suddenness
of a storm and stranded her hopelessly.
His blue eyes had been false beacons for
her. Ali how cruel had been his treach-
cry! He swore that he loved her, would
love her always, and she-poor, weak,
credulous, ignorant fool that she was
had believed him. Oh, how she had
trusted him! how she had loved him!
And all the while he was simply amusing
himself with her betrayal, laughing in
his sleeve at her foolish faith and fond
ness. And when the time had come for
him to go and receive his wife he had
gone, lightly leaving her to her blighted
life of loneliness, sorrow and shamel
How was it possible that one who looked
80 noble could be so base? How could
his lying lips promise lifelong love to
her when in his heart he knew that his
wife, the woman he really loved, was
coming across the sea to him? And what
a hooking fate it was that it must needs
be she, herself, and no other, who should
drag that woman out of the waves, back
to life-for him! Oh, had she but
known-no, no! Not that. She would do
it over again. But, o God! how hard
it was to think of and to bear!
She did not take any heed to where
she was going until she walked into an
arm that the rising tide had flung across
the beach, and was almost carried off
her feet by strong and stealthy wave.
Then she turned and went home, tread
ing more firmly, as If her agonized and
turbulent thoughts had settled them
selves in formulated purpose of action.
Outside the door, standing in the dark
with his tarpaulins on, she encountered
her father.
81 got sort of anxious about you and
started out to look for you," he said.
"Where have you been?'
Taking a walk. Ny head was hot
and wanted to cool it."
woman and her baby all right, l
suppose
YES"
HAS she told you yet who she is?"
yes"
whats her name"
Mrs. Selden Rangely."
"What! not
Eyes, his wife; from England"
She spoke in a hoarse whisper, and
passing him entered the house without
another word. Mr. David King re-
manned outside long time, freeing his
mind in phrases that doubtless made the
recording angel sigh.
The next day Mrs. Rangely and her
child started in beach wagon for Toms
river, where they would be enabled to
take the regular stage for Philadelphia.
Not only did Janet suppress the hid
eous discovery she had made and nerve
herself to reply snilncly to the woman's
untiring iterations of effusive gratitude,
and bid her "goOd-by and godspeed"
when she took her leave, but the poor
girl even found arguments to restrain
her father from executing IA design that
he had formed the night before. He
wished to accompany the woman on her
journey that she might unconsciously
lead him to his vengeance upon the be-
trayer OF his child Bu2 Janet said to
him:
"You shall not do so. Leave him to
his conscience and to Gcd. / have the
right to demand this, TO shy what shall
be done to him. am the ono most
deeply wronged, and forbid yoGr seek