The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-28

One moonlight evening in the next
month Shadrach was ascending out of the
town by the long straight road eastward
to an elevated suburb where the more
fashionable houses stood - if anything
near this ancient port could be called
fashionable-when he saw figure before
him whom, from her manner of glancing
back, he took to be Emily. But on COM
ing up he found she was Joanna Phippard.
He gave gallant greeting and walked be-
side her.
go along" she said, "or Emily viii be
Jealous
He seemed not to like the suggestion
and remained
What was said and what was done on
that walk never was clearly recollected by
Shadrach, but in some way or other
Joanna contrived to wean him away from
her gentler and younger rival. From that
week onward Jolliffe was seen more and
more in the wake of Joanna Phippard and
less in the company of Emily, and it was
soon rumored about the quay that old
Jolliffe's son who had come home from sea
was going to be married to the former
young woman. to the great disappoint-
ment of the latter.
Just after this report had gone about
Joanna dressed herself for a walk one
evening and started for Emily's house in
the little cross street. Intelligence of the
deep sorrow of her friend on account of
the loss of Shadrach had reached her ears
also, and her conscience reproached her
for winning him away.
Joanna was not altogether satisfied with
the sailor. She liked his attentions, and
she coveted the dignity of matrimony; but
she had never been deeply in love with
Jolliffe. For one thing. she was ambitious,
and socially his position was hardly so
good as her own; while there was always
the chance of an attractive woman mating
considerably above her. It had long been
in her mind that she would not strongly
object to give him back again to Emily If
her friend felt so very badly about him. To
this end she had penned a letter of renun-
citation to Shadrach. which letter she
carried in her hand, intending TO post 1t if
personal observation of Emily convinced
her that her friend was suffering.
Joanna entered Sloop lane and stepped
down into the stationery shop, which was
below the pavement level. Emily's father
was never at home at this hour of the day.
and it seemed as though Emily was not at
home either, for the visitor could make
nobody hear. Customers came so seldom
hither that FIVE minutes absence of the
proprietor counted for little. Joanna
waited in the little shop where Emily had
tastefuily set out, as women can, articles in
themselves of slight value, so as to obscure
the meagreness of the stock in trade, till
she saw a figure passing without the win
dow, apparently absorbed in the contem-
plation of the sixpenny books, packets Of
paper and prints hung on a string. 1t
was Captain Shadrach Jol1iffe peering in
to ascertain if Emily were there alone.
Moved by an impulse of reluctance to
Emily, she slipped through the door that
communicated with the parlor at the back.
Joanna had frequently done 50 before, for
in her friendship with Emily she had the
freedom of the house without ceremony.
Jolliffe entered the shop. Through the
thin blind which screened the glass parti-
ton she could see that he was disap-
pointed at not finding Emily there. He
was about to go out again, when her form
darkened the doorway, Fastening back
from some errand. At sight of Jolliffe
she started back as if she would have
gone out again.
Don't run away, Emily; don'tP' said
he What can make we afraid ?''
"I'm not afraid, Captain Jolliffe. Only
only saw you all of sudden and-it
made me jump" The voice showed that
her heart had jumped even more than the
rest of her.
81 just called, az I was passing" he
said.
"For some paper2" She FASTENED be-
hind the counter.
mo, no, Emily. Why do We get behind
to hate me-"
al don't hate you. How can II"
Then come out, so that we can talk like
Christians.
Emily obeyed with a fitfuI laugh, till she
stood again beside him in the open part of
the shop.
There's dear" he said
''You mustn't say that, Captain Jolliffe,
because the words belong to somebody
else"
'Oh, 1 know what you mean. But.
Emily, upon my life, l didn't know till
this morning that you cared one bit about
me, or l shouldn't have done as have
done. have the best of feelings for Joanna
but l know that from the beginning she
hasn't cared for me more than in friendly
way, and | see now the one l ought to
have asked to be my wife. You know
Emily, when man comes home from sea
after long voyage he's as blind as bat
he can't see who's who in a woman. They
are all alike to hlm-beautiful creatures
and he takes the first that comes easy,
without thinking If she loves him or if he
might not soon love another better than
she. From the first | inclined to YOU
most. but you were so backward and shy
that thought you didn't want me to
bother zee, and so went to Joanna"
Don't say any more, Mr. Jollife.
dontl' said she, choking. "You are going
10 marry Joanna next month, and it is
wrong toto"
"Oh, Emily, my darling" he cried. and
clasped her little figure in his arms before
she was aware. Joanna behind the cur
tain turned pale. tried to withdraw her
ewes, but could not. at is only you love
as a man ought to love the woman he is
going TO marry; and | know this from
what Joanna has said-that she will will
lingiy let me of. She wants to marry
higher, l know, and only said yes to me
ont of kindness. A fine tall girl like her
isn't the sort for plain sailors wife; YOU
be the best suited Tor that"
He kissed her. and kissed her again, her
flexible form quivering in the agitation of
his embrace. IL wonder-are you sure
Joanna is going 20 break off with you?
Oh, are you sure9 Because"
Il know she would not wish to make us
miserable She will release me-"
"0h, / hope, ! hope she will Don't
stay any longer. Captain Jolliffe"
He fingered, however, till customer
come for penny stick of sealing wax.
and then he withdrew
Green envy had overspread Joanna at
the scene. She looked about for a way of
escape. To get out without Emily's
knowledge of her visit was indispensable.
She crept from the parlor into the passage.
and thence TO the front door of the house.
where she let herself noiselessly into the
street
The sight of that caress had reversed all
her resolutions She could not let Shad-
oh Oh, \ ~