The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-11-30
HE DOUBTED HER.

very clear, and tine boats could still be
seen in the distance, strung out III
long line across the horizon, between
the Criel beach and the Pointe do
Cayeux.
y few sailors wives, children and
old men still loitercd on the lefty, all
in excellent hulnor, for with such
weather there should certainly be a fine
haul of fish. The sea was admirably
blue, but dashed by the wind it broke
into little waves, which rushed, whito
capped, toward the shore.
do you see it yet, mammal" asked
q little fellow who had staid away from
school that morning in order to see his
father start with the fleet.
His mother had marine glass-a
luxury that her neighbors envicd her.
In such clear weather as this, if they
could not distinguish the men. they
could at least make out the gigantic
numbers on the sails.
He would have remained long time
watching his fathers sloop as it grew
smaller and smaller in the distance, but
his mother led him away. They must
go back to the house to their work.
They loltered along the harbor, which
had lost its animation now that its fleet
of fishing craft was gone
On the side toward the town few
small boats We're waiting till the sea
went down Il little before venturing ont,
and on the other side half Il dozen ships
were discharging their cargocs of coal
and taking on phosplates.
Mime. Fournicr stopped mcchanical
ly i'll the middle Of the quay to look ut
fine English three master, the Har-
ding, which came every week with Il
cargo of coal. \ sailor, leaning on the
rail of the ship, saw her and waved his
cap gayly to her. She turned away
and hurried up the Rue de In Falaise
to her home.
Two hours later the loungers of the
Rue de IL Falaise We're greatly surprised
to see Master Fourier, the owner of
the fishing sloop Il G72, fastening an
grily homeward.
He had not entered the house before
his ncighbors had run 10 learn the rc;-
son of his sudden return.
| Why had he come back:
1t was that way that they had of
leaving port, with all sails set, what
ever the weather, which was known all
up and down the coast as "Trcport sail
ing"
Her backgtay had been broken, and
Fourier had had to come back TO port
for repairs. These We're already under
way, and once he had his men ut work
he had come up to sec his wife Il mo-
ment
"Your wifc-shc has gone ou, but
she will be back DIRECTLY"
He was pouring himself glass of
thin wine from the pitcher he had drawn
that morning before leaving, when he
noticed the inkstand open on the table
and tho pen beside it, still wet with
ink.
1t was his sons pen and inlstanG,
but as the little fellow never wrote dur
ing the day he concluded that his wife
must have been writing. Almost at
the same moment he noticed Il letter III
the blue vase on the mantcl. and with
out thinking he opened it and read:
Nine. Fournier:
| | love you more than | can tell. implorc
you to set a time when we can meet. You are
free-your husband is gone.
HARRY EVANS.
|
Evans
He knew him well. this handsome
English sailor of the Harding. who had
already ruined more than one home in
Treport-a tall fellow, as tall as Four
nier himself, fair. with the complexion
of a girl and tender blue eyes.
He sprang up to rush to the quay and
stranglo the Englishman, when he heard
his wife returning. Evidently she had
answered that insulting letter, and she
would tell him what answer she had
given. He trusted his wife.
II hurried back" she said as she
came in. II heard of the accident as l
was doing my marketing"
AS she laid the purchase she had
made on the table, he had time to thrust
the letter back into the vase He
would wait for her to speak.
Nine. Fournier continued to busy
herself with her household duties. He
watched her, and he found her still
young, Drowned like himself, almost as
tall, gracefully poised on her pointed
sabots and with waist still slender
From time to time she looked at him
with smile. She was not surprised
to see him looking somber after the ac-
cident. She did not say anything about
it, for she had given him her advice on
the subject long ago, and it w;is the
sole matter on which they disagreed.
Wife have you nothing new to tell
me?"
Nothing, my dear husband.
His face contracted us with sudden
pain. His wife, thinking it due to cha