The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-12-11
HE DOUBTED HER.

The nSnlng meet nad set out curly III
the morning. The atmosphere was
very clear. and tine boats could still be
seen in the distance, strung out In a
long line across the horizon, between
the Criel beach aud the Pointe de
Cayeux.
A few sailors wives, children and
old men still loitered on the jetty, all
in excellent humor, for with such
weather there should certainly be a fine
haul of fish. The sea was admirably
blue, but dashed by the wind 1t broke
into little waves, which rushed. white
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 feet. Pr
His mother had a marine glass-a
luxury that her Eeighbors envied her.
In such clear weather as this, if they
could no distinguish the men. they
could at least make out the gigantic
numbers on the sails.
He would have remained a long time
watching his fathers sloop as it grew
smaller and smaller in the distance. but
his mother led him away. They must
20 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 a few
small boats were waiting till the sea
went down a little before v%enturing out,
and on the other side half a dozen ships
were di~scharging their cargoes of coal
and taking on phosphates.
Nine. Fournier stopped mechanical
ly in the middle of the quay to look at
a fine English three master, the Har-
ding, which came every week with a
cargo of coal. A 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 la Falaise
to her home.
Two hours later the loungers Of the
Rue de la Falaise were greatly surprised
to see Master Fournier, the owner OF
the fishing sloop 7 672, fastening an
grily homeward.
He had not entered the house before
his neighbors had run to learn the rea.
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 al
up and down the coast as "Treport sail
ing"
Her backstay had been broken, ant
Fournier had had to come back to por
for repairs. These were already unde
way, and once he had his men at worl
he had come up to see his wife a mo
ment.
Your wife-she has gone out, bu
she will be back directly"
He was pouring himself a glass Q
thin wine from the pitcher he had draw
that morning before leaving. when b
noticed the inkstand open on the tabl
and the pen beside it. still wet wit
ink.
1t was his sons pen and inkstan6
out as the little fellow never wrote dul
ing the day he concluded that his viii
must have been writing. Almost {
the same moment he noticed a letter j
the blue vase on the mantel, and will
ont thinking he openedi it and read:
Mime. Fourier:
| love you more than l can tell ! impic
you to set a time when we can meet You a
free-your husband is gone.
My God.' cried Fournier, "Har1
Evans
He knew him we'll, this handson
English sailor of the Harding, who h;
already ruined more than one home
Treport-a tall fellow. as tall as FoS
nier himself, fair, with the complexi'
Of a girl and tender blue eyes.
He sprang mp to rush to the quay al
Etrangle the Englishman, when he hea
his wife returning. Evidently she Ia
answered that insulting letter, and s
would tell him what answer she b
given. He trusted his wife.
- hurried back" she said as s
came in. II heard OF the accident a
was doing my marketing"
As she laid the purchase she b
made on the table, he had time To thru
the letter back into the vase.
would wait for her to speak.
Mime. F~ournier continued to br
herself with her household duties.
watched her, and he found her 81
young, Drowned like himself, almost
tall, gracefully poised on her poin'
sabots and with a waist still slender.
From time to time she looked ait b
with a smile- She was not surpri
TO see him looking somber after the
cident. She did not say anything alb
IL for she had given him her advice
the subject long ago. and it was
cole matter ON which they disagreed
"Wife. have you nothing new to
ms?'
Nothing. my dear husband
His face contracted a. with a sud
hin. His wife, thinking il due to-