The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-15
ON WHEELS On FIRE..
BY FITZGERALD MOLLOY,
Author Of allow Game He Dead9'
IAN Excellent Kpsye," "swoet is
Revenge" "A Modern Magician"
"That Villain Romeo" sc,

CHAPTER XIV,
STELLA RETURNS,

uAFkeu her llle hgNlnI ne, MAX
ipga sign or speaking q word in reply,
left the hotel for q long walk, taking
Myles Newbury as his companion. For
many q mile they sped, tho high winds
tearing past them, bufeting their
cheeks and tapping the capes and corr
nera OF their macintOshes, sharp, sud-
den showers blowing in their faces, the
roar Of the sea continuously in their
ears,
IL was long before the earl spoke, for
his mind was dwelling on the scene in
which he had acted so painful, and at
one time what seemed so dangerous q
role. 1t was necessary, ha assured
himself, to part with Stella, first BIO.
cause ne had grown weary OF her, and
secondly because she would injure his
p~roapects, aud therefore she must 90,
In his heart he had no pity for the
woman no had wronged; no had no re-
morse for the part he had played,
After awhile he sought to dismiss the
d%isagrceable picture OF what had just
passed from his thoughts, and to con.
lure up another and a brighter by hear
Ing more Of Samuel Gubbs and his
daughter.
on their return to the hotel, that
which the carl had expected aud desired
had happened; Stella had departed.
Where sho had gone, or what she had
purposed doing, did not now trouble
MIN; she was not there to upbrald or to
implore, and her future, which could not
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cerned him. He was relieved by her
absence, and grateful for the deli
cacy that suggested u hasty removal
She had ever shown consideration for
his feelings and Difference towards his
tastes, and SO much could not be said Of
every woman he had encountered.
Whilst he had been out, Stella, who
was stepped in misery, left desolGte and
covered with shame, determined to
leave him at once, and to return to her
home. She had deceived her father in
his truwstfulness, but he would not de-
SORT her in her need; and now when
her heart was broken, she longed to
shed tears OF penitence upon hls breast,
and to feel his protecting arms round
her. Hastily she dressed herself in the
clothes she had worn the morning she
Quilted her peaceful home, determined
TO leave behind all those for which sho
was indebted TO the man who had
wronged her; and she felt glad to know
she had in her possession enough
money of her own "a would carry her
to Howstroe.
With a thick veil drawn across a face
swollen aud red with tears, she quietly
left the hotel, and walking down the
pier entered the saloon Of the boat,
which, in n short time, would leave for
Folkstone. She sat in the darkest cor
ner she could find, listening warily and
apprehensively to the footsteps on
deck, and to every voice that sounded
in her ears. For her only desire now
waste escape, and she feared that Craw.
lord might strive TO prevent her. Even
in tho midst OF her nervous dread che
know that was improbable, but what
could have been more unexpected than
what had taken place that day.
But if he did not seek her Newbury
might, and she shrank from contact
with him, with whom she believed her
trouble originated; or again it might
be that Arthur Ferrars would journey
homewards by this boat, Judge from
her manner something terrible had
happened, wonder that she was unac.
companied by Crawford, and conclude
that to shield him she had lied. And
so whilst she suffered agonies OF fear
the time passed, her senses strained for
sounds Of familiar steps or voices, her
head aching from the confined smell Of
the saloon and the rocking Of the boat,
her heart weighed by the load Of her
grief.
1t seemed an eternity before the
steamer left Boulogne harbor and got
out into the storm-lashed soa. A sense
Of relief fell upon her when those
whose presence she dreaded had not
appeared. Dimly and darkly her future
rose before her, but the confusion OF
her mind was so great she could not
analyze or meet it; ler Que great long
ing was to gain tho shelter Of the home
and the protection OF the father she
had so lightly and SO hopefully abRn.
doned.
The passage across the channel took
double its usual time because of the
roughness OF the weather. How she
v 0 made tho journey to Howstree she
could pevor after distinctly remember;
but vague recollections remained Of the
crowded platform at ChRring Cross
station late in tho evening; Of being
driven across London, the streets OF
which looked black and desolate in tho
dronching rain and under q canopy OF
ominous clouds; OF staying ut u railway
station hotel whore she passed a rest
less and feverish night; and Of setting
forward on the last stagO OF her journey
ON the following midday.
II was far advanced III the afternoon
when she reached the nearest station
to Howstree. Hero her desire was to
escape notice, and with her thick veil
down aud her cloak drawn closely
round hor she left the station, resolved
to walk %homewards slowly, 30 that II
might be dark whom sho reached hor
tathor's cottago.
Stunned as her mind was sh0 could
not refrain from making comparisons
between the afternoon OF hor return
and the morning when she had left to
become the vito OF him she loved. Tho
thought was m%addening and she know
such reflections must DO baniShod II she
would retain consciousness until sho
reached her goal. Yet every step Of tho
way tainted hor with memories Of q
paat whose ~uncloudod happiness and
= Joyous freedom from care, come what
might, could return no more.
The miaory which had b~ofallon her
had struck 1T her strength, which was
furthermore exhausted by hOr journey
and by want Of TINT food SHE had found
II impossible to take, So that the flvo
miles walk tried hor, and II was with
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