The morning call., 1893-04-17

wants to get them all in he'll have to get
out an extra sheet. He can arrange that
for himself"
"He has cool head" commented the
assistant, looking after the retreating figure
with hearty admiration. Hes going 10 be
in the thick of it, and keep the boys up to
their work. Wen sell a hundred thousand
copies Tomorrow. The other papers Will
be nowhere"
David Brander was in the thick of 1t,
but his direction of the local staff ter
minated with his parting instructions
at the Office Those who viewed the scene
of the awful catastrophe noticed man,
silent and watchful, gliding about, thread
ing his way through the debris. and look
ing into dead faces that smiled TO
him q ghasuy greeting. He reached
locks. the color.of her hair. And he
gathered a shred of some light cloak en-
broidered with pearly beads and looked at
1t long and closely in the glaring search
light of an electric light imprOvispd for the
occasion. When he saw insensible forms
that might never again know pain he
turned away sick at heart Once, with n
glow OF joy that OvermaStered his own
black grief, he took from n dead mothers
stiffened arms a little child that was still
warm and breathing and handed it to one
who stood TO receive il, while the crowd
sObbed and cheeTed OF again through the
debris. Who who is this in front of him?
II is Carew, still wearing his overcOat,
bending over the dead, searching with
ghouIish expectation and 4 wan face that 10
his Tescuer seemed TO bear the brand of sin.
The pure eXatation of the moment was
swept away by a sudden tide Of passion that
might have made him murderer had not
opportunity been denied him.
There was no longer any hope of finding
other living souls.
'tWara there any manila that ya l,uevy ~
asked Brander of the youthful reporter
whom lie came up with.
There is NJ, the lawyer, Mrs. L.
the rich widow, and quite numbrr of
reputable business men. And tHere is one
girl l used to go to school with"
Brander respected the boy the more
for the tear that stood in his eye. He
pressed his hand, and giving him some final
directions, said:
"There is message to deliver for me at
the Office, thank you. l shall not be down
again tonight"
lie was at last on his way to the empty
place he called home, and grief and shame
walked beside him. He put his key in the
latch and turned It softly, as he had been in
the habit of dong when he came in late
lest he might disturb her s!umbers, and he
stepped lightly on the stairs and opened and
shut the door Of their little sitting-roOm
with stealthy touch, like one who comes
as thief in the night looking upon that
10 which he has no title.
How pretty the rooms were, with their
warm-hued dFaperies. their modest hut
comfortable furnishings, the books and
magazines scattered about, the glowing en-
bers in the CRATE. They had made the best
of It, although neither OF them had ever ap-
proved oil life in fiat. The dream Of their
early married life had been the possession
Of house in the cOUutTy. For upward of
two years he had been striving to make the
dream reality, keeping up correspond
ence with provincial daily. turning off an
occasional paper for a magazine. The deeds
to fine house at WatfOrd were at that mo-
ment in his breast-pocket. ami they were to
have been her birthday gift
Now all was changed. To-nigh. he wres-
tied alone with the loss that before another
day bad passed would be heralded through
out London, but the humiliation ard grief
that underlay it would De forever locked in
his own heart He was not the same man
that lie was yesterday. The whole current
of his life was changed and his fools dream
OF happiness was over. Yet so familiar and
undisturbed were all the objects about him
that he could almost fancy he events of the
day to be some hateful vision and that he
could hear the sound of her breathing, low
and regular, in the darkened room beyond,
whose door stood al IT.
For his thoughts kept returning to her
Strive as he might to think of his future
plans, or the effect this would have on his
position among men, or what story lie had
best give the boys tomorrow. lie found him
self pe.petuaily dwelling upon her, and re-
calling little unheed-d circumstances in
their married life. What did 1t matter how
the public took it. or what comments il
would make? What did he care for Carew's $
silly vanity, or the base purposes he might
have harDOred. The one thing that ab-
sOrbed him was the thought of his wife, and
the relation between her and himself. And
in agony OF spirit be asked over aud over
again the question that had haunted him
since sundown. How far had it gone? How
Tar had it gOnc?'
Her workbasket stood on the mantel.
| The cover was slightly lifted and he saw
half thrust into it the fimsy pink web and
the glittering needles whose persistent click
had so annoyed him. He reached out his
hand and drew the little roll of worsted
toward him with fierce movement, drop
ping the ball on the hearth. lie smoothed
the work out on the manteshelf ana
Strengthened it into shape with his great
hands, SCARED and gaShed with the work
they had done that night. And 1t
was tiny shirt, fieecy and rose-tinted as
the clouds of dawn upon which little new
born souls came sailing in their strange
voyage from the great unknown.
Oh, blind, blind, blind that he had been
AT last his eyes were opened and he saw
her soul in all its purity and innocence.
He groaned aloud, and scalding tear bap-
tied the tiny garment.
do ransomed souls ever come back from
| paradise, bringing comfort and healing to
| the stricken hearts they leave behind /?
| with such divine tenderness might they
| speak? He raised his head and saw her
standing there IN the door way that sepa-
rated the two rooms. clad in some white
wrapper. her cheeks flushed with sleep, her
| eyes loving and t5ustiul.
Il tried to sit up until you came home,
but you were so late that thought would
| lie down for little time and ] fell asleep.
! You couldn't think | would go, David, after
! what you said? thought it all over after
| you were gone; second thoughts are best,
| ana l saw that you were right | will
never let YOU be troubled in that way again,
| for-oh, David "
The confidence that trembled on her lips,
| so long held in reserve by young's wife's
| Instructive delicacy. remained un nspoken,
| for she saw the gossamer web crushed be-
meath his hand and. with cry and a blush
rescued it from him.
BE took her in his arms to make sure
| that she was flesh aud blood, and he
prayed that she nigh: never know how
cruelty his thoughts had wronged her.
But you are so strange and silent dear"
she murmured. "And your clothes are
soiled. Where have you heeD, David. and
what have you been dong?"
"TO-mOrrow l will tell You, dear. Not
tonight" he replied, in a choked voice.
The young wife, looking up, was I'M
pressed by the solemn rapture in mis- face
The Strand.