The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-02-09
A CRUEL DOUBT.
How a Loving Husband WrOnged
a True Wife.

the morning. The atmosphere was
very clear and the boats could still be
seen in the distance, strung out IN
line across the horizon between the
Criel beach and 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 fine haul OF
fish. The sci was admirably blue; but,
dashed by the wind, it broke into little
waves which rushed, white-capped,
toward the shore.
do you see it yet, mamma? asked
q little fellow who had stayed away
from school that morning in order to
see his father start with the fleet.
His mother had q marine glass-a
luxury that her neigh bOrs envied her.
In such clear weather as this II they
could not distinguish the men they
could at least make out the gigantic
numbers on the sails
He would have remained q 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 loitered along the harbor,
which had lost it's animation now that
it, feet Of fishing craft was gone
On the side toward the town a few
small boats were waiting till the sea
went down o little before venturing
out. and on the other side half dozen
ships were discharging their cargoes of
coal and taking on phosphates.
Nine. Fournier stopped mechanically
in the middle of the quay to look at a
fine English thrce-master, the Harding,
which came every week with cargo
Of zeal. A sailor, leaning on the rail-
Of the ship, saw her and waved his hat
.~ayly at her. She turned away and
.a;ried up the Rue de la Falaise to her
home.
Two hours later the loupgers of the
nnc de la Falaise were greatly sur,
prised to see Master Fournier. the own
or of the fishing-sloop II 672 Fastening
angrily homeward.
lie had not entered the house before
h;; 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 all
up and down the coast as ''Treport
sailing"
Her backstay had been broken, and
Fournier had had to come back to port
for repairs. These were already under
way, and, once he had his men at
work, he had come up to see his wife a
lnoment
Your wife-she has gone out, but
she Will be back directly"
He WAS pouring himself glass OF
thin wine from the pitcher he had
firawn tnat morning before leaving
when he noticed the inllstand open on
the able and the pen beside it still wet
with ink.
1t was his sons zen aud inkstand
but DIS the little fellow never wrote
during the day lie concluded that his
y: must have been writing. Amos,
~ the same moment ne noticed q let
TT in the blac vase on the mantel,
and without thinking he opened it and
read:
NINE FoURNIER-Il love you more than 1 car
tel implore you to set u time when we car
meet You are free-yOur husband is gone.
HARRY EVANS.
MY Godn' cried Fournier ''IIarrv
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
IS Fournier himself, fair, with the
complexion OF Ii gill and tender blue
eyes.
lie sprang up to rush to the quay and
strangle the Englishman, when he
heard his wife returning Evidently
sile had answered that insulting letter,
and she would tell INN what answer
she had given. He trusted his wife.
II hurried back" she said, as she
came in. 81 heard of the accident as ]
was doing my marketing"
AS she laid the purchase she ha6
made on the table he had time TO thrust
the letter back into the vase. He would
wait for her to speak.
Nine. Fourier continued to busy
herself with her household duties. Ht
watched her and found her still young
Drowned like himself, almost as tall
gracefully poised on her pointed sabot:
and with waist still slender.
From time to time she looked at him
with smile. She was not SURPRISED
u sec him looking somber after the &C
cident. She did not say anything abou
if, Tor she had given him her advice OF
the subject long ago, and it was tn.
sole matter on which they disagreed.
wife, have you nothing new 10 tel
me?" W.
Nothing, my dear husband"
His face contracted as with a sudder
pain. His wife, thinking it due r.
chagrin at the accident, kissed him
tcnderly
lie pressed her to him with unaccns
toned force Never. even in the fierces
tempest. had he suffered as he suffere,
now. Suspicion entering his simple
loyal heart ravaged it terribly.
Well, good-by. am going to tn
narbor. We shall go out with the mex
tide II the hackstay is repaired. Coco
by"
She accompanied him to the end G
the street AID babe him farewell wit
SO frank an eye that he asked himsel
II It were possible that such a woma
could lie.
lie was about to go to the Hardin,
"nen one OF his sailors saw him an
came after him. Compelled to retur,
70 his vessel he had time to reflect
sudden fit of rage, fight, would prov
truth. 49," ~