Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-01-18
A CRUEL DOUBT.
How a Loving Husband wronged
True Wife.


seen in the distance, strung out in
line across the horizon between the
Criel beach and the Pointc de Cayeux.
A few sailors wives, children aud old
men still loitered on the jetty, all in
excellent bumor, for with such weather
there should certainly be n fine haul Of
fish. The sea was admirably blue; but,
lashed by the wind, II broke into little
waves which rushed, white-capped,
toward the shore.
DO you see IL yet, mamma?' asked
little fellow who had stayed away
from school that morning in order TO
see his father start with the fleet.
His mother had n marine glass--a
luxury that her neighbors 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.
lie would have remained long time
watching his fathers sloop as II 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 its animation now that
It's fleet of fishing craft was gone.
On the side toward the town a few
small boats were waiting till the sea
went down n little before venturinR
out. and on the other side half dozen
ships were discharRing their cargoes of
coal and taking on phosphntes-
Nine. Fournier stopped mechanically
- a. n It Al ....lH uN
fine English three-master, the Harding,
which came every week with n cargo
of coal. a sailor, leaning on the rail
OF the ship, saw her and waved his hat
gayly nj her. She turned away and
hurried up the Rue de Ia Falaise to her
home.
Two hours later the loupgers of the
Rue de la Falaise were greatly sur
prised to see Master Fourier, the own
err Of the fishing-sloop T 672, Fastening
angrily homcward.
lie 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 all
up and down the coast as "Treport
sailing"
Her baclxstay had been broken, and
Fournier had had to come back TO port
for repairs These were already under
/ way, aud, once he had his men at
work, he had come up to see his wife n
moment
"Your wife-she has gone out, but
| she will be back directly"
lie 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 the pen beside 1t still wet
with ink.
1t was his sons pen and inkstand,
but ds the little fellow never wrote
during the day he concluded that his
vile must have been writing. Almost
at the same moment he noticed let
ter In the blue vase on the mantel,
and without thinking he opened 1t and
read;
NINA FoUnsIER--l love you more than can
tell implore you 10 set Al time when we can
meet You are free-your husband 10 rooo'
HARRY EVANS
MY Godr cried Fournicr. Harry
Evans"
lie 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 Eoprnier himself, fair. with the
complexion of . 81 and tender blue
eyoa
lie sprang up to rush to the quay ant
stranglo the Englishman, when hi
heard his wife returning Evidently
she had answered that insulting letter
and she would tell him what answer
she had given. lie trusted his wife.
III hurried back" she said, as sh'
came In. ~ heard of the accident as
was doing my marketing"
As she laid the purchase she hat
made on the table he had time 10 thrus
the letter back into the vase lie woul'
wait for her to speak.
Nine. Fournier continued TO bus,
herself with her household duties. II
watched her and found her still young
Drowned IKE himself, almost us tall
gracefully poised on her pointed sabot
and with waist still slender
From time 10 time she looked at hir
with u smile She was not surprise
TO see him looking comber after the az
cident She did not say anything abou
Il, for she had given him her advice o
tho subject long ago. and It was tn
sole matter on which they disagreed.
wife, have you nothing new 10 To-
meP"
Nothing, my dear husband"
His face contracted as with n sudde
pain. His wife, thinking 1t due
enagriu at the accident, kissed hi
tenderly.
lie pressed her to him with unaeeu
toned force Never, even in the fiercei
tempest. had he suffered us he snffere
NOW Suspicion entering his simpl
loyal heart rayssed IL lerTlbly.
well, Sood-by. ] am going 70 u
harbor. We shall go out with the nel
, tide II the bacltstay is repaired Goo
, by"
!. She accompanied hin N the END
the street and bade him farewell vii
so frank an eye that he asked himse
u It were possible that such a wom'
could lie,
lie was about 10 go TO the HaFdir
: when one OF his sailors saw him al
oana altar him CouuallOd to rotul