The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-20
TREASURE ISLAND.

When Edgar Carroll and Irene Hayne
plightd over again their troth with the
solemn earnestness of lovers in the hour
of parting, either would have staked exist
ence on the others truth.
For three years Edgar's letters came,
bearing messages of love which seemed
so real that Irene could almost fancy them
uttered at her side instead of coming from
the other side of the world.
At last one came that set her heart In a
futter and caused brighter light to
sparkle in her eyes. 1t spoke OF her lover S
speedy return. Success had crowned his
efforts, and at last he might stand with
out blushiDg in the presence OF proud old
Walter Hayne and speak his mind freely.
Then there was an interval in which no
letters came.
Months passed and still no tidfngs.
Irene's letters remained unanswered. At
last she could not even hope Her lover
must be dead She could never believe
him faithless Her cheek grew paler and
her step less elastic, and anxious friends
began TO shake their heads and hint OF
falling health.
Her fathers fears became alarmed.
Physicians counseled travel and change OF
air The experiment was tried, but with
out perceptible benefit.
During the absence of Mr.. Hayne and
his daughter stranger had taken up his
abode in the place of their residence.
Who or what Mr. Newcome was, or
whence ne came nobody pretended to
know, yet every man, woman and child
was ready to vouch for his responsibility.
He was a bachelor and lived alone, rarely
appearing in society, yet often enough 20
avoid the appearance Of stunning it.
His habits Of seclusion were soon meas
urably abandoned. He was constantly
meeting Irene, first by seeming accident
at the houses of such friends as she was
accustomed to visit, then by direct calls
upon herself.
At one of these interviews the converse
ton turned upon Australia, where Mr.
Newcome had spent some years. In the
course of it he mentioned name which
caused Irene TO start
'Edgar-Edgar Carrolll You knew
him, then?' she managed to say, with eff
fort.
He was my most intimate friend, !" re-
piled MIR. Newcome, with seeming care
lessness, at the same time scanning keenly
her agitated facc-'that is, until he mar
ried"
Married.
1T was considered a good match, ] be-
lieve,' Nj Newcome added, pretending
not to notice the effect of his words. The
lady was wealthy colonist's daughter
an only child. and I'll that"
The blow fell with cruel force For a
moment Irene's faculties were stunned.
Some months later, when Irene's father
bi.tod fl,-T M. bod aSsa1 nor
mission to become her sutton, and that his
OWN sanction had been already given, he
was agreeably surprised at the manner in
which the announcement was received.
By sacrificing herself she could save her
father fortune, and, for herself, wh0t did
il matter now?
1t was the evening before the wedding
day, and Mr. Newcome had called to pay
his last visit as a wooer.
Irene's face was paler than usual, and
her manner was more disturbed, but her
father was in too high spirits and Mr..
Newcome too polite to notice the change
They were in the midst of an agreeable
chat when a visitor was announced, who
insisted on seeing Mr.. Hayne alone.
In no gracious mood Mr.. Hayne passed
Into an adjacent apartment, whence ex-
CJb6U VOICES vert SOOI
At the sound of one of them both Irene
and Mr.. Newcome started to their feet.
$50 the villain is herel' exclaimed Ed
gar Carroll, thrusting open the door But
Irene's white face met his angry gaze, and
ne stood motionless.
Newcome for the moment had believed
himself in personal peril and had sbrunk
back coweri1giy, but a moments refiec-
ton assured him that, in the presence OF
Mr.. Hayne and his daughter, he had no
cause for fear.
''In the distant land TO which we mad
Goth gone in quest of gold this man and
myself became friends We shared the
same tent and had no secrets from each
other IL treasure seel ing / proved the
more fortunate of the two, and my gains
had already reached the point l had pro-
posed they should attain when my friend
suggested a visit TO some unexplored is
lands Of which he pretended TO have heard
rumors, aud of whose wealth we might
become the sole possessors.
We fitted out a small vessel, and after
a voyage OF several days anchored of a
thickly wooded island. Leaving the crew
on board, my friend and myself went
ashore and began our search. IN a seclud-
ed spot L was felled to the earth by a blow
from behind and left for dead.
''On regaining consciousness 1 found
myself alone / ran to the shore, but the
vessel was no longer in sight.
lone day deserted sail in the dis
tance. The sight made me wild with JOY
i shouted and signaled, and by every
means in my power sought to make my
presence known.
But still the ship held her course
Frantic with despair, i rushed into tho
waves. determined to swim toward her
while strength held ont, when at length
she shortened sail, and l saw boat low
cred from her side
Il conducted my deliverers to the treas
ure l had found. There was enough for
US all. / returned to find myself robbed Of
my precious gains, whose place of conceal
ment was known only to myself and him
who had sought my life to get possession
Of them. But the loss / regarded as a
trife. / was now the possessor Of treble
the amount"
Irene Carroll is a happy wife now, and
never happier than when listening to a
chapter from the adventures of her own
Robinson Crusoe-New York News.