The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-06
THE MEETING.

way to the cabin indicated and opened the |
door.
1.-The stewardess tells me you are i'll. !
She is very busy at present. Can do any
thing for your"
"My head, +" moaned the sufferer closing |
her eyes again. II can't bear the pain. "
A slight expression of contempt crossed |
the face OF the woman, Her desire to help |
tho stewardess had risen solely from the |
wish to occupy her hands.
She bent down by tho sufferer and began |
TO rub her forehead with the practiced |
hand Of the masseuso, Before half an hour |
had elapsed the panied expression had
fed from Mrs. Jephsons face and she lay |
sleeping as peacefully as child.
"lf spend my life searching for him, I
will track him down." said Mrs Mar
shall "To leave me for another woman
perhaps such weak fool as this'
In her sleep Mrs. Jephson had tossed tho
coverlet from her shoulders Her night
dress had come upfastened at the throat,
and the keen eyes that watched her caught
sight Of small white silk case that, oven
In sleep, was pressed to her bosom.
"The photo of the dead husband or the
portrait of the new lover, =" said tho watch
er sneeringly. "Come, will look at the
face of the man who Is guarded SO jealous
ly."
With deft, quick movement she I'M
loosed the case from the small fingers. A
faint sigh escaped the sleeper, but her reg
ular breathing told that as yet she was
unconscious.
The thief rose to her feet and stole eau
tiously to the portfolio. Her long fingers
united the string that fastened the silk
cnse, and in another second tho precious
contents were in her hand.
"a photo wrapped in a letter. As sus.
pected, the husband is forgotten for ths
lover"
The masses Of water surged heavily
against the portfolio and obscured the
light. Mrs. Marshall held the photo up to
the round aperture and peered closely at
the features.
"Heavens Harryr' ..
The cold, contemptuous woman had dis
appeared. In her place stood one whose
features, distorted with passion, bore the
aspect of fond.
Her trembling hand, still clutching tho
photo opened the sheet Of paper. The let
tor was short. The contents ran thus:
My OWN DARLING NELI-To avoid suspicion
follow me by the next boat Shall meet you
at New York. Darling, my marriage has been
hell. with you my life will be paradise. Bless
self to yours in life and death, HARRY.
The readers breath came in deep, con.
vulsive palpitations. Great drops Of mois-
ture trickled down her liyid face Her eyes
were fixed In awful dilation upon the
words that Knocked her by their love
Tho ship swung heavily to one side. The
sleeping woman uttered faint moan, and
her hand closed unconsoiously over her
bosom.
Still holding the photo and letter In her
fingers, the watcher crept to the side Of the
berth.
Delivered into my handi Heaven,
thank thee for this justice
That cunning stealthy look that marks
the eye of THO maniae was In the face that
peered over the sleeping woman.
A small pillow lay near at hand. With
unfaltering fingers the forsaken wife
grasped the innocent looking object and
held 1t a few Inches above the mouth of
the woman who had supplanted her In her
husbands heart.
But even as she lowered the pillow that
should suffocate tho life Of tho frail wom-
an who lay helpless in her power the look
Of madness faded from her eyes.
She rose from her knees
"a painless DEATH No. there is a
sweoter revenge than that. She shall live
and suffer.
When Mrs Jephson awoke from her
sleep, 1t was to find Mrs. Marshall sitting
patiently in tho same place by the side Of
her berth
The invalid uttered some words of
thanks, and though inwardly shrinking
from the cold face that confronted hor
gaze felt compelled to accept the minis.
trations that her self installed nurse insist
ed on showering upon her AS the weather
improved, tho nurse Insisted upon Mrs
Jophson leaving her cabin and coming ON
deck.
"You will feel the benefit OF the fresh
Dir, she said, installing herself by tho
side of the deck chair in which Mrs Jeph-
son reclined languidly. "Alas, would that
my pains could DO US easily cured as
yours''
You are In tToubleS Can do any,
thing for your You have been SO kind to
me that should like to help you, If can"
The sweet voice rang harshly upon Mrs.
Marshall's ours.
my trouble is mental" she said, try
ing to subdus the harshness of her own
tones. "Anothcr woman has robbed mo
! of my husbands love, and my heart is
broken. -
Mrs. Jephson had fallen back In the
chair, her hand pressed to her side.
Il see you are sorry for me, y went on
I tho cold voice. whilo the speakers eyes
gazed triumphantly at the sudden white
ness that blanchsd the cheek. "You oan-
not understand why woman should be
so wicked as to rob another Of the husband
she loved. When the storm ragged the other
| day, oneof the sailors said there must be a
Jonah on board But you are faint Mrs.
| Jephson."
| A broken gasp came from the invalid's
! lips,
Mrs. Marshall seized the cold hand that
hung Imply down by tho deck chair.
May heaven curse this wicked woman
who has supplanted mo- May she live to
sec herself thrown aside, and may she suf-
fer as have suffered. May every blight
fall upon her who has robbed me of my
| Harry
Harry"
The white lips brcathed tho name inau-
diblyi the hazel eyes opened with look
of torture in their depths
Il am the wife of Harry Carstairs, and
may my curse fall upon his
But the words fell upon deaf ears.
|
VERY sod nows, sir The lady you
came to meet died suddenly of heart dis
ease two days ngo. Mrs Marshall here
will tell you all about it. u
And as Harry Carstairs rceled against
the wall Of the captains cabin his wife
confronted him, her thin lips fixed in
terrible smile.--Good Company.
Flow She Was Businesslike.
p. ST. have determined that this letter
shall be as businesslike as possible, SO will