The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1895-08-29
THE MEETING.

The passenger entered on the ships list
in the name of Mrs. Marshall took her
way to the cabin indicated and opened the
door.
s'The stewardess tens you are ill.
She IS very busy at present. Can do any
thing for yon:"
''Niy head, - moaned the sufferer, closing
her eyes again. 81 can't bear the pain"
A slight expression of contempt crossed
the face of the woman. Her desire to help
the stewartiess had risen solely from the
wish to occupy her hands.
She bent down by the sufferer and began
to rub her forehead with the practiced
hand of the masscuse. Before half an hour
had elapsed the panied expression had
fed from Mrs Jephson's face and she lay
sleeping as peacefully a child.
elf / spend my life searching for him,
will track him down. said Mrs. Mar
shall ''To leave me for another woman
perhaps such weak fool as thisr'
In her sleep Mrs Jephson had tossed the
coverlet from her shoulders. Her night
dress had come unfastened at the throat,
and the keen eyes that watched her caught
sight OF a small white silk case that, even
in sleep, was pressed to her bosom.
''Thc photo of the dead husband or tho
portrait of the new lover, - said the watch
er snecringly Come, I viii look at the
face of the man who is guarded so jealous
ly.''
With n deft, quick movement she I'M
1oosed 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
case, and in another second the precious
contents were in her hand.
ga photo wrapped in n letter! AS I sus-
pected, the husband is forgotten for the
lover
The masses of water surged heavily
against tho portfolio and obscured the
light. Mrs. Marshall held the photo up to
the round aperture and peered closely at
the features.
tsHeavensl HarryI'
The cold, contemptuous woman had dis
appeared. In her place stood one whose
features, distorted with passion, bore the
aspect of a fiend.
Her trembling hand, still clutching the
photo, opened the sheet of paper. The let
ter was short. The contents ran thus:
RIY OWN DARLING NELL-To avoid suspicion
follow by the next boat. Shall meet you
at New York. Darling, my marriage has been
he'll. With you my life will be paradise. Bless
you, my own darling, in giving your dearest
self to yours il lifo and death, HARRY.
The readers breath came in deep, con-
vulsiye POPULATIONS. Great drops of mois-
tlre trickled down her livid 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 a faint moan, and
her hand closed unconsciously over her
bosom.
Still holding the photo and letter in her
fingers, the watcher crept to the side of the
berth.
Delivered into my handl Heaven, I
thank thee for this Justice"
That cunning, stealthy look that marks
the eye of the maniac was in the face that
peercd over the sleeping woman.
A small pillow lay near at hand. With
unfaltering fingers the forsaken wife
grasped the innocent looking object and
held it 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 the frail wom-
an who lay helpless in her power the look
of madness faded from her eyes.
She rose from her knees.
GA painless death! No, there is a
sweoter revenge than that. She shall live
and suffer-"
When Mrs. Jephson awoke from her
sleep, it was to find Mrs. Marshall sitting
patiently in the same place by the side of
her berth.
Tho invalid uttered some words of
thanks, and though inwardly shrinking
from the cold face that confronted her
gaze felt compelled to accept the minis
trations that her self installed nurse insist
ed ON showering upon her. AS the weather
improved, the nurse insisted upon Mrs.
Jephson leaving her cabin and coming on
deck.
''You will feel the benefit of the fresh
air, " she said, installing herself by the
side Of the deck chair in which Mrs. Jeph-
son reclined langui6ly. "Alas, would that
my pains could be as easily cured as
yoursn'
"You are in trouble? Can do any
thing for you? You have been so kind to
mo that should like to help you if I can. -
The sweet voice rang harshly upon Mrs.
Marshall's cans.
my trouble is mental,'' she said, try
ing to subdus the harshness of her own
tones. another woman has robbed me
of my husbands love, and my heart is
broken
Mrs Jephson had fallen back in the
chair, her hand pressed to her side.
II sec you are sorry for me, went on
the cold voice. while the speakers eyes
gazed triumphantly at the sudden white
ness that blanchcd the cheek. "You can
not understand why a woman should be
so wicked IS to rob another of the husband
she~ owed. When the storm ragged the other
day, one of the sailors said there must be a
Jonah on board But you are faint Mrs.
Jephsor1.''
A broken gasp came from the invalid Is
| lips.
| Mrs. Marshall seized the cold hand that
| hung Imply down by the deck chair
May heaven curse this wicked woman
who has supplanted me. May she live to
| see herself thrown aside, and may she suf-
| fer as l have suffered. May every blight
fall upon her who has robbed me of my
| Harry
"Harry''
The white lips breathed the name inaI-
| dibly; the hazel eyes opened with a look
| of torture in their depths.
| 9 am the wife of Harry Carstairs, and
may my curse fall upon his
| But the words fell upon deaf ears.
every sad news, sir. The lady you
came to meet died sudde My of heart dis
| ease two days ago. MIs. Marshall here
will tell you all about it,
| And as Harry Carstairs reeled against
| the wall of the captains cabin his wife
confronted him. her thin lips fixed in q
| terrible smile.-Good Company.
How She Was Businesslike.
P. ST have determined that this letter
! shall be as businesslike as possible, SO will
add no postscript. Once more. yours, ETC.,
/ Jane Doe.--Life.
CURRENT COMMENT.
The snake liar is abroad in the land, but