The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-06
+, THE MEETING.

AS you are k1nQ enough 70 n6lp me-
madam, there's a sick lady In a private
cabin who needs some attention, Mrs.
Jephson, a young widow lady. The doctor
says her heart is weak. No. cabin
The passenger entered on the ships list
in the name of Mrs. Marshall took her
way to the cabin indicated and opened the
door. f1
1.-THE stewardess tells me you are Ill.
She is very busy at present. Can do any
thing for your"
"My head, :" moaned the sufferer, closing
her eyes again. ST can't bear the pain
A slight expression of contempt crossed
the face of the woman. Her desire to help
the stewardess 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 masseuse. Before half an hour
had elapsed the panied expression had
fed from Mrs. Jephson's face and she lay
sleeping as peacefully as child.
eff 1 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 thisl''
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 small white silk case that, even
in sleep, was pressed to her bosom.
1.-THE photo of the dead husband or the
portrait of the new lover 3" said the watch
er sneeringly. "Come, I will look at the
face of the man who is guarded SO jealous
ty."
With deft, quick movement she IN
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
To bo ho1o Her fOy1o
united the string that fastened the silk
case, and in another second the precious
contents were in her hand.
ga photo wrapped in a letter. AS sus-
pected, the husband is forgotten for the
lover"
The masses of water surged heavily
against the portfolio and obsoured the
light Mrs. Marshall held the photo up to
the round aperture and peered closely at
the features.
tHeavensl Harryp'
The cold, contemptuous woman had dis
appeared. In her place stood one whose
features, distorted with passion, bore the
aspect Of fiend.
Her trembling hand, still clutching the
photo, opened the sheet of paper. The let
ter was short. The contents ran thus:
MY OWN DARLING NELL-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
you, my own darling, in giving your dearest
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 livid face. Her eyes
were fixed in awful dilation upon the
words that Knocked her by their love.
The ship swung heavily to one side. The
sleeping woman uttered 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 handI Heaven, I
thank thee for this Justice
That cunning, stealthy look that marks
the eye of the maniac 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 it a few inches above the mouth of
the woman who had supplanted her in her
husband g heart
But even as she lowered the pillow that
should suffocate the 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
sweeter 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.
The invalid uttered some words of
thanks, and though inward1y 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 languidly. "Alas, would that
my pains could be as easily cured as
yOursl"
"You are in troubled Can I do any
thing for you? You have been so kind to
me that should like to help you, if I can. -
The sweet voice rang harshly upon Mrs
Marshau's ears.
''My trouble is mental, - she said, try
ing to subdue the harshness of her own
tones. GA Another woman has robbed me
of my husbands love, and my heart is
broken
Mrs. Je2hson had fallen back in the
chair, her hand pressed to her side.
81 see you sorry for me, - went on
the cold voice, while the speakers eyes
gazed triumphantly at the sudden white
ness that blanched the cheek. 60 You can
not understand why a woman should be
so wicked as to rob another of the husband
she loved. When the storm ragged the other
day, one of 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 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 1 have suffered. May every blight
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