The Van Buren press., 1895-01-19
A LIVE GHOST.
M ELLA MAcxEEB1N.

uot0 tu0y erot 4heso ou~SSso7
were not fragments Of , oon1ugstion,
but the exclamations Of joyous
crowd which leaned over the sides Of
the GAmpania, - she steamed slowly
70 her dock, and the mass Of humanity
waiting upon tho pier became grad
ually individualixed.
Tom Stuart listened with pang OF
loneliness none the less keen because
u WAS unreasonable. He had informed
nobody Of his return, yet his heart
was heavy with the knowledge that
not one of those eager welcomes would
be for him, though he had wandered SO
much farther than any of these trav-
elers.
Two years before he had rushed
away In the hot desperation Of
lovers quarrel. But In darkest
Africa" deaths everyday neighbor.
hood had taught him many lessons,
and part of that stern teaching had
been the translstinR Of what seemed
the dignifed self-aascrtiou Of his eb.
rupt departure into cruel injustice
toward the girl who loved him. For OF
course Mabel loved him; else why
should she have promised her beauty
and her fortune to him, penniless Tom
Stuart. who possessed only paint
brush for future reliance. 1t was her
money, or rather his lack Of money,
which had made him 30 easily offend-
I'd whom Van Eyck continued to haunt
her steps after the announcement 81
their engagement He had been jeal-
0us, she had been rcsentful; they had
quarreled, and within three days he
had joined an expedition fitted out by
. couple Of wealthy young fellows OF
his acquaintance, who were inspired
by the craze for African exploration
prevalent among the youthful million
aire unemployed"
How long were those two years!
Through what . lifetime Of monoto-
noua marches and dreary watches he
had dreamed Of the letters from her
which he was convinced he should
find when his party got back to Zan:
xibar. where civilization and the mail
service ended. Was II not one of her
half-tendcr, half-mocking assertions,
In the first glad days Of their engage
ment, that q woman must naturally
prefer to ask forgiveness OF the man
she loved. rather than to bsstow her
forgiveness upon him?
But, though dozens Of letters awaited
his friends, there had been nothing for
him-nothingl
He was entirely bereft Of family ties,
and Of NO social or financial impor-
tance. Only to Mabel had he desired
to cable news of his safety; and her
anxiety was obviously not incapable
Of further endurance.
In the midst of the joyful messages
scnt homo by his comrades, Tom
Stuart had maintained the silence of
his disappointment Nor had he
wished to break II through all the
many weeks which are required even
nowadays to bring traveller from
Zanzibar to New York, until this
foolish longing for q welcome over
took him ~ he arrived, unexpected and
unrecognixed. among the happy meet
ings upon the Cunard pier. Yet not
quite unrecognixed. @.----s s..
While he was accounting to Gus
toms inspector for his portfolio OF
African sketches he became aware OF
IN oddly amazed stare fixed upon him,
and recollected the perpetrator thereof
to be . former acquaintance.
"Halloo, Jacksoni" he exclaimed,
Renially.
His extended hand was accepted
hesitatingly.
"Tom Stuart?" jackson stammered,
with IN uncertain smile. beg your
pardon. III thought you were dead. !"
''Never more alive" Tom declared
struggling against an absurd dismay
st the quality Of this flrst greeting.
'sYou look splendidly," jackson con-
tinued. with dawning cordiality. II
heard that the expedition had returned
safely ~ Zanzibar . month ago But
there was = rumor Of your death soon
after your departure"
II am happy To be able to contradict
the rumor," Tom said, cynically;
s'though dare say most people will
have forgotten both me and my de.
mise, II the rumor Is two years old.
You should be proud of your very re-
tentive memory, Jaokso n"
With this utterance Of . natural II
unjustifiable resentment he stalked
away to cab, and was driven up
town.
New York was as dirty, dusty and
deserted AZ 1t usually ID early in August,
and Toms remem brance of African
heat became more ki ndly before he mr.
rived, perspiring and p perplexed, at his
club. He had never been . prominent
member of that agreeable institution,
but hc had frequented Il for many
years. and. should everybody he knew
be out Of tho city, he relied forlornly
upon recognition from the servants
The hall porter. however. proved tc
be newcomer, who replied to Tome
inquiry for room with the formula;
Only club members received, SIR"
"You will find my name on the
books-Thomas Stuart"
The porter drew . careful finger NJ
the column belonging to the letter s
Then he confronted Tom dumbly, di
vided between amusement and indig
nation.
Nv ellP" Tom demanded, chill o.
suspicion stealing down his spine
not pleasant chill. even In August
1.-THE Thomas Stuart ON this list ID
dead"
Don't you see that am alivea'
cried Tom.
''Yes," the other admitted. sharply
''but don't see that you are Thomas
Stuart Here IL the star opposite the
gents name"
Call one of the old servants I've
been away two years." Tom said, reso'
lutely controlling his temper, as he