The Portland daily press., 1896-10-22

bllO WodiSA NC Ills WIG.
The. tree beneath which she and Will
had parted became her favorite resort.
Here she could indulge in the luxury Of "a
good cry unrebuked, and, grown desper-
ate with the nearer approach of the we'd
ding day, sitting on the gnarled roots ons
afternoon, she burst into very passionate
grief
A face-Will above tbs
wall
"Ahoy! Whativer's the matter, Miss
Tregon?" he gravely inquired "Shall
fetch Mr.. Hocken to ee?''
81 hate himl hate himp' she sobbed
Historically.
"That's bad," said Will sympathetically.
whats he been up tor
Cup to! Isn't he old? Isn't he uglyi
Isn't he stupid9 And-and-I hate him.
Mother may storm, but don't care.
Will vaulted over the wall.
On the day appointed for James Hook
sn's nuptials the whole village focked be-
times to the church. But neither bride
groom nor bride put in an appearance, and
by and by it was known that Will Carter
and Bertha Tregon were missing and that
there would be no wedding at Pengelly
that day
Weeks and months rolled by, and no I'll
dings could be CLEANED Of the graceless cou-
pie. They had clean vanished, leaving no
clew to their whereabouts. Mrs. Tregon's
tongue sharpened to double edged sword,
ready to slay friend and foe alike who al
luded to her daughter. And the dumb
misery in Jim's plain face was pitiful to
ola 6oI fo,,I IA
If he had only prepared him for the blow
to have been so imposed on-and with
his experience Of womankind.
Curiosity was at length appeased. An
acquaintance of the runaways visited Lon
don and returned with a woeful story. She
had seen Bertha, who had confded to her
that after being married at registry
Office Will and she had decided to go to
America, but while looking in at shop
window he had been robbed Of his savings,
and that subsequently they were reduced
to great straits. Then he had brought her
the welcome news that he had obtained a
berth on a steam launch, and the next
morning babe her goodby to go aboard,
since when she had never clapped her eyes
on him. Mrs Pegg also said that Bertha
had refused to give her her address. But
Jim ascertained that she had met her at
Rotherhithe, and that was enough for him.
"I'm off to London he announced
when he came down stairs after pacing the
floor the nvelong night "I shall never
rest until Carter and me are face to face !"
Thee be a fule, Jim," his father, who
had been disturbed by his monotonous
tread overhead, said peevishly. "n you
must stir in this business find Bertha It'd
be charity. For all her sharp temper
her mothers frettin herself into her grave
Take what money you want out o. my old
leather bag. Only promise, lad" noting
the sullen fire in his deep set eyes, tnot to
NEEDLE WI WILL
"Trust me to find Bertha. But she
would be destitute he said hoarsely
"And she may have become shame to
her kith and kin. And in that case no
promise would bind me, father. I'd have
his life If swung for it. -
But Pengelly was convinced that Win
had betaken himself to foreign parts. -
And recalling this old Isaac was encourage
ed to hope that Jim would be denied the
opportunity of vengeance.
Jim had been in London three months
His quest had been unsuccessful, yet he
continued to haunt the principal thorough
fares, tramping north, south, east and
west in turn
Big Ben had struck one He was re-
crossing Westminster bridge to his lodg-
ings when woman crouching by lamp
post ahead of him fell forward in heap,
and fastening his steps he endeavored to
raise her. But, with the light falling on
the pallid, hunger pinched face a groan
escaped him. His quest for Bertha Carter
had ended
At that moment a policeman came up.
Poor soul! She's dead" he said at a
glance. Better SO than the leap into the
water she was bent on. I've had my eye
on her since o'clock. She seemed dazed :"
The body was conveyed to the mortuary,
and the verdict at the inquest was in &C.
cordance with the medical testimony-that
death was due to starvation.
Outwardly calm, his sole thought to
avenge Bertha, Jim staggered out of the
court
His inquiries for the man who had rob-
bed him of the one jewel he coveted, to
cast it from him, at length elected that
seaman answering to his description of
Carter was homeward bound from Singa-
pore Thenceforth, knowing neither hum
SSA ASA "OoAA hOnnf LAG WesS WttUCIll ll1 VI u6H
arrivals at the docks.
His desire for revenge was by now a
monomania. And today he had strange
presoience that Will and he were soon to
meet. Self absorbed, in crossing the street
he was knocked down by dray, and,
stunned, conveyed to the hospital.
On recovering consciousness his first re
quest was for his discharge.
mot yet awhile" said the nurse. "But
you won't be dull. That poor chap yon-
der, "indioatinga bandaged object in dis
tant bed, "has been asking for you. You
don't recognize himP No wonder! He
was brought in months ago-after the fire
In St. Thomas street He was looking on,
and woman and some children appeared
at top window. The fremen We're beat
en- back by the blaze below But poor Will
he won't tell us his surname-couldn
Withstand their cries, and he climbed up
the water spout on to the roof with rope,
and threw one end to them, and had &C.
tually lowered two of the children in safe
ty when the walls collapsed. He was
picked up SO terribly injured that we had
little hope Of him. But he has done splen-
didly. If YOU
But Jim was midway across the ward