The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-29

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evening to his dull talk. And in another
week she would DO his wife.
The tree beneath which she and VIII
had parted became her favorite resort
| Here she could indulge In the luxury of "a
good cry" unrebuksd. and, grown desper-
ate with the nearer approach of the wed
ding day, sitting on the gnarled roots one
afternoon, she burst into very passionate
grief.
A acknowledgement above the
wall.
"Ahoy! Whativer's the matter, Miss
TregonS" he gravely inquired. "Shall
fetch Mr.. Hocken to ee?"
81 hate himl hate himW she sobbed
Historically.
"That's bad, said will sympathetically.
"What's he been up top
"Up to! Isn't he old2 Isn't he uglyi
Isn't he stupidp And-and-I hate him.
Mother may storm, but don't care. /"
Will vaulted over the wall.
On the day appointed for James Hook
ems nuptals the whole village flocked be-
times to the church. But neither BRIDE
groom nor bride put in an appearance, and
by and by 1t 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 IT,
dings could be CLEANED of the graceless cou-
pie. They had clean vanished, leaving no
clew to their whereabouts Mrs. TregoD' 8
tongue slarpened to double edged sword,
ready to Stay friend and foe alike who al
ludcd to her daughter. And the dumb
misery in Jims plain face was pitiful to
see. Old Isaac's heart ached for his son.
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 woeful story. She
had seen Bertha, who had confded to her
that after being married at registry
office Will and sho had decided to go to
America, but while looking in at a shop
window he had been robbed of his savings,
and that subsequently they were reduced
to great straits. Then he had brought her
tho welcome news that he had obtained
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. Pogg also said that Bertha
had refused to give her her address But
Jim asccrtained 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 livelong night. Il 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. "If you
must stir in this business find Bertha. It'd
be a 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 sullcn fire in his deep set eyes, "not 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 l swung for it."
But Pengelly was convinced that Will
had bctakcn himself to foreign parts"
And recalling this old Isaac WAS oncourag-
ed to hope that jim would be denied tho
opportunity of vengeance
Jim had been in London three months.
His quest had been unsuccessful, yet he
continued to haunt the principal thorough
fares, trmping 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 Il lamp
most abcnd of him foil forward in n henn
and Fastening his stems he underworld to
raise her But. with the light falling on
tho nollid hunger pinched fucc, "A eroan
escaped him. His aucst for Bertha Carter
had ended.
At that moment a policeman came I'D.
"Poor soull She's dead i" he said at
Glance Better so thnn the lean into the
water she was bent on, I've had my eyo
on her since o'clock. She seemed daged.n
The body was convened to the mortuary,
and the verdict at tho inquest was in ac-
cordonce with the medical testimouy-tbat
death was due to starvation,
Outwardly calm. his sole Thought to
ayengc Bertha. Jim staggered out of tho
court,
His inouirics for tho man who had rob-
bed him of the one level he coveted. to
cast it from him. mt length elected that
seaman answering to his description of
Carter was homcward bound from Snga-
pore. Thcnceforth, knowing neither hun
ger nor wc9rincss, he was watchful of new
arrivals at the docks
His desire for revenge was by now n
monomania. And today he lad a strange
prcscicnce that Will and he wcrc soon to
meet Self absorbed, in crossing the street
he was Knocked down by a druy, 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, "indicatinga 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 ton window, The flremen were heat
en- back by the blaze below. But Door will
he won't tell us his surname-couldD't
withstand their cries, and he climbed up
the water spout on to tho roof with a rope
and threw one end to them. and had &C.