The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-10-10

the long grass, crawling to his knees, old
Isaac peered cautiously over the wall.
Bertha was running toward the house,
and viii Carter, with his head thrown
back, striking in an opposite direction.
"Bless the little maid!" he calculated.
'One time l was afeared for Jim. But
he's got a good grip O. things. Yes,
! plenty more s~weethearts for WILL" he
chuckled, observant of the pose of his
head. "And there's but one in the
world for my lad-Bertha Tregon. May
my tongue be slit if l! et out to him."
Rising, Isaac ]shouldered his basket
and proceeded on his round.
The old fisherman had been somewhat
rash, however, in his conclusions.
By her w admissions, Bertha's de
cision had been prompted solely by fear
of her mother, and consideration for
James Hocken. But If on reflection she
were still willing TO sacrifice her hap
piness, VIII Carter certainly had no
intention of yielding to her weakness.
A fine seaman of whom Pengelly was
proud, for the past year Will had been
on board a yacht cruising in the Med
| W oAANAls HAN ~ DNSN hAAO" II
to herself, Mrs. Tregon had discount
tenanced his suit, and, although he had
every confidence in her, Bertha's ST.
lcnce had inspired misgivings not easy
to allay. Once more free, he had re-
turned at the earliest date to England,
and at Plymouth. where he landed, had
met a friend, who, among other items
of Pengelly news, informed him of her
desertion, adding:
"And she'll be Mrs. Hocken in a fort
night"
Determined to demand a full explain
alton from Bertha herself, VIII made no
comment. buthis laugh was unmit thful.
And with rage in his heart he had hailed
4 passing cab, driven to the railway sta
ton, and taken the train to Walcbridge.
Thence he would walk to the Trpgons'.
But the house in view, in crossing the
field, VIII espied Bertha in the garden,
tree that sheltered old Isaac. She had
swiftly joined him. Nevertheless, the
shock of his return was visible in her
white face, and her trembling lips would
frame no welcome. Looking at him i'm
ISbringly, her blue eyes filed. And
longing to clasp her in his arms, the re-
assuring words which. while enlighten-
ing him, had chilled Jim's father, did
duty for the r~eproaches he had come
primed with.
But viii had taken Bertha by sur
prise, and between her dread of him and
terror of her mother, who ruled the Ire
Gon household with a rod of iron, he
rightly OWNED hat she had caught at
the readiest means of escape which in
her distraction had presented itself to
her. Yet his faith in her tirmness was
limited; the revival of fond memories
would tend to lessen her mothers in
fluence. And cunningly calculating
that apparent Indifference would fur
Their incline her to be guided by his
Counsels later, he devoted a week to his
friends and generally enjoying himself.
His disappointment treated this light
ly, he succeeded in deluding everybody,
including Bertha, who shed bitter tears
in secret that he should be so easily com
soled for her loss. The bare sight OF
James Hocken almost maddened herl
and she had to hide her aversion to him.
and listen evening aftSr evening to his
dull talk. And in another week she
would be his wife.
The tree beneath which she and viii
Lad parted had become her favorite re-
sort. Here she could indulge in the
luxury of "a good cry" unrebuked; and,
grown desperate with the nearer APP
proach of the wedding day, sitting on
the gnarled roots m afternoon, she
burst into a very passion of grief.
A Acknowledgements above the
wall.
Alloy! Whativer's the matter, Miss
1regon?" he gravely inquired. Shall
! fetch Mr.. Hocken to 'ee?'
II hate him! Ihate him!" she sobbed
Historically.
That's bad" said Will, sympathiz-
ingly. whats he been up TOP"
up to! Isn't he old; isn't he ugly;
isn't he stupid! And-and-I hate him!
l hate him!" she reiterated. And I
won't marry him. Mother may storm.
butt l don't care"
viii vaulted over the wall.
On the day appointed for James
Hocken's nuptials the whole village
focked betimes to the church. But
neither bridegroom 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
tidings could be CLEANED of the grace
less couple. They had clean vanished.
no clew to their whereabouts.
Mrs. Tregon's tongue sharpened to a
double-edged sword, ready to Stay
friend and foe alike who alluded to her
daughter. And the dumb misery of
inns plain face was pitiful to see. Old
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 vas at length appeased. An
acquaintance of the runaways visited
London and returned with a woful
story. She had seen Bertha, who had
contided to her that after being mar
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