The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-21
(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ously, though she knew not exactly why.
9. sat have things which l feel ought to
say to you upon my m1nd-upon such
mind as is left me, for although | cannot
remember can think and realize, We
have been much and long together now,
Marion; | owe you my life, and, maybe,
you owe me yours. That in itself must
be a mutual debt great enough to bring
any man and woman very close together.
/ love you, Marion, and am sure you love
me. But | am in a strange and trying
position. To you, to all the passengers
| in this ship, nay, even TO my very self, /
am Charles Rawlings, a solitary stranger
found in little boat n mid-ocean. hut
have post, and that past yet remains
to be learnt. Is it possible that | am al
ready married? Who can tell that at this
very moment in some distant part of the
world my unknown wife may not be
wondering at my prolonged absence or
mourning for me as lost? Then, again,
who am I? Am l rich or poor? Oh,
Marion!' he exclaimed letting his voice
sink into :. fierce whisper aso other passen-
gers drew near, "this mental blindness is
terrible and never have l felt it more
keenly than at this moment!'
Patience, Charlie, patience" said the
girl soothingly, withdrawing her arm to
clasp his hand. Happily we know
enough about you to enable us on this
| snip s arrival TO go TO WOfk ana IND out
the rest
"That is true,' he exclaimed shut
what will the rest be? Look away over
that dark sea yonder The obscurity
which shrouds it is not deeper and more
mysterious than the shadow which at
present rests upon the whole of my exis-
tence down to within a few weeks ago."
Yes, Charlie, but follow up your smile
and the image will still be equally faith
| q 10
out the face Of the ocean from our view
will be presently giving way to the light
! of day, and then all will be clear and
bright once again. So will the blackness
which hangs cloudlike over your memory
break up and vanish before tho dawn of
recollection that must certainly follow
| when you find out who you are, hear
your own name pronoNn need, revisit famil
| lar scenes, and so forth. The monoto-
| nous and circumscribed horizon of the
sea gives your faculty of rec ling very
poor chance; but when you come to be
surrounded by the countless objects of
association which you will observe when
once you set foot on land, then you will
really indeed have an opportunity of test
ing your mind
/ Marion, once again say you are a
sensible little woman" he exclaimed
land your words are full of encourage
ment to me. -
There followed considerable pause.
They were standing side by side at the
break of the poop, overhanging the bull
wark there. Right forward at the other
end of the ship the seamen of the watch
were Assem- bled round about the windlas
smoking and EARNING. Suddenly some
one in the group began to play concer-
tina and the notes came along upon tho
wind in the plaintive melody of 'tHome
sweet home" Rawlings gave a quick
start on catching the air, and drew him
self up into q listening posture, full of
eagerness and attention,
"Do you remember that song2' ex-
claimed the girl, flushed by the hope that
some chord of memory had been touched
II seem to know It'll seem TO know
it," he muttered, contracting his brow
into q scowl In his effort to fix the fitting
phantasy OF recol ection that family glim-
mered out upon the darkened galleries of
his brain. what is it called?"
Home, sweet home
He repeated the words mechanically
but in voice which at once assured his
companion they were empty, unsugges-
tive sounds to him.
After a little she said, $50 you have
settled to stay with M. Hartreep Well,
since his house is at clearinghouse, and
therefore, no doubt, near my aunt's
shall see you oftenr'
"Oh, yes, trust so. 1 would that Il
!
you Marian, that we might land in Aus
tralia an engaged couple. But as you
Just now said, we must have patience.
Captain Sturgess has promised me every
assistance in his power. He will make
enquiries, and discover who were the
owners of the Lady Godiva. From them
l shall oubtedly be able to learn my
real name, If nothing more. Then the
captains idea of inserting paragraphs
giving the full particulars of my rescue
in the Sydney newspapers, may be produc-
tive of something to my advantage" He
added after moments hesitation,
"Marian, let us make a compact"
"Wbat is it, Charlie?" asked the girl,
in low voice.
"Do you love me?'
She pressed his hand in silence. Again
he paused, and then said ''I suppose
never under heaven was stranger CON
! dition imposed upon any pair of human
beings. That a man should have to ac-
+, company his proposal by such restric-
tions Marian, If we discover that / am
! q free man will you marry mePp
Still speaking in the same low voice
she ed yes. But when she reflect
ed upon the possibility of his being al
ready pledged to some other woman, her
emotions found vent in half stif1ed.
choking sob, and she turned her head
away from him that he might not per
celye ner agitation by the faint light of
the stars. By and by, when she had
regained her composure, she said eAnd
suppose you already have wife living?'
Surely" he exclaimed, speaking with
impassioned intensity, ''some secret in
stinct would tell me If that were SO.
| Father Of mercy To think that the
darkness of my brain should veil even
this from me!''
81 am selfish enough to pray that YOU
may prove to be a free man." said she.
"We can do nothing but wait with
patience, he replied, abstractedly follow
of phosphorescence glowing down in the
dark water that went ,sliding by. "We
| shall learn ALI in good time y,