The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-07-21


croaking vagabond! You would have
grumbled in the Garden Of Eden"
The philosopher of the Expedition
was not a man to be silenced by re-
ferring him to the Garden Of Eden.
Paradise itself was not perfect to John
Want
II hope l could be cheerful any
where, sir" said the ships cook.
But you mark my words-there must
have been deal of troublesome work
with the fiower-beds in the Garden
Of Eden"
Having entered that unanswerable
protest, John Want shouldered the
box, and drifted drearily out of the
boat-house.
Left by himself, Crawford looked at
his watch, and called to a sailor out
side.
Where are the ladies?" he asked.
Mrs Crawford is coming this way,
sir. She was just behind you when
you came in"
rs Miss Burnham with her?"
the beach with the passengers. l
heard the young lady asking after you,
sir"
Asking after me?" Crawford con-
sidered with himself, as he repeated
the words. He added, in lower and
graver tones, You had better tell Miss
Burnham you have seen me here"
The man made his salute and went
out. Crawford took turn in the
boat-house. Rescued from death in the
Arctic wastes, aud reunited to a beau
tiful wife, the lieutenant looked, never
tneless, unaccountably anxious and de-
pressed. What could he be thinking
or! He was thinking of Clara.
On the first day when the rescued
men were received on board the ANA
ION, Clara had embarrassed and dis
tressed, not Crawford only, but the
other officers of the Expedition as well,
by the manner in which she questioned
them on the subject of Francis AL
dersley and Richard Wardour. She
had shown no signs of dismay or des-
pair when she heard that no news had
been received of the two missing men.
On the next day, and the next, the
tempest still ragged, and the passengers
were not able to leave their state
rooms. But now, when the weather
had moderated and the ship had an
chored-now, when officers and pas
sengers alike were on shore, with leis-
ure time at their disposal-Clara had
opportunities of returning to the sub
ject OF the lost men, which would
make 1t impossible for Crawford to
plead an excuse for not answering her.
These were the reflections which
now Troubled Crawford, and which
presented him, after his rescue, in the
strangely inappropriate character of a
depressed and anxious man. His
brother officers, as he well knew,
locked to him to take the chief re-
sEonsibility. If he declined to accept
Il, he would instantly confirm the hor-
rible suspicion in Clara's mind. The
emergency must be met; but how to
meet it-at once honorably and merci-
fully-was more than Crawford could
tell. He was still lost in his own
gloomy thoughts, when his wife en-
tered the boat-house. Turning to look
at her, he saw his own perturbations
and anxieties plainly reflected in Mrs.
Crayford's face.
Have you seen anything Of Clara p"
he asked. us she still on the beach?"
"She is following me to this place"
Mrs. Crawford replied. 81 have been
speaking to her this morning. She is
just as resolute as ever to insist on
your telling her of the circumstances
under which Frank is missing. AS
things are, you have no alternative but
to answer her.
Help me to answer her, Lucy. Tell
me. before she comes in, how this hor-
rible suspicion first took possession of
her. All she could possibly have
known when we left England was that
the two men were appointed to sepa-
rate ships. What could have led her to
suspect that they ..ad come together"
she was firmly persuaded.
that they would come together when
the Expedition left England. And she
had read In books of Arctic travel. OF
men left behind by their comrades on
the march. and of men adrift on ice
bergs. With her mind full Of these
images and forebodings, she saw Frank
and Warour Tor dreamed of them) in
one of her attacks of trance. l was
by her side-I heard what she said at
the time. She warned Frank that
wardour had discovered the truth.
She called out to him, While you can
stand, keep with the other men,