El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-22
Continued from last Saturday.
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
He took her to little quiet village
within sound Of the sea, she loved so
well, and then by strict medical in
functions kept from her all subjects
likely to disturb or agitate her mind.
It was no difficult task; she never once
alluded to the past, or showed any anx-
1ety to learn the history Of the seven
years they lad spent apart-a bliss
full lethargy came over her, and
the mere fact of living, of be-
ing together again, was sufficient
for her. She wanted no explain
alton, no mutual confession, no ex-
PLANTATION, no mutual confession, no
cursion back into the land of trouble
and sorrow she had left, he assured
her, behind forever. But 1t was differ
ent with him. Jealousy even in the
supreme moment Of his happiness was
already gnawing at his heart and he
knew he could not live with her in
peace and let those seven years sleep.
One day, about a week after their
reunion, she was well enough to take
little turn on the shore; the soft salt
breeze blowing in her face brought
there tinge of returning health and
youth that tempted him to make an
effort to recall the past. She looked
at him with mournful eyes, then said
with peevish pathos-
What-can you not let me be.
Paul? I am alive and happy now-why
drag me back to death and torment?
I want to forget it all-all"
And so do l." he answered eagerly;
'but I cannot, I cannot, my wife, If
you will not speak. Men are different
from women, and, if I do not know
how and where you spent those seven
years, they will poison my peace I'M
til the day die. Tell me now, and I
will forget them, put them from me
after this hour, no matter what
what you tell me-"
She sighed restlessly, then spoke
$50 be it. The first three years after
left home. II spent, Paul, in-in a
-" She stopped, her eyes fell, she
slipped her little wasted hand visit
fully into his.
go on" he said hoarsely. 'rYou-
you have begun; must hear all now
You spent in "a"
Lunatic asylum, a pauper Iunatic
asylum outside London"
"My darling! Oh, my poor darling"
he cried, covering her hand with kiss
es, in burst of compassion and relief
"Our-our little son was born
there" she continued softly, after a
slight pause, "and after a few weeks
Of life went peacefully to Heaven He
he was a nice little child, they told
me, Paul, with fair hair like yours,
and very dark eyes. II don't remem-
Der him at all; but they kept me this
lock of his hair; it's pretty and soft,
isn't it? Poor little mitei never
gave him thought or a tear; he was
as well without. 1 dare say"
1.-The night you left me you went
straight TOTO the asylum" he
prompted, after a long pause. during
which they had sat with trembling
hands close clasped.
mo, no, to the river-to the river"
she answered quickly and feverishly,
bright spot burning On her cheek.
II was mad. you know, quite
mad, though I knew what II was
trying to do, and remembered it after
wards. You got my letter? You heard
about my poor mother, how 1 deceived
you-how they all deceived you-yes?"
She paused to take breath, then went
on quickly as if she were repeating
lesson she loathed, but was forced to
say
Il wanted to kill myself and end
1t ALL saw no harm. 1 jumped off
the first bridge above the churchyard
where the water was deep, and the
weight of my clothes kept me under
until I was half drowned; then nature
asserted itself. I could swim, you
know, in the widest seas, and, no
longer able to bear the agony Of suffo-
cation even in my madness, 1 struck
out for the bank, and then 1 suppose
for l remember nothing clearly after
that-wandered aimfessly across the
country all night and next day. I
was taken up as homeless vagrant,
lodged in poor-house. and thence sent
to the asylum, where after a couple Of
years memory by degrees came back
to me.
"I made cautious inquiries, and
found to my surprise that my mfser-
able identity was QUITE lost 1 had
given no hint, uttered no name during
my stay there, that would lead to dis
covery. I learned that the clothes I
wore when taken up by the police
were mere rags of the coarsest, most
loathsome kind, and bit of soiled pa
per bearing the name Elizabeth
Thompson found in the pocket Of the
dress served as my certificate Of bap-
tism, and so Elizabeth Thompson I re-
manned to all who met me during
those seven years. When and how my
clothes were changed and stolen, as
they undoubtedly were, 1 don't remem-
Der. After three years 1 was dis
charged as cured, and. as had shown
some capa nility for nursing during an
epidemic that visited the asylum. a
kind nun who had charge Of the Cath