Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-12-23

and letting matters take their course,
especially where women were con-
scerned. 1t was enough for him that the
two who represented all the world to
him were well married. He started for
Europe with his daughter, and Stanton
reached San Francisco none the wiser
for what the old banker knew.
The young lawyer had almost a week
to dispose of before the sailing of the
steamer. The thought of it was hor-
rible. He knew no one. He dad not
wish to know anyone. If he had seen
a familiar face approaching he would
have fed from it.
He was unknown in California, and
the common civilities accorded to
stranger were responded to by him so
coldly that they were rarely repeated.
Very soon he found himself in has ideal
condition of being let alone. And yet
it was not his ideal.
He called in vain on common sense
to help him. He upbraided himself.
He denounced himself. I'm making
an idiotic fool of myself" he groaned.
But between fact and philosophy the
unfortunate shuttlecock was merciless-
ly battledoored, while a very common
disease developed, in accordance with
very we'll known laws.
If he could only have realized that
he was desperately in love, the case
would have promised much more salts
considering his symptoms the upheav-
ais of remorse for having cruelty
wrongeA a woman. He felt that she
must despise him.
He knew that she was his wife.
A fey business kilograms arrived and
were quickly answered. A few friend
| ly inquiries were forwarded, and were
utterly ignored. A letter came from
DR.. Borden, requiring a reply, and
Stanton struggled with it.
The good doctor wrote:
my Dear Boy:--I trusted you that
night, and / trust you still, but 1 am
| greatly troubled by reports and lack OF
facts. II you led me into marrying you
to 8 blank, simply that you might Sc
cure your uncle's fortune (howeveI
wise that step might be-, you betrayed
my love for you. 1t was a crime. II
she was a woman whom you are
ashamed to acknowledge, 1 have still
done you an injury rather than which
1 would willingly have sacrificed both
my hands"
81 shall land in the insane asylum be-
fore the steamer starts" Stanton
groaned, as he walked the room will
DR.. Borden's letter an his hand.
Passing a mirror he paused, folded
his arms, and stood, for time, calmly
looking into it.
Robert Stanton, you are a disgrace
to humanity" he muttered. Throwing
himself down at the table, he wrot,
, to DR.. Borden:
81 am leaving for Japan, and mus
, answer you briefly. You did not marry
me to a blank or to a woman an
ashamed to acknowledge. She was pre-
cisely what 1 represented, a true WON
> an, and I would that were as worth,
Of my wife as she as of me-"
With a thrill of supreme deligh
Stanton hailed the first motion of thu
wheels as the steamer started, but i
was of very short duration.
He looked about the deck with
shudder. 1t was crowded with tn
promiscuous company always to b
E found on the Pacific.
D Before the land had disappeare,
Stanton discovered that it had been al
a mistake to imagine that the startin
] Of the steamer would better his condi
I ton. 1t had only changed it for tn
worse.
I AS the dark fringe sank into tn
g eastern horizon he clutched the raj
g by pure muscular resistance to proven
:, himself from leaping into the water
: not to suicide, but in an overwhelmin
d desire to get back again to that fadin
l. fragment of America.
d The thought of Imprisonment in tina
d steamer while she crept over the thol
sands of miles of blank ocean was NOR
n horrible than anything he had sHffere
e on the land.
It ooh, Stanton, you fooli' he gaspe
5, Turning his back upon the east.
. walked deliberately up to company
: passengers and began conversatiC
with one Of them.
Before the sun had set the second ds
= the passengers generally had disco
cred that there was entertainmel
=. wherever Stanton CHANGED to be, al
that he was always the center of it.
There is a wide, diversity of taste al
sentiment upon those steamers, y
- no one seemed to take exception to Il
New York lawyer.
It, Hes the jolliest fellow ever met
said a somewhat hayward governme
IN clerk to two or three near him, when
lis week from shore.
he Don't often find jovial chap Ii
tn him on board, that's fact" replied
It. purchasing agent.
tn she is a great addition to our CO..
T. pany," said venerable returning m
d. sionary, whose only objection to Sta
st ton was that such men spoke well
q him.
on Jolly? Jovial?" the captain of
h. steamer repeated, as his gray ey
on wandered down the deck to where Sta
Dr.. ton, as usual, was the center of a merl