North Park union., 1900-08-24
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help, darling" he said fervently. He.
too. would feel the separation; he
loved her as one does an affectionate
child who idolizes one. She never pre-
tended to be on equality with him. and
she was quite content to be Just loved
by him and petted: but she loved him
with all the force of her nature. She
saw that II she made any dificulties
1t would only worry him. and SO she
made none; but Alan could not but
notice that she grew thinner day by
day. DO you mind my going 80 much.
dear little one?" he asked her, on the
eve before his departure. They were
sitting on the verandah together, on
one of those moonlight nights which
always reminded Alan of the first
time he had seen Veronica. He, too.
was feeling sad. His poetical nature
was easily touched, and his wife's
quiet. dignified grief made 1t more DIFF
fcult to leave than any noisy demon
stration OF woe
Mind it," she said. her voice Vi
brating with passion. Mind it? You
don't know what 1t is to me! 1t IL like
tearing soul from body!"
He had not thought she had real
depth within her. "If you feel 1t like
that you will make me miserable" he
said.
viii II" She smiled. as II pleased
that she could make him feel miser-
able. You will understand when l
say that am pleased, won't you.
Alan?"
MY dear child. it is only a matter
of weeks! l don't suppose that shall
have been there fortnight before
shall have found something suitable
for you. And then. you know. have
arranged for this house to be taken OF
your hands, so that you may not have
any trouble"
1T is a dear little house!" she said,
with half n sign. Il shall always be
grateful to 1t. It is the only place
have ever been happy in"
He pinched her cheek. Men do not
always understand why woman
likes one house and not another. II
shall remember that you like ver-
andah with flowers round it," he said.
Have you any other likings about a
house. Veronica"
only that you must be inside It,"
she laughed, with rather pitiful at
tempt to be merry. Alan, you must
write the instant you arrive. and you
must not mind II my letters are short;
l write such bad letters"
But mine must be long-is that 1t.
little one?"
She laughed again and then she
stopped. How many days before you
get there. Alan. four or FIVE? And you
will be on that horrid black water at
night! Oh. l hate the thought of it,"
He laughed outright at this. And
I a sea captains son. Why. love the
water. Veronica! l could willingly
spend my life on IT."
The very next day he left. Veronica
had exercised all her strength and
courage, and she ncrved herself to wish
him goodbye; but she had dreamed Of
the man who she had known as father,
and that always alarmed her. Still.
though she was nervous, she was no
coward so she kept her fears to her.
SELF only she prayed earnestly that no
harm might come to her beloved, and
she showed him bright face before
she left. Alan accomplished his four
days voyage in safety, and wrote
home to his wife constantly. AS he
had predicted. there was no great diff
Guilty in finding a home which would
suit Veronica. He only placed the
necessities of life in 1t, knowing that
it would please her to make it pretty.
He got servants, and saw that the
place was full OF flowers; and though
his work engrossed him to the utmost,
yet he began to look forward to the
pleasant home life he had enjoyed in
Santa Rosa.
81 must not become selfish" he said
to himself. "A wife like Veronica, so
loving and yielding. makes man sell
fish; but | will not be that He
thought how he could make her life
fuller, by encouraging her to read and
to know more OF the outside world.
Just now l fill up her life." he
thought 81 may not always be
enough for her."
And then at last the day for her de-
parture came. He had booked her
berth for her in one of the best of the
little coasting steamers-the best was
bad, as we reckon steamers-and then
he waited for his wife The weather
was stormy, and he was rather un-
easy. Veronica would surely be bad
sailor, and she was not very strong
lust then. He was so little used to
think of weather and winds that he
was rather astonished to think how
nervous he had become. He put 1t
down to his love for Veronica.
Anyhow, he was down at the quay
early on the fourth morning, and was
still more uneasy at hearing that there
was no news of the steamer. He
haunted the quay all the next day,
rather to the detriment OF his work,
and at night he could not Sleep
Thoughts of Veronica's fears and suf-
ferings obtruded themselves. He
blamed himself for leaving her, for
not having returned to fetch her, al
though he could not well have left
She had always hated the water and
feared it. and he had loved 1t. The
next day he was down at the quay
again, trying to get some informatioh
about the steamer. In little while
not he alone, but the owners OF the
boat, began to get frightened. lhey