The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-01
CHAPTER VII.


CHAPTER VII.
Veronica's face was as haggarn as
!Alan's. The blow had been 80 crush
dng, 80 unexpected that he had not
seemed glad to see her, that his heart
had not leapt out to her, as hers did
to him, that his eyes did not rest for
one moment upon the boy, was bad
enough; but that there should be an
other woman in her place! oh, that
Twas anguish intolerable! At last she
spoke. You love her, Alan?" she
asked.
Better than my life!" he answered
;passionately.
Obi" She gave a little shudder.
Then / will go and leave you to your
happiness" she said quietly. Its the
lonly way the only way. I will take
lour boy and go!''
But you cannot go!" he groaned.
Fl made you my wife, Veronica, and
las long as you live you will be my
wife, although my heart and hers may
break"
I break your hearth" cried Yer
tonica. why. would give my life
flor you. / would not have you I'M
happy for moment if could help it.
q love you as much as in the old
tdays, Alan, before the shipwreck. oh,
why was I saved?"
He looked at her, and poor Veron-
Iica's heart failed her. There was nc
love in that look. All the love OF
,rAlan's heart was given to Joyce.
There was pity and despair, but nc
love. When a woman loves man
sshe can soon see the difference. He
could not say that he praised God that
1she was saved, and he did not. "Tell
me about it," he said mechanically
If she talked he would be able to
think what it would be best to do for
her. But as for him, the despair OF
his heart almost choked him when he
thought that in about half an hour
he must pull down that beautiful fab
ric of their lives, must ruin Joyce for
ever! He could scarcely think of Yer
I onica in his overwhelming agony;
but she spoke, glad to see his inter
est
Il was washed in shore, into a
sandy bay. Alan. l mad gone through
the anguish of dying; but when the
people found me they brought me to-
but the shock had been too much for
me; could not remember anything
And then in about five months baby
was born. and then it all came to me
slowly. I was ill and weak and could
do nothing; could scarcely think
Then at last when wrote the letters
were sent back to me. and l heard a
rumor that you had gone back to Eng
land. was penniless. did not
know if you wanted our marriage &C
knowledged, SO did not write to Mr.
Dempster; but as my strength re-
turned my courage did also. Iebegan
giving singing and guitar lessons
People were good to me- worked
hard. and at last scraped together
enough money to take meip sailing
boat to England. hate the sea. i
& WAS afraid Of it; but you were there,
and came. But it was year before
I could find anything of you, and l
should not have found you at all but
Hutchinson told me he had seen you
and had spoken to you
when did he tell you that?"
Two days ago. But he told me
that he had seen you two months ago,
and you had spoken of me. You had
told him we were married, Alan
which he had not known He tracked
me home from a music shop, where
they get me music lessons; but can
not tell why he delayed
But Alan could. Hutchinson, in his
cruelty, knew that it would be the
ruin of Joyce's life as well as his own
If this marriage with her could be
consummated first. He knew Hutch
tnson hated him, so this was his re-
Yenge!
He tried to think of Veronica, but
s It was of no use. Joyce's image came
+ before him whenever he tried to think
of the poor girl who was his wife.
The little boy, also, was looking at
him with his, Alan's, own blue eyes,
which were so great contrast to his
curly dark hair. That these poor
creatures, dependent upon him for
love which he could not give, troubled
him.
Veronica he said at length, "will
you go back to where you live and 1
will write to you when l have seen
her?'
"The wife you lover" asked poor
Veronica.
eyes," said Alan. .will you do
that2 You know that you can trust
Eourse," said Veronica, simply.
do what. you say always. 1t
cry to me to think that have
you SO unhappy, when I thought
to make you happy"
y poor girl" he said, deeply
he'd by the contrition in her tone
by her sadness, you would have
pe very wrong il you had not
ne."'
She gave him her address and left
kim. When she had gone little way
Efrom him she took her boy in her
arms and Rugged him fiercely. ssHe
never looked at you. my own" she