The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-12

beautiful Or 50 fond "a wife before lie
was religtOus in h simple way. and as ne
looked up AZ the bright June sky over,
head he pulled OFF has hat ana thanked
God for the gitt Of Isabel.
Judge how the languid air and bewilu-
cring confusion of the Court OF Law
agreed with this man. He lost flesh anu
color In the three days that were occu-
pied by the lDwsult. When the train that
Was 20 carry him home rolled out of the
station mis- spirits revived and rose WIN
eAery dozen miles For 0tie thing. he WAS
several houls 20 the good; he was going
To s+rinise Isabel by coming back on the
THURSDAY evening instead Of the Friday
aftcrnoon. He purposely mad abstaincd
from telling her, in order 60 enjoy her
rapture Of delight al seeing him uneN-
pectedly. The man was, az you will per-
ceivo. simpleton. In all the years that
ne hbi gone 10 and fro upon the sea ne
had seen much but learned nothing OF the
world.
The salt smell or the sea caue TO his
nostrils. and the gray marshes and mud
dN Hats, with the glcam Of siiverv gray
beyond. gave place 10 Grimport railway
station. with forest OF mastS sticking
~ beyond the tidal river bridge and the
DOCKS. Ills new mate was getting the ear
40, one OF beer and aerated waters, into
! The Venture. The painters and gilders
had done their work upon the cabin and
Stdteroom, the upholSterers were putting
on The finishing touches; IN six DAYS more
the Venture would be worked oht OF. dock
INTO the tideway: then another nlsnt NJ
anchor, hea wing I'm the pale. yeasty sur
ges, and with the green break of day the
Venture would saif. and hey for life upon
the salt ocean with Isabel IL was prop
er cradle for love, the bosom OF the sea.
III Cairns bad ever read any poetry, ne
would have known that these thoughts
of his We're poetical. but they seemed 20
him the merest. most natural prose. lie
walked Al "A good pace along the country
lanes. his broad shoulders well set back.
bis head up. his stick swinging. lie had
LETT his bag az the station. IL was 10 be
sent out To the cottage later on.
The quaint, thashed roof Of the cottage
rose into sight against the background
OF the strip OF woodland where lsabels
nightingales sang Ca4s felt a sick sorr
OF sinking al the heart when he saw no
tigire waiting at the gate to welcome
hifn Next moment he laughed. thinking
OF the surprise I'm store. He would not
go in by the front gate. lest Isabel should
see him. There was side wicket. and
he stole noiselessly I'm that way. Sailors
can tread softly as cats. jameson
Cairns stole noiselessly across the little
lawn 10 the muslin curtained window OF
the little parlor. the first home he had
ever shared with Isabel. The candles In
the old-fa shioned china sconces that
hung on each side OF the mantel-shelf
were lighted. II was n damp. cold June.
aud so A little wood fire cracked on the
hearth. And on the hearth rug stood MS
wife. Isabel in a white gown. With knot
OF roses at her breast And close 10 her
stood a man. young and handsome. and a
stranger To her husband. though evident
~ not TO her. for he held her elasned and
her hands were folded round his neck and
hey face-hushed like "A rose, though Isabel
was usually pale-was lifted 10 his with
laughing. dimpling; provoking coguetry
in II before.
He saw red and olutched at the window
sill 10 keep himself from CRYING cut. The
savage lust to kill possessed him; but be-
fore they died the traitor and traltress.
Jameson Cairns would hear what they
We're saving: One of the easements
| to the greedy ears that listened.
Where Is she?' the stranger said. lie
had "a sailorlke look, aud was dressed In
loose but we'll made suit OF serge. gilt
| buttoned, and with the blue and white
mOhair braidinR on the cum and collar
edge that is uniform distinction OF the Of
ficers of one OF the greatest lines Of pas
senger steamers
Isabel laughed. The laugh was round
and full.an had I'm IL something that was
unfamiliar 10 Cairns.
''She is lying down. She has been
watching all day-for him..
Obviously she meant the landlady. But
the nan was speaking-
When will he Gomez
Not before tomorrow"
They both laughed. and, seeing the rosy
lips, parted in their merriment. so near
his own, the stranger kissed them: and
Cairns, with a sound between curse and
n sob, let go his hold of the window ledge
and staggered back into the garden.
There was a little summer house. COW
cred with a Wildly luxurlant hop vine. in
the shelter OF which he and Isabel had
spent many golden hours OF the honey
moon that had ended So abruptly. The
stricken man crept i'm there and crouched
upon the seat and elutehed his burning
blue as though with cold. and tried TO
think. lie had meant 10 Nil them loth--
to XIII the man only "a, anS a. then 60 to her ,1
say? Nothing. perhaps except that he
had found out. and that IL was all over.
Those flushed cheeks. would they bleach
Would the laugh wither hideously from
those red lips. or would they still smile as
they asked him I'm defiance. ''Why did you
come back so soon? You knew all women
We're alike. 81. You might have
guessed
That sent the man TO his feet.as though
the words had actually been spoken.s He
the man. there. before her. Nothing else
would do He remembered the revolver he
carried. and slipped his hand behind him
and drew IT, and, crouching. moved noise
lessly with CLASSY. staring eyes, and
cold, dropped jaw of Death masking liv
ing hate and the burning. aueuchless
thirst FOR vengeance, back ovcr the grass
10 the window. a slight. familiar. clink-
ing sound Same 10 him as he drew near.
His eyes were dazzled by the light and
color which streamcd from the heart OF
that homely little dwelling, lie leaned
forward, holding his breath, And with the
revolver ready. And then he made the
great, the astounding. the Overwhelming
discovery that there were three persons
in the room. seated round "a table. drink
ing tea. that one of them was the dark
young man whom he, James Cairns. had
Intended to kill and that the other two
were his wife. Isabel. And then he knew
that he was mad, and laughed out wildly:
and there was an exclamation in voice
he had once loved. an uprising from the
table and footsteps in the little hall. aud
his wife was out In the garden. upon his
breast. and welcoming him with soft. t.hur-
ried cries Of ioy before Jameson Cairns
could hide away the revolver.
"Oh Jem,' she cried. u knew IL was
YOU Something told me that you would
bc back before tomorrow And now come
in aud let me show you something. Jem'
She took her husband by the unresist-
! ing hand and led him into the warm.
bright fragrant little cottage parlor. Jem
| Cairns had had no previous experiences
| of emotions at ali resembling those he
\ had Just gone through. lie hastily con-
| cealed the revolver with which ne had
meant 10 shoot the dark young man,
when the dark young man got
up with q welcoming smile and nm out
| stretched hand.
"ft IS MIR. Couison." sald Isabel who
| is engaged 10 nay sister. He brought her
| down here Yesterday. and will come down
again 20 take ber back when her visit Is
| over And this Is Winifred " she went on.
with little ch'rkle OF delight az Jem's =
| annarent bvwrlderplent In the presence
| OF = replica ~ herself You never guess
! ed that We were twins did vou7"
Never" said Jamcaon Cairns. lie held