Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1901-03-20

NNSiOpiu ldSlt Oll buCu lulS5lOu Will
so heavy heart?
Her lips qulvered. 1t was the first
approach to those other wild words he
had last spoken on her wedding day.
Grief held her silent now, Some in
valid soldiers were joining the sailors
in the forecastle bunBs in lusty sing
ing, and the plaintive words came
floating aft;
We've wandered mony weary fit
Sin auld lang syne.
Don had stopped over to replace the
wrap thgt was dropping from her
shoulders, and as his hand for an in
slant came in contact with her neck
she felt 1t tremble. The sun was going
down in coppery mist Of crimson and
gold. 1t fell aslant Don's face, and she
saw it was paid and drawn. He
turned from her now, and, lighting a
cigar, stood by the taffrail looking
away from her. Moments-long mo-
ments-which seemed to her to grow
into hours, passed, and he stood there
still without moving. Only now and
then the cigar sent up pale wreath of
smoke upon the freshening breeze. A
lurid glow where the sun had gone
down streamed out far and wide upon
the horizon; then the glow faded, the
fiery purple tints passed from cloud
and wave, and suddenly it was night.
With SILVER Lille rose and stepped
to Don's side.
81 am going below now" she said,
coldly. Good night"
The cold formality which had be-
come already habitual to both seemed
for the moment beyond Don to assume,
for he took her hand, but did not re-
lease it.
"The storm is coming" he said
Look" Sea birds darted screaming
along the crests of the waves, the yes
sci pitched and rolled helplessly in the
trough of the pillows, and over all the
sky hung like black pail. Don spoke
again, and now more tenderness had
crept into his voice.
81 wish for your sake the squat was
over. You must try and go to sleep"
She shook her head.
81 don't feel like sleeping" she an
swered. She would have withdrawn
her hand, but Don's clasp upon it
frightened.
Shall come and sit with you for
a while?" he asked gently.
ooh, mol" The words broke from
her abruptly, almost with shrinking
dismay, and Don let her hand go, his
proud lip qulvering.
"Lillie!" he spoke hoarsely, don't
don't turn from me like this! 1t is
more than can bear! Won't you
won't you kiss me goodnight this
once?"
She drew back swiftly. Love and
pride were struggling fercely in her
breast; but pride dominated.
"All that is over now" she said, with
naughty bitterness. She turned to
leave him.
"Lillie!" he cried again, and at the
passion in his voice she stood still,
trembling, don't say it is all over. I
have tried to endure this and I can
not Let my love atone. Be pitiful,
forget my wrong, and take me back
into your heart!"
She looked at him. and for an in
slant their eyes met-Don's wild in de-
spairing entreaty, Lilies blinded with
sudden tears.
"How can l ever forget what has
broken my hearth she said bitterly.
She rushed from his side then and
down to her cabin; but Don stood on
where she had left him. seeing moth
ing, feeling nothing but the blackness
of his own despair. Love had driven
him to break down the barrier and
speak the anguish that was dragging
his soul down to the very abyss of
reckless remorse; but now she had re-
pulsed him nothing mattered. She had
shrunk from him as from some un-
clean thing, and death was more well
come than life.
Blinded by the salt spray and deaf
ened by the roar of the elements, he
leaned on at the taffrail when all 9TH
ers had gone below and he alone stood
there on deck. For suddenly, with
awful swiftness. the full fury of the
storm had burst. The sea had become
sheet of boiling foam. The wind
ragged and shook the gallant vessel,
which ever and anon rose with long,
steady lift to breast the watery preci-
plce, while cleaving the darkness came
flash after flash of lightning and the
dull roll of thunder, rising louder and
nearer above the wild roar of wind and
wave.
And still through it all Don leant
on. clinging to the taffrail unmovsd.