The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17

parture. Mrs. Cairns tossed the letter
Sayly to her husband, and watched him
as he read 1t.
The hand is like yours" he observed.
Isabel nodded. Cairns said no more, but
gave her back Winifred's letter and
plunged In to the perusal of a legal look
ing document which had been delivered
at the same time. 1t was, in fact, sun
pOena to appear as witness for the de-
PENDANT, Captain Dunstone, In cose in
which the plaintiff, an a. b, reduced TO
the ordinary rating for sheer. lncompe-
tency. sued to recover full wages for the
voyage completed by the Venture. 81
they can't do without me-" he said,
frownIng. and pulling his fair beard
and all through that longshore swab
who palmed himself off on the skipper for
seaman. I've got TO leave you, Isabel.
and go up to London.
oh" she cried, with dismayed in
tonation. How long shall you be away?
About four days; answered; Cairns
drawing her hand about his neck.
And | shall be all alone said his
wife.
Cant lee helpedr he commented Then
his knitted brow cleared. After all. my
rirl. it isn't as though the sailing of the
Venture meant oul parting. GU II nave
had enough of may company by the time
We raech Jamaica. Perhaps. before We
sight the western peak of those Blue
Mountains I've told you about you'll be
crying: Why did / marry me2-like the
girl I'm the country song
But the Joke was lpSi on lSdbti
"Oh, Jem,' she uttered with a gasp.
and a look of fear rose into her eyes:
If anything should part MS ! should
never know a happy hour again
1t seemed to Cairns. AS he kissed her
good-by nt the garden gate ON the morn
ing of the day on which he went up To-
I.ordon that never any man had had 50
beautiful or So fond a wlte before lie
was religious in a simple way. as he
looked up ut the bright June sky over
head he pulled OF his hat and thanked
God for the gift Of Isabel.
Judge how the languid air and bewil-
detinG confusion Of the court of law
agreed with this man. He lost flesh and
color in the three days that were occu-
pied by the lawsuit. When the train that
was to carry him home rolled out of the
station nis spirits revived and rose with
every dozen miles. For one thing. he
was several hours to the good; he was
going to surprise Isabel by coming olck
on the Thursday evening instead of the
Friday afternoon. lie purpoaely had alb
stained from telling her. in order to en-
joy her rapture of delight at seeing him
unexpectedly. The man was, as you VIII
perceive a simpleton. In all the years
that he had gone to and fro upon the sea
he had seen much but learned nothing
of the world.
The salt smell Of the sea came to his
uostrils, and the grey marshes and mud
dy Oats, with the CLEAN Of sllvery grey
beyond. gave place to Cirimport railway
station, with a forest OF masts sticking
up beyond the tidal river bridge and the
docks His new mate was getting the
cargo one of beer and aerated waters
into the Venture. The painters and
gilJers had done their work upon the
cabin and stateroom; the upholsterers
were putting on the finishing touches: III
six days more the Venture would be
worked out of dock into the tideway;
then another night at anchor. heaving in
the pale yeasty surges, ana with the
green break of day the Venture would
sail and hey FOR life upon the salt ocean