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

! with Isabel, 1t was a proper cradle for
1 love, the bosom OF the sea.
| If Cairns had ever read any poetry he
would have known that these thoughts
, of his We're poetical. but they seemed to
him the merest, most natural prose. He
walked al q good pace along the country
lanes. his broad shoulders well set back
his head up, his stick swinging. lie had
/ left his bag at the station: K was to be
sent out to the cottage later on.
/ The quaint. matched roof of the cottage
| rose into sight against the background OF
! the strip of woodland where Isabel :
, nightingales sang, Cairns felt a sick sort
of sinking at the heart when he saw no
figure waiting at the gate to welcome him
Next moment he laughed. thinking of the
) surprise in store. He would not go in by
; the front gate. lest Isabel should see him
There was a side wicket. and he stole
noiselessly in that way. Sailors can tread
as StOftly as cats Jameson Cairns stole
! noiselessly across the little lawn to the
muslin curtained window of the little par
lor. the first home he had ever shared
with Isabel. The candles in the old fash
toned china sconces that hung on each
side of the mantelsheif We're lighted IL
was a damp. cold June, and so little
wood fire cracked on the hearth. And
on the hearth rug stood his wife, Isabel,
I'm a white gown, with a knot of roses at
her breast. And close to her stood n man.
young and handsome, and q stranger To
her husband, though evidently not to her.
for he held her cldSped, and her hanus
Were folded round his neck. and her face
flushed like a rose. though Isabel was
usually pale-was lifted to his with a
laughing. dimpling. provoking coduetry
which lsabeIs husband had never seen In
it before.
He saw red, and clutched at the window
sill to keep himself from crying out. Ihe
savage lust to Kill possessed him: but be
fore they died. the traitor and the trait
ress, Jameson Cairns would near what
they Were saying. one of the easements
stood open: the words came plain enough
To the greedy ears that listened
Where is she?'' the stranger said. He
had IA sailorlike look. and was dressed IN
a loose but well made suit of serge, GIT
buttoned. and with the blue ana Whlte
mohair braidiug on the cum ana collar
edge. that IL the uniform distinction of the
officers of one of the greatest lines of pas
senger steamers.
Isabel laughed The laugh was round
and full and had in it something that was
unfamiliar to Cairns.
She is lying down. She has been
watching all day-for him.
Obviously she meant the landlady. But
the man was speaking-
wv hen will he come?
Not before tomorrow.
They both laughed and. seeing the rosy
lips parted i'm their merriment, 50 near
his own the stranger kissed them ana
Cairns with a sound between IA curse anu
=, ,ioh lei 20 his hold ST the window ledge
and staggered back into the garden.
There was little summer hours, coy
cred with wildly iuxuriant mop EInet II,
suent many golden hours OF the money
moon that had ended so abruptly. me
At ricken man crept In there and crouched
upon the seat and clutched his burning
head between his stiff hands, chat were
blue as though with cold, and tried to
think He had meant TO XIII them both
to kill the man only. ana theh go 10 her
say? Nothing, perhaps, except that he
had found out and that it was all over