The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-03-20
AFTER the
STORM
By William Haven Ross

The hurricane had died out. and the
only trace OF the storm upon the wa,
tiers was the heavy swell which tossed
the ships longboat.
The sun shone with tropical fervor
upon the three occupants Of the little
craft Not a sail was within the per.
spective. and no long wreath upon the
horizon gave sign of the presence OF !:
steamship.
At the bottom Of the boat, his head
resting upon the lap OF a young wonl-
an, a man lay. His face was white
and drawn, and the glitter of his eyes
told of extreme physical weakness.
The other man sat upon the stern
thwart and watched sea and sky with
anxious gaze. The woman's face had
the apathy Of prolonged suffering.
Water. Water murmured the
man at the bottom of the boat.
"Have patience. Tom," said the wom-
an in a mechanical voice. I'VE are in
the track of ships and must be rescued
sOon.''
mo" said Tom family; you will be
savetl-yOu and Dick-but not L.
Dick glanced at him In pity, but re-
manned silent. The woman pushed
back the matted hair from Toms eyes
with feeble fingers. but made no reply.
The look Of death was on the face pill
lowed upon her knee.
Three days had passed since Tom
and Kate. passengers, and Dick, mas
ter mariner, had abandoned the sink
ing bark West Wind, bound from Rio
to New York. OF the fate of their
shipmates they had no knowledge.
They had gone without food and with.
out drink, and the weight Of sheer ex.
haustion had begun TO deaden their
senses.
Finally Tom spoke again. He looked
Dick in the face searchingly and said:
will you forgive me. Richard: |
could die happier il you would. Kate
will never forgive me. but you might"
Forgive you" exclaimed Dick won
deringly. "Why, what have you done"'
You always loved Kate" said Tom.
"Yes," replied Dick very slowly and
after a pause; II always loved her"
"And she always loved you" said
Tom.
Dick half started from the thwart,
but checked himself.
The woman turned her face away.
81 came between you" said Tom. 81
did you both wrong. But. oh, how
l have suffered! You can't realize. Dick
you will never realiZe-the agony Of
mock possession, the anguish Of having
a wife who in her heart loathes your
slightest caress. She never loved me,
Dick, and | have been kind and good to
her always. But what are kindness and
goodness TO Il woman when she does
not love you? Nothing. Dick. worse
than nothing"
II don't understand you at ALL said
Dick. 81 know that you're out of your
head. Speak TO him. Kate; it may
quiet him."
But Kate neither spoke nor turned
her head.
mo; you will understand" said Tom.
tell YOU something. If l were not dy.
ing, perhaps you would kill me for it.
but would not care. do not want to
live unless | can have Kate"
Have Kate" repeated Dick. why,
man. she's your wife,
mo. no. cried Tom weakly. "She
never was my wife, 1t was only an
empty ceremony that shackled her to
me- She was always yours, Dick. and
yours only. Soon she will be yours for
ever"
Speak to him, Kate. He's ravins,"
said Dick hoarsely. but she sat as If
stone, watching the sky line.
you see." said Tom. "she will not
lie even to soothe, and she is right. for
lies are useless. l knew she loved you.
and | lied to keep you apart. You
thought it was friendship and kind
ness that made you master OF my West
Wind, but that was the first syllable
of my lie. l wanted to put half the
world between you two, SO l made you
captain of my best bark and chartered
her for China. Then the lie grew and
grew. 1t was | who had published In
New York and copied In the home
newspapers the lying notice that you
married n woman in New York the
day before you sailed. After Kate had
read the lie she thought the world was
at an end for her. so she married me-
Now you know it all except what !
have suffered. You can never realize
that"
There now was deep flush upon
Rates check. and Dick was bending
forward, speechlesS and glowerlng.
you won't forgive me. them asked
Tom pleadingly. She will soon be
yours, and-and-and I've left her ev-
erything."
Blast you and your money" cried
Dick. now upon his unsteady feet, with
a threatening gesture.
But Kate, who still sat with averted
gaze. put her arm across Toms face as
IL to protect him, and Dick sank back
sullenly upon the thwart and turned
his head away too. Thus they remain
ed for many minutes. But when Dick
again turned his eyes TO the horizon he
could scarcely restrain an exclamation.
Far away upon the edge OF the wa
ters was n sail.
1t then was but tiny blur. but the
president eye of the sailor saw at