The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-01

SDe stepped INTO t1e llglt.
II.
Tom Standish stood on deck with
his eyes turned to little white patch
with the sun upon IT in the distance
and with the salt spray beating in his
face.
1t was a warm, bright morning, and
all the vessel was astir with excite
ment. for they were nearing the land
at last, and the little white far-off
patch was Australia.
Tom stared out impatiently through
his glasses, blind and deaf to every
thing around him. He was heartsick
with disappointment and long waiting,
and somehow he was afraid.
When he had gone on the boat at
Southampton his sole thought was to
avoid being seen until they were some
miles out He did not want Bessie to
know that he was following her lest
she should he angry and make him
go back. and he had gone quietly down
to his cabin until they were almost
out Of sight Of land.
Then he began to search the ship
she had given him the name of the
boat and the date of sailing, and so
surely there could have been no mis-
take. Yet search as he might among
the crowd of passengers he could
catch no glimpse of Bessie's face. She
was not there. He searched every.
wherein the steerage among the
third-class passengers, in every hole
and corner, and yet from the day they
sailed until now he had not once seen
her.
At the first place they had touched
he had both wired and written to the
lady whose children she had taught,
but the only reply was a telegram at
the next stopping place saying that
Bessie had left them on the date she
said, and that they had supposed she
was on her way to Australia.
After that the only thing left Cor
Tom to do was TO wait with sickening
impatience for their arrival at Mel
bourne. When they did, and the great
boat was drawn up alongside the
quay, he scanned the faces of the
passengers, as he had scanned them a
hundred times before. and still failed
to see Bessie'S among them.
He hurried Off, more worried and
anxious than he would have cared to
own. Had she started after all? Had
she ever meant to start?
Sometimes the thought forced it.
self upon him that she had not in
tended to come out after all. Yet it
was not like Bessie, and where she
was now he dared not think.
He hurried along the Melbourne
streets toward George Fleming's
lodgings. He noted nothing as he
went except the direction given him
by a policeman. and when he reached
1t at last he waited impatiently for
some one to come.
The woman who opened the door
stared at him curiously There was
no one named Fleming there, she
said; he had left more than a month
ago. There were some letters for
him, and she did not know where to
send them.
Tom asked to see them, and when
she brought them to him his heart
sank, for they were Bessie's letters.
lie asked one other question-if
BESSIE had caled-and then turned
away.
\ minute later an idea occurred to
him, and he knocked mt the door
again.
"lf any one should come-especially
If it he a young lady-will you give
her this and tell her I'm here? There's
a hotel at the corner OF the street.
I'm putting up there. VIII you tell
herr"
The woman nodded and took his
card and he went slowly down the
street to the hotel. He walked with
bent head and knit brows Was he a
fool after all to come? Had Bessie
arranged TO come by a different boat
or for Fleming to meet her some
where else; or had something ugly
happened-had Fleming deserted her?
1t looked like it, and he could not
rest. He went again to the lodgings
late at night, and this time the wo.
man nodded at him knowingly.
so | suppose it's all right by this
time. en- sir?" she asked. II sup
pose you saw herr"
Tom was startled.
'Who?" he cried sharply. mot Miss
Leigh?"
"Of course, sir, who else? She
came just after you'd gone-and very
white and thin she looked sir, and she
was that taken aback when she heard
Mt Fleming wasn't here thought it
best to take her IN and give her soms
tea, sir"