The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-03
Mben the Mist
Cleared
By Kate NJ. cleary
cepynob.. l9o4. by kats N. e:Ie.y


with him would be u shock. but she
had trusted to the hope that. being
forewarned. she would also be fore
armed. And she felt helplessly furious
i TO realize that she had grown cold and
white the instant he stood before her.
She had been crossing to the parlor
from the dining room after luncheon
when Roy Cameron had come along
the hall.
"Isabel!' he exclaimed. his voice low
and significant. Isabel
She was more beautiful than the girl
he had wooed. She had bloomed out in
the atmosphere Of luxury and in the
assured social position that had come
to her with her marriage. And he
found this new charm immensely at
tractive. He rejoiced that the hand
she gave him an instant trembled in
his own. But his eyes, that dwelt as If
in fascination upon her face. were dark
with unutterable reproach.
Her first words were piteously defen-
sive.
1T was all in the papers," she fall
tered. Every one believed it. Your
own mother accepted the news of your
death as true
81 wish to God that it had been" he
said passionately. SWhen later read
Of your marriage-well. hated those
who pulled the Spanish knife out of my
sider'
She shuddered. her sweet lips paling.
But you look quite well; quite like
your old self, she said anxiously.
''Oh, l got over that hurt all right.
It's the other l can't get over. Put on
your hat and come down on the beach.
Isabel--that is, If your husband doesn't
object" he added. with a slight sarcas-
tic curl of his handsome lip.
She drew herself up proudly.
MY husband" she said coldly, 'ob-
jects to nothing that / do. / will go
with you for short walk"
And she told herself the while she
flung on her golf cape and crushed a
little scarlet Tam O. Shanter down on
her dark hair with hands that still
shook that this was the only time she
would speak with him alone. She
owed him an explanation, and he
should have It. He must not be per-
mitted to construe her emotion at sight
of him into belief that she still har-
bored a romantic attachment toward
him.
-
Towering cliffs hid them from the
sprawling, fashionable town. The roar
of the surf came up to them in low,
booming, thunderouS monotone. Ahead,
behind, over the vistas of sand and
vast surges of the ocean. hung a fog.
dense, illusory, silvery, mysterious. In
its riffs phantom ships were visible.
dipping and courtesying on their noise
less course.
ITS all very harmonious" said Roy
Cameron grimly. Might have been
made to order as setting for our lit
tie comedy, Ell? Nothing around us
but vague obscurity and we three
the most hopeless of all the ghosts that
walk
"we-three" she repeated, not COM
pretending.
You and land the ghost of our
vanished happiness" he said.
"oh!' she murmured. Then for a
little while they walked on in silence.
Isabel" he asked suddenly. bending
forward to look into her averted face.
why did you marry that rich MANI"
Her wifely pride rose instantly in
arms at the insinuation.
You speak as though Robert Graemo
were a rich man only" she said in
dignantly. HE is good mana wise
and honorable man"
But you did not love him." Cameron
went on mercilessly. ''And you were
engaged to me-"
They told me you were dead in the
Philippines she burst out, harassed
and eager to have the talk over. "My
brother Frank was In tremendous mon
etary difficulties. There was disgrace
Of some sort ahead for him. Mother
was breaking her heart over the whole
matter. And then--then Robert asked
me to be his wife. / knew he could
TX up everything. Besides. / was very
fond of him. I always admired him
very much!' she ended defantly.
"Ahr' he said quietly-too quietly.
THAT was the way. was it7"
They had walked rapidly, quite out
stripping all the others sauntering in
the same direction. Isabel was breath
less from haste The hulk of an old
boat drawn high on the beach offered
shelter from the rising wind and the
too insistent clamor Of the waves.
Mrs Graeme sat down on IN embank-
ment Of sand some children had made
in the shadow of the boat.
Il shall rest few minutes. Then
we will &c back" she said.
She was wholly unprepared for the
violence with which he broke into
speech.
Back! You would go back to him?
When 1t is /, Isabel, who have the
best, first, real right to you. II 1t
were not for that accused bIunder
about my death you would have been
waiting for me still.''
White. stricken. shocked, she sat
there while he raved on. She had new
er imagined such madness nor such
selfshness. for II was all of himself he
spoke-all for himself he cared. He
would miss her 50. he had great pos
sibilities, which only she could Inspire.
II she would only go away for awhile