The Opelousas courier., 1905-04-01

that h WINGED with pain, but il NY
blind rage | saw nothing.
Then, as | looked into her beautiful
eyes, and thought of them gazing up
at another as they gazed up at me,
and thought Of her red lips pressed
against his, my jealous rage became
so strong that l threw her from me,
and turned and rushed into the dark
ness.
| went at once to my rooms, pack
ed a small handbag, and, telling my
landlady / should not be back for
a few days, I rushed to the railroad
station. The whole of the time I was
practically bereft of my senses
When | alighted from the train at
Jersey City, it was my intention to
cross to New York by the ferry and
proceed to the Grand Central Sta
ton, but as l was crossing West
street there was a sudden Grassland
then darkness.
When 1 recovered my senses / was
in the Roosevelt Hospital. They told
me I had been there nearly a fort
night. | had been knocked down
by a cab, and the fall had brought
on conclusion of the brain.
1T has been a very narrow escape
said the nurse. Once or twice we
thought you were gone"
And when l was aene 1 said to my
self, would to Heaten that I had
died" But 1 lived oH sick at heart,
for o. there seemed not1fng to live for
As soon as possihR 1 left the hos
pital and went ~ Atlantic Gig to
recoup my healtM On the secon& day
of my stay was siunderstruck by OBJ
serving what 1 thsught to be Joan's
figure among the pVpmenaders, but af-
ter a while / assuh1Sd mNoelf that /
must have been mistaken.
How [ longed to see my lost love
again, to fold her in my arms and
call her mine. But my heart ached
when l thought of all that had been,
of how she had proved faithless to
me.
When I had fully recovered my
senses, all my sudden passion had
left me, with the exception of d dull
haired in my heart for my detested
rival. Gradually it conquered me, I'M
til | made up my mind that | would
follow him and never leave him until
| had killed him.
sat on the porch pondering on
this, and then l saw what confirmed
my suspicion OF the previous day. I
saw Joan, and with her was Jack
Carstairs.
Great Heaven! the whole world
reeled round me for a moment, and
then, with a bitter hatred gnawing at
me, [ calmly sat and watched them
pass. They did not see me, although
l sat quite close to them. Joan look
ed pale, and my heart beat with I'M
wonted rapidity as I gazed at her
great, pensive eyes. Perhaps she re-
pented her step, but he looked happy
enough.
Then I got up and walked in an OBJ.
posite direction, until 1 was on a road
leading inland. Here 1 lay among the
furze bushes, alone with my sad
thoughts. All was quiet, save for the
c%easeless nlurmuring of the mighty
waves as they broke upon the beach.
There l lay, thinking, planning,
wondering, and, Heaven knows, near
to weeping. All my senses, all my
feelings, yea, the whole Of me, cried
out for Joan, my l~ost>darling.
Then l started suddenly, for 1
thought heard my name whispered.
But it must have been the plantive
note of a bird that l heard, and once
more gave myself up to thought.
"Allan!"
There could be no mistake this
time, some n was speaking M
AS If in a dream l turned
my head and looked.
There was Joan.
Never until l die shall I forget that
moment. The murmur of the sea
changed into a march of triumph
by a mighty organ. The wall
of the G birds seemed as the
of Orpheus. The yellow bloom
on the furze bushes changed to virgin
gold. And all the sounds that were
seemed to hymn the one word, JOAN
I half started up, but the walk,
combined with the sudden excitement,
had been too much for me in my
weak state, and / fell backward to
ground. In a moment Joan was
beside me, and her arms were round
"Oh, Allan, Allan, why did you leave
she murmured.
I stammered back some incoherent
concerning my rival. Wonder
ngly she gazed at me, and then sud
ienly her eyes frightened, and a
queer little smile spread oyer her
ace.
why, that was Jack-my brother
lack, from Oregon!" she cried.
| was too thunderstruck to reply.
"And that was all the faith you had
n rae?' she went on, gravely.
ooh, my darling, can you forgive !.
ne?" | muttered, brokenly.
And her reply was to kiss me.
1t seems that Joan and her brother
lad seen me IN the promenade near
he hotels at Atlantic City, and Joan
lad turned back to speak to me, only
0 see me disappearing in the dis