The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-02-03

| "You are my wire. NO amount OF uiS'
Ike or shortcomings on your part alters
tK1t fact. We have been very unfortu-
nate in the past can see you are I'M
happy; and, in an indirect way, am
/ the cause Of your unhappiness. | would
! give a great deal to make things brighter
! for you, if You would let me"
She was touched by the earnestness
of his manner and tone.
"You are very good" she said; "and
I am sorry l behaved so badly to youY
| She stood silent for a few moments,
Polling watching her quietly; while they
| so stood the clock on the mantelpiece
| struck -.
| "You must go now" she told him
hurriedly. II have an appointment to
ride with some friends. Come again at
| this time tomorrow"
He did not attempt any outward dis
| play Of affection. but passed down the
stairs. He met Babette half way down.
with whom does your mistress ride
today he asked.
with the Baroness de Belette"-
woman well known for the pertinacity
with which she had chung to the extreme
edge of respectable society for the last
five years "They have a wager as to
who will ride the greatest distance on
horse belonging to Monsieur Crevin
which has always refused to carry
| lady"
Polling went on with a little unac-
knowledged anxiety in his heart. He
| would go back and try to dissuade Pau
! line from this mad freak but that he
| knew it would be useless; and any show
of authority on his part just now might
perhaps undo the little good he believed
he had accomplished.
He drove straight back to the hotel,
and sat with his chin resting on his
hands at the little table in the window
of his room. He was in a strange state
of mingled hope and dread. He did not
know what he wished; he only knew that
he meant to do what he conceived to be
his duty; the rest he must leave in higher
hands.
While thus musing over the past he
| was brought back to the present by the
sight of his wife cantering by in COM
pany with several others; and, following
them, he noticed fidgety chestnut horse,
with side-saddle on, which was being
led by a groom. Pauline looked up and
bowed gravely; he returned the greeting.
How handsome she looked! How well
she sat her horse! How proud he might
have been of her if she had never allow
ed the love of riches to- crowd the wom-
anliness out of her heart! He leaned
forward and watched her as far as he
could see from the window.
An hour later Polling was STOPPING
over his wife's poor crushed body in one
Of the little chatlets in the Bots de Bou-
logne. She had been thrown and tram
pied on, and was dying of internal hem
orrhage. Her voice was very low, and
her words came slowly, with many
pauses.
1T is heavens justice! After you
had gone this morning l made up my
mind to do as you wished. l thought
l would try to love you-you were so
good-and we should be-happy togeth-
er l had no right to be happy-after
my wickedness, and heaven has-settled
it!'
"My poor mistaken girv'
Eyes. that is true. I've been mis-
taken all-my life. No one ever-tried
to make me good. 1 was always left to
servants-when 1 was-a child. Heaven
is just, and the great Judge will re-
member my-great temptations. Will
you kiss me-just once, Alec? Say you
forgive met will make my mind
easier''
In spite Of his efforts not to disturb
her last moments by any show of feel
ing, large tear dropped upon her face.
She looked at him wonderingly, and put
up her finger to his cheek.
For me-" she said very softly-"you
cry for me. l do not deserve-to have
one mourner--at my death bed. l have
done evil to every one-but Jack. Give
him my No, will not leave mes
sages; they might bring curse"
Another spasm seized her; and, when
it had passed, the hue of death was
creeping over her face. 1t was all fin
ished now, and the strong young life that
had been so misused had come to an
end.
Polling took out card and left it
with the people of the house, and then
went straightway to see that all the
necessary arrangements were made for
the interment of her who had once been
very dear to him. He wrote short let
ter to Sir Godfrey that night. 1t ran:
"Dear Sir Geoffrey-Your niece, my
wife, was killed by fall from her horse
to-day. We were reconciled at the last.
Tell your daughter l can never express
my gratitude to her for sending me here:
| it viii always be solrce of thankful
| ness in my heart. The family jewels
are intact, Babette tells me, and they
will be sent by special courier. When
the funeral is over, | think shall join
Dornton in Italy, and toward the spring
we may w'rS our way homeward in
company. y Miss Ethel to keep us
ever green in her memory. I've set my
heart on go ng our young friend Jack
Royal A .lemician before many years.
With his talent, he wants only a little
| judicious pushing. and l mean to devote
my time to pushing him.
always your sincere friend,
ALEXANDER PELLING."
Ethel was greatly affected by this let
ter, and she went about with a very
sober face for some weeks, until the
preparations for Christmas absorbed her.
and left her no time for thinking of
handsome young artists or anything else.
| But, even in the midst of the excitement
| of Christmastide, there was always a