The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-03-24
POSSIBLY SHE WOULDN'T HAD
NOT THE GHOST ON THE
SHIP ABsOLvED HER.

wicked. Tell me ALL"
She listened to a story of shame
and cruel wrong, little dreaming
that the iron was to enter her soul
at the ending.
eff Captain Graham had lived"
the girl said.
What ship" She inquired with
strange calmness.
"The Agra. You you knew
him?" the girl questioned, fearing
she knew not what.
Eyes, l knew him" Her face
was very pale but resolute. "Give
me all the circumstantial details, if
you please"
And she did so, leaving no doubt
in the mind of her listener that the
girls betrayer and her own hus-
band, now dead two years, were
Identical.
She maintained her self control.
She shrank from letting the girl
| know that she had been his wife.
She wrote a note to a friend and
gave it to the other with instruc-
tions.
Mrs. Bryant needs girl to care
for the children just now, and
think you will suit her." Barbara
remarked as she dismissed the girl.
Left to herself, Barbara Graham
sat face to face with the disclosure.
It's poison was making it's way into
all the avenues of her soul, mixing
with the cherished recollections of
her dead husband.
She slipped a chased gold ring
from her finger and read the words
engraved inside: 81 will never
marry again" She recalled her
husbands strange insistence that
she should make this promise. He
had worn companion of the ring
as seal on his side of the COM
pact. Rather singularly, a few days
before his death he had lost his
ring.
Barbara had made the promise
and accepted the ring freely. If he
| should die she believed she would
never wish to marry. She did not
recognize the narrow, jealous self
ishness Of the request. His readi-
ness to agree to the compact was
to her-an additional proof of his
love. She did not know that he
had sailors superstition about his
death that proved to be well
| founded.
Her eyes had never been opened
until now, for during their two
short years of married life he had
made her happy. Had he lived
longer she would have been dis
enchanted.
For two weeks she pondered over
the girls revelation. Her paradise
OF retrospection was changed to a
waste of wilderness.
All this time Felix Harper had
not been to visit her. Perhaps some
silent intuition, some revelations in
visions Of the night, had taught him
that her soul was passing through
sea Of sorrow.
Felix Harper had been a true, but
not too officious friend Of hers for
years. He had remained unmarried
for her sake.
Break the promise?" she repeat
ed; "why, l should never know an
| other moment of peace. He loved
me so. He would never have mar
ried again"
| fCliA WiuCCu a iilIIC' IL was lOL
for him to tell her that her husband
was unworthy.
Singularly, Harper had been the
only male acquaintance whom Cap
tain Graham tolerated on terms OF
intimacy with his wife.
Strange you never married, Har.
per-" he remarked one day.
I'm looking for a wife as near
perfection as your" returner Har-
per, looking into the others eyes
with perfect equilibrium. A week
later Captain Graham had ordered
the rings and extorted the promise.
Gradually Barbara came out of
the gloom to find that the deepest,
sweetest springs Of her nature were
not embittered. Her thoughts be-
gan to so out freely to Felix. He
was drawing her by the fibers of a
~ l..
generous love.
She debated the possibility of
breaking the promise which had be-