Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-09-20

lie stood askance before her.
trembling ceased. She turned her back
on Erickson and read by the moonlight
the candid words that he had written
In st. James park.
"My own poor boyw she whispered
through her tears. ooh. thank heaven
you had no money for those stamps!'
"Claire," he gasped, falling back. do
not speak to me like that! am not
worthy. You don't understand. You
should go your way and never think OF
me again.
"There Is somebody else," said the
girl calmly.
"Hushw lie said hoarsely. ut Is not
that. I love you, my darllng-ah. God
knows how truly now! Yet / have
come to contemplate grief. | have
been everything that's bad"
He groaned She said nothing. but
caught his hand and pressed it,
ooh, Claire" he cried. at was mad
ness, I think! was mad at leaving
you and Old England perhaps forever.
And the ship wouldn't sail, Claire; the
shin wouldn't sail! When went to the
office, thinking had about three days,
they told lne she would be three weeks.
I walked out Of that Office swearing
I'd find some other, but all found
was the road to the bad. Drink and
dice and cards! You asked me to tell
YOU all. L tell you all can. tell II
you to set you against me and make
you hate me forever. That Is the kind
est thing. Claire, Claire, why don't
YOU strike me? Why don't you scorn
me and leave me to my fate? Oh, Oh,
I could bear 1t better than this!
Her warm arms were about him.
| They clasped him tight. He could hear
| her heart and his own.
| Suddenly she stood apart from him.
with small clinched fists glitterlng
with rings. He held bis breath.
"The man who is at the bottom or
all this" said she, "whO is he? How
was IT? You speak of him In your let
ter. Tell me more"
.'What Is the use2 The thing Is done.
It's past mending, and it was my own
miserable fault. Most of my money
went in fair play -and-riOt! He only
relieved me Of the residue. Yet l tell
you, Claire" with sudden fury, "ld
20 contentedly to my account If couid
only kick him along in front of me the
whole way! Yes, I'd hang for the
hound and think the satisfaction cheap
at the price!
"What is his name" demanded
Claire
"Blaydes," said Tom, "B-l-a-y-d-e-s.
Captain Blaydes, forsooth, on half pay!
Blaydes of the guards. who disgraced
themselves for all time by not
He broke Off and stood looking at the
girl.
"By not whatY' whispered Claire,
who had glanced involuntarily through
the gate toward the distant lighted
windows, and who we now trembling
again, with new and dreadful agita'
| ton.
"By not cashIering your friend, Cap
tain Blaydes"
"He IS no friend Of mine"
ale is at your house tonightp' cried
Erichsen, with uncontrolled excite
ment
"NO--he Is not"
"Then give me his address"
'Tom--I cannot"
"You cannot? You who said y0t
would do anything In your power te
help me? And this Is all ask-thls
villains address! Oh, Claire, he Is not
fit for you to speak to-"
Claire answered with deliberate res
ervations. Her duty was clear as the
stars. Tom and Blaydes must be kept
apart-that night at all events. Their
many things must be done, but quietly
and with due forethought. Above all
no fresh fuel must he added to the vim
dictlve fires now sm0ldering In bel
lovers speaking eyes. So Claire decid
ed to keep to herself her own opinion
of Captain Blaydes.
She had noticed wi hout commen'
the heavy stick lying in the grass
She turned faint at the thought of bel
fiery Tom encountering the captain 81
armed and so aggrIeved, but she In
T sisted Oh his telling her of his wrong.
Tom. promised not to seek an inter
view with Blaydcs for two clear days
and not to harm him then, and on this
understanding Claire at last confessed
that the captain had taken rooms fol
the summer in the village Of Wes
End, bare mile from where they
stood.
They had finished with Blaydes ant
were beginning to say goodby. wheI
Claire started and vowed she heard {
rustic at the gate. At that instant
there came breath Of wind; the gate
shut with clean metallic click; sh,