West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-01-17
Ind. I'll don't Ihlnk i understand

wind. III don't nink i understand
yet" she said.
81 have led a ruined life" he went on
hurriedly. MY past record Is not n
pretty one. and yet there IL no act OF
my life which / regret 30 little as the
one for which they are running me
down. IL was a deed OF honor, though
II left blood upon my hands
Her ~quivering "a was turned away.
IL reached New York with the assist
ance OF a friend, the only man on earth
who knows and believes I'm me. He
secured a stateroom from an l.. Smith.
who was delayed. / took his name as
n safeguard, and when 1 saw yours be-
side me at table 1 concluded he was
your husband. and I played his part in
the eyes OF the passengers. IL succeed
cd we'll" He laughed bitterly. Law
renee was n guess" he added.
Then before her stricken eyes his
recklessness fell from him. ooh, IL /
could undo this" he said, 81 would go
back gladly TO stand my chances of the
gallows''-
A sob broke from her. flush" she
said wildly. "Haye you no mercy
noneT'
You must believe this" he went on
passlonately. that at the last 1 loved
you. You must believe"
She shook her head almost dellrious-
ly.
You must believe IT," he repeated
~savagely. IF / could make you be-
lieve II, L would lie down to let you
walk over me. You must believe that
l have loved you as l have loved no
other woman In my life-as / could
fove no other woman but you. You
must believe that" He put out his
hands as II TO touch her, but she shrank
away.
"No. mol" she cried. And she fed
into the obscurity OF the deck.
All That night she sat upon the edge
of her berth. Her eyes We're strained,
aud she stared blankly at the foam
breaking against the portfolio. Thought
hung suspended, and she felt herself
rocking mentally like n ship I'm open
sea. She saw her future brought TO
bay before the threatening present, and
she glanced ~furtively around in search
of some bywny OF escape. The walls
of the little stateroom seemed closing
upon her, and she felt the upper berth
bearing down. She sobbed convulsive-
ly. at was 80 short" she said.
When h came upon deck next day
II was high tide. and he steamer was
drawing into Liverpool. She wore n
closely fitting jacket and carried a
small bag In her hand. Through her
lowered veil her eyes showed with
scarlet lids, as II she had beer weep
Ing. The crowd of passengers, leaning
eagerly over the railing. parted slight
ly, and she caught n glimpse OF the
English landing. peopled by strange
English faces. A sob stuck in her
throat, and she fell hastily into n cor
ner. She dreaded setting foot upon n
strange shore. She heard the excited
voices vaguely, as she heard them sew
en- days ago upon sailing. They grated
upon her ears with the harsh inslstence
OF unshared gayety and made her own
unhapplness the more poignant.
"Why, there is Jack!' ran out the
voice OF n woman In front of her.
Lend me the glasses. Yes, It Is Jack.
He came up from London to meet mel"
Then the steamer drifted slowly to
the landing, and the voyage was over.
She saw the gangways swung across,
and n saw n dozen men stroll lei
surely aboard. Yes, the end had come.
''There is no harm In %goodby," said a
voice Mt her side.
She turned hastily. He was looking
down upon her. his eyes filed with the
old haunting gloom. "Goodby," she
answered.
He held out his hand. "And you will
go home like a sensible woman and
forget?"
81 will go home"
His face whitened. 'And forgetT"
Perhaps"
at is wise"
She looked up at him, her eyes wet
with tears. "Oh, how could your" she
cried b%rokenly. "How could your
He shook his head. Don't think of
me-" he responded. "It is not worth
the trouble"
The hand that held her bag shook
nervously. "I wish 1 had never seen
you" she said.
Then a voice startled them.
$50 you have got your wife safely
across, Mr.. Smith, II said, land no
worse for the voyage. May 1 have the
~pleasuTeT'
1t was the ships surgeon. a large
man with a Jovial face. Il am afraid
1t was not the brightest OF honey
moons" he added, with attempted IA
seriousness. She looked up, her face
paling, a sudden terror I'm her eyes.
A man with n telegram I'm his hand
passed them, glancing from right to
left. He stopped suddenly, wheeled
round and came toward them.
All at once her voice rang clear. she
laid her hand upon the arm Of the man
beside her. "It Is n honeymoon" she
said, and she smiled into the surgeons
face, 80 bright that even seasickness
couldn't dim It. You know, It has last
cd eight years.