Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-05-21

ed his own cause already. 1t is not
for me to cavp at him for doing that,
but cannot lose you without a word.
Whether you marry him or me or mel
Their of US, shall love you forever.
want you to know that 1t is no new
discovery to me. / think my heart
went out to you when / carried you in
my arms through the gale, and since
that hour you and have had expert
ences denied to most men and women
ere they reach the conclusion that they
are fit mates for the voyage Of life. Do
you feel that, sweetheart? Have we
known each other ten days or ten
years?''
His face was very near to hers now.
His arm was around her neck. 1t was
quite dark where they stood in the
shadow of the bridge. He could not
see the tears in her eyes, but he heard
her broken answer:
"Are you-quite-fair-in using such
words to me?''
''Fair, Elsie! Fair to whom?"
''Because-oh, how can I tell you?
Are you free toto speak to me in this
way? p
"Elsie, l am pledged to no other wo-
man, if that is what you mean. Who
has been telling you otherwise?''
mo one. Indeed-indeed, alone am
to blame You will be angry with me,
but l could not help It,"
She could say no more. If she had
uttered another syllable just then she
would have broken down completely.
Courtenay placed his hand under her
chin and lifted her unresisting lips to
his. He kissed her twice and laughed
softly, with glad confidence that sent
a wave of delight coursing through Ell
sizes veins.
Sweetheart he whispered, 81 am
sure you would not have allowed me to
speak SO plainly IL you were going to
send me away. Now, don't want you
to bind yourself irreyocably tonight.
That would certainly not be fair. I
don't know why I am to be angry or
what it was you couldn't help, and
don't care red cent. All want to
know is this-if the Kansas brings us
both back to the outer world once
more, have as good chance of win
ming your love as any other man?"
But l must tell you. / could not
look you in the face if you did not hear
1t. When l was left alone in your
cabin the second time and the sea
came in, packet of letters fell out of
some clothes which picked up from
the floor. There was one from your
sister. 1 hardly knew what | was do
ing, but I saw her name, .Madge,' and
I read a few words on the half page
above her signature"
His left arm was now so well estab
lished that his hand touched her cheek,
and he found it wet with tears.
, ''What wild coneeit has crept into
your pretty little head?" he cried in
amaze, unconsciously raising his voice
somewhat. "A letter from my sister,
She is the most straightforward wo-
man breathing, assure you. Never a
line has she written to me which could
bear any construction such as seems
to trouble you. Why, on the contrary,
Madge has often chaffed me for being
so like herself in giving no thought to
matrimony."
ut is horrid of me to persist, but
owe it to you to tell you what saw.
She alluded to your 'af1ianced wife
and said that under no other circum-
Stances whatever they We're, would
she receive her.
Then Courtenay laughed again, and
Elsie found it was absolutely essential
If Joey were not to be crushed that
her head should bend little forward,
with the obvious result that it rested
on Courtenay's shoulder.
81 must show you the whole of that
letter." he cried, "and the others which
are tied up in the same bundle. You
viii see me blush, | admit, but it will
not be from a sense OF perfidy. But
there is one thing you have forgotten,
Elsie" And his voice dropped to a
tense whisper again. TN telling me
your secret, which is no secret, you
have given me my answer. Your heart
must have crept out a little way to
meet mine, dear, or my sisters words
would not have perplexed you. So
that is why you have avoided me dur
ing the past few days! But there!
Now, indeed, l am not acting quite
fairly. 1t is unfair to ask you to con
fess when I want you to wait until we
win clear of our present difficulties be-
fore you decide whether or not you can
find it to your liking to make a poor
sailor man happy"
joey was highly accommodating
dog under certain conditions. He had
curled up so complacently that Elsie
found she could hold him quite easily
with one arm. So the other went out
in the darkness until it rested timidly
on her lovers disengaged shoulder
ut is easy to confess that which
is already known she murmured.
whether we are fated to live one day
or fifty years, it will be all the same to
me, DEAR