The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-07-27
CHAPTER vI.-Continued.


her last In Sydney.
Then Seaton's fortitude, sustain
ed no longer by the 4everish' slim
illus Of doing kindly acts for her,
began to give way, and he despond-
ed deeply.
At nine In the evening he crept
upon General ROlleston's lawn,
where he had first seen her. He
sat down in sullen despair, upon
the very spot.
Then he came nearer the house.
There was lamp in the dining
room; he locked in and saw her.
She was seated at her fathers
knee, looking up at him fondly;
her hand was in his; the tears
were in their eyes; she had no
mother; he no son; they loved
one another devotedly. This, their
tender gesture, and their sad ST.
lence, spoke volumes to any one
that had known sorrow. Poor
Seaton sat down on the dewy
grass outside and wept because she
was weeping.
Her father sent her to bed early.
Seaton watched, as he had often
done before, till her light went out;
and then he flung himself on the
wet grass, and stared at the sky
in utter misery.
The mind Is often clearest in the
middle of the night; and all of a
sudden, he saw, as II written on
the sky, that she was going to Eng
land expressly to marry Arthur
Wardlaw.
At this revelation he started up,
stung with hate as well as love,
and his tortured mind rebelled
furiously. He repeated his vow
that this should never be; and
soon scheme came into his head
to prevent it; but it was project
so wild and dangerous. that, even
as his heated brain Matched it, his
cooler Judgment said, Fly, mad
man. fly! or this love will destroy
you!"
He listened to the voice of rea-
son, and in another minute he
was out -Q.Athe premises. He flut-
tered to his lodgings.
When he got there he could not
20 in: he turned and fluttered
about the streets, not knowing or
caring whittier; his mind was In
whirl; and, what with his bod
ily fever and his boiling heart,
passion began to overpower rea-
son, that had held out SO CALAMITY
till now. He found himself at the
harbor, staring with wild and blood
shot eyes at the Proserpine, he
who, an hour ago, had seen that
he had but one thing to do-to try
and forget young Wardlaw's bride.
He groaned aloud. and ran wildly
back into the town. He hurried
up and down one narrow street,
raging inwardly, like some wild
beast in its den.
By and by his mood changed,
and he hung round lamp post,
and fell to moaning and lamenting
his hard fate, and hers.
A policeman came up, took him
for a maudlin drunkard and half
advised, half admonished, him to
60 home.
At that he gave sort Of fierce,
despairing snarl and ran into the
next street, to be alone.
In this street he found a shop
omen. and lighted, though 1t was
but s o'clock in the morning. 1t
was BARRIERS, whose customers
were working people; Hair cutting,
sixpence; easy shaving, three
pence; hot coffee, fourpence the
cup. Seaton's eyes fell upon this
shop. He looked at it fixedly a
moment from the opposite side OF
the way, and then hurried on.
He turned suddenly and came
back. He crossed the road and en-
tered the shop. The barber was
leaning over the stove. removing a
can of boiling water from the fire
TO the hob. He turned at the sound
of Seaton's step, and revealed an
ugly countenance, rendered sinister
by squirt.
Seaton dropped into chair and
said, ~ want my beard taken off. =
The man looked at him, II 1t
could be called looking at him, and
said, dryly, ooh, do We? How much
am / to have for that job?"
"You know your own charge"
"Of course l do: threepence a
chin"
Every well. BE quick then"
stop a bit: that is my charge
for working folk. must have
something more off YOU"
Every well, man, I'll pay You
double"
"My price to you is 10 shillings. -
"Why, what is that for?" asked
Eeaton, In some alarm: he thought,
in his confusiSA. the man must have
read his heart.
"I'll tell we why" said the squirt
ing barber. ''No, wont: I'll show
ye." He brought a small mirror,
and suddenly clapped 1t before Sea-
tons eyes. Seaton started at his
own image; wild, CHASTITY, and the
eyes so bloodshot. The barber
chuckled. This start was an ex-
torted compliment to his own sa.
gacity. Now wasn't right?" said
he; did ought to take the beard
Off such mug as that--for less
than 10 shilllngs?"
II see," groaned Seaton; you
think have committed some crime
One man seGs me weeping with
misery: he calls me drunkard;
another sees me pale with the an
guish of my breaking heart; he
calls me felon; may Gods curse
g light on him and you, and all man
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