Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-07-01
CHAPTER XVIII.

Wy lie CIlllCdl UuISlu6T!
CHAPTER XVIII.
Mary Anne made us our farewell
fire that night, almost putting it out
with the tears she shed as she ar
ranged the driftwood. For Mary Anne
was a veritable Niobe these last days,
poor soul, and every spare moment
was given over to weeping. She was
she told us as she struck the match,
going home to England, where she
hoped she might die happy some day.
If only she could learn to forget. She
could live on her savings, and If not,
work was always to be had when one
looked for it. And she hung lovingly
about US, too, with protestations OF
affection and regret at all that had
happened.
81 looked out fur you," she said; 81
done what I could, fur l come to love
you all, and 'ow could I 'elp it? ]
made 'em give back your ring, Miss
Elizabeth, which she took often youi
finger before you very h'eyes, miss
when you was 'olding of 'er and on
the rocks in the moonlight. Oh, she
was clever, she a But | made Eel
give it up. | went out that night, but
she was away wi AIRY Graham anG
l couldn't git it till next day. Which
it was my shadder and WHY'S you
seen that night, Miss Elise. He, ali
crazy, pore lad, because jest as soon
as you was out of sight she up and
fined AIRY Graham and went out or
the water wi i'm. And them rec
roses, Miss Gabrielle-you seen 'ow il
was. And she alwiz 'ad 'em, alwiz
AIRY Graham seen to that, and Willy
couldn't do nothing"
Here she paused for breath.
"And / never, never drugged yor
but the once" she continued-"in the
chocolate, you know. l wouldn't do II
for neither of 'em, and very ard they
thought of me for it, too; but 'ow
could l go for to do it and you trustin
me, even when you card me and
Willy talkin' in the cellar? And
brought you the tea myself that las
night, Miss Elise, when she wanted tt
give it to you 'erself and put a powder
in it to send you to sleep; but
wouldn't let 'er, for all she was my
sons wife. oh, Willy, Willy"
We got rid Of her after awhile, ant
settled down for our last evening
while the fire burned with its green
blue, lavender, and red lights, where
in / now found wonderful pictures and
not SO very remote either, and the
ocean rolled monotonously outside.
In the first long silence | told the
girls about it-glad that the lamp was
not lighted, and glad also that the
freight did not shine upon my face
Well, they were very, very nice, and
~considerate enough to ask but few
searching questions-although they
have since told me they were con
sumed with the desire to do so.
So the evening passed, and at last
we went unwillingly upstairs, careful
not to mention that it was our last
night in the little cottage, which, in
spite Of everything, we still loved.
/ lay broad awake for a long time
listening to the washing Of the
waves and thinking the thoughts thai
come to a girl but once in a lifetime
when / heard a low voice from the
next ROOM, and knew the others were
wakeful also.
Were you surprised, Elizabeth"
Eyes, II certainly was"-the EN-,
phasis in Elizabeth's tone left nc
room for doubt. Somehow, / never
associated Elise with marriage-oi
men either, for that matter"
Neither did !. She'll never be the
same again, but oh, Elizabeth, If II
had been you, what should / have
done?"
"And / was just lying here thinking
how dreadful 1T would have been If ii
had happened to you. So long as we
have each ether, nothing else mat
ters."
mo, mourning else matters. L nope
she'll be very happy. but Elise Isl
well. she's Elise, and / cant help won
dering how she is going to like mar.
ried life"
And | wonder, too, for, after all, II
is always like starting a very small
ship across a very broad ocean. But
| am not afraid of the voyage, for Cor
don is going with me, and we have
engaged a pilot whose name ia
spelled with four letters; he is war.
ranted to steer a safe course through
every sort OF weather, and we both
believe he will bring us safe into lntl
at last.
THE END.