Evening journal., 1909-05-24
THE BIRTHMARK.
Ry eWENpoLlN ADAMS.


but soon after his marriage to his
American wife. "why is it that you.
who have very pretty round arms,
never show them uncovered?"
Il have two dresses made without
sleeves"
Yes. but when you wear either OF
them ! have noticed that you wear a
band Of black velvet midway between
shoulder and elbow"
That's to make me display that an
Client buckle which belonged to your
grandmother"
Their eyes met. There was distrust
in the husbands and fear In the wife's.
He had not only noticed what he had
/ referred TO. but thdt robing or disrob-
/ ing his wife had never uncovered her
right arm above the elbow. They had
been married three months before he
had made this discovery.
Hunt dear" she said, going to him
and endeayoring to caress away a
cloud resting upon his brow, Il viii
confess that | am hiding something
from you. a blemlsh."
"A blemish-a blemish on you'll Such
a thing can't be-"
Nevertheless there is something on
J my arm that / wish to conceal from
you"
"A birthmark"
She hesitated. glanced out OF a win.
dow and finally answered:
"Yes."
She He'd. and he knew she lied A
good woman or a good man may tell
lie. The man will tell It with all the
appearance OF a clear conscience. The
woman will spoil It by trying to soften
the deception or betray it in her look.
Sir Huntley arose and. without look
Ing at his wife. went out to his club.
He had met her in England, fallen in
love with her and married her with
out visiting her native land or inquir-
ing as to her antecedents. He knew
that she was but fairly educated, fair
ly refined and had no money. What
had fascinated him was an appear
: ance of sterling worth there was about
her Somehow he had felt that she
was to be relied on under any strain.
And now when It was too late he had
discovered that she was hiding some
thing from him and that she had lied
to him.
1t was early morning when he re-
turned. His wife was sleeping with a
= troubled look on her face. Her right
arm lay extended. Could he not lift
the sleeve and, without waking her
get a view Of what she was conceal.
ing? he advanced to do so and shrank
back. He was above possessing him.
self Of what she would not willingly
give him. For a moment he hesitated
= then went to his own room and TO bed
A cloud hung over the Hurlbuts
Neither mentioned the secret, yet botf
felt that it was turning their love tc
! bitterness. There were no reproaches
. no hot words. The husband was
scrupulously deferential. the wife ODE
dent TO his slightest wish, attentive e
: his slightest comfort Yet there wa:
an absence Of that delightful inter
change Of sympathy which had existed
up to the moment the husband haS
d discovered that his wife had a secre
!. which he was not permitted to share
Meanwhile his imagination was con
! juring all sorts of probabilities. Shl
might have been married before. Sh'
might have committed some sin o
which this so called birthmarS was al
uneradicable token. he thought o
crossing the ocean TO hunt up her rec
ord. What--hunt a record he dreadel
: to know He thought Of leaving her
A losing himself in the wilds Of some dis
tant continent. This. too. ne fun
away as impracticable. He could no
get on without her till be was assure'
there was some crime connected witt
her past. aud 10 know Of that Grim
would drive him mad
One day while be was about to ente
his house something fitted before hin
and fell on the walk. he picked It up
1t was a clipping from a newspaper
He glanced at IT. then crumpled It II
his hand. intending to throw it away
The door opened. and his wife me
him. with an anxious look on her face
After hasty greeting. such as passe'
between them since the secret came
she hurried out, and through pane o
glass he saw her looking for some
thing. Then he knew the clipping hal
p blown from her window. He went u
$, to his room. locked himself in an
sr read under a date OF ten years past;
Yesterday the brave girl who pulled ou
with a rope In the storm that wrecked n
Clara Jones submitted 10 have tattooe
upon her arm a memento OF her DARN
exploit. Bill Peters. an expert in sue
work, did the tattooins. and Il was eS
hihited last night at reception given N
wearer at the Sailors Snug Harbor.
= Sir Huntley went downstairs an
met his wife. who was returning fror
an unsuccessful hunt. He handed he
b the paper.
Are you that girl?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. paling.
"Why have you kept this from mel
Because you are so proud OF you
lineage lLnew It would wound you
learn that you had married one VIII
had belonged to fisher folks"
"You told me you were concealing
birthmark."
She hung her head.
"Pull up your sleeve"
She raised the sleeve and displaye
= an anchor tattooed in blue ink. Aero:
the anchor was the letter II.
"What does the II meanT
There was no reply for a time, the
a faint 81 don't know"
l.