Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-04-16

ernOOn Dr. Brent came Tor MS c1at
with David Stires. and the latter sent
her out for a walk.
All was quiet. No wisp of smoke
curled from the cabin chimney. no
work was forward. for Harry had
climbed far up the mountain. alone
with his thoughts. 1t was a favorable
opportunity.
Jessica had the fateful draft in her
hand as she ran quickly down the
trail and across the cleared space to
the cabin door. 1t was wide open
Peering warily. she saw that both
rooms were empty. and. with a guilty
last glance about her. she entered. A
nail In the wall held an old violin. and
beneath 1t was a shelf of books. She
took one from the meager row and
opened 1t curiously. 1t was David
Copperfeld." and she saw with kin
ding interest that heavy lines were
drawn along certain of the pages. She
looked about her. Where should she
put the draft? He had left a marker
In the book. He would open 1t again
no doubt. She laid the draft between
the printed leaves, beyond the marker.
Then, replacing the volume on the
shelf, she ran from the door and has
tened back up the steep trail to the
Knob.
Leaning back against the warm rock,
Tapped in the serene peacefulness of
the spot, Jessica fell into reverie.
Never since her wedding day had
she said to herself boldly 81 love him.
never till yesterday. Now all was
changed. Her thought was q tremu-
lous assurance: 81 shall stay here near
him day after day, watching. Some
day his memory will conn back, and
then my love will comfort him. The
town will forget it has hated and will
come to honor him. Some time, seeing
how he is changed, his father will for
give him and take him back, and we
shall all three go home to the white
house In the aspens. If not, then my
place will still be with Hugh. Perhaps
we shall live here. Perhaps a cabin
like that will be home, and | shall live
with him and work with him and care
for him."
Thus she dreamed-a new day dream,
unravaged by the sordid tests of YER
ity.
b~aSo absorbed was she that she did net
hear a step approaching over the
springy moss, a sharply broken breath
as the intruder stified an exclamation.
She had drawn her handkerchief
across her eyes against the dancing
giimmer of sunlight. Suddenly it drop
ped to her lap, and she half turned.
In an instant of surprise, as Harry's
look flashed into hers, a name sprang
unbidden to her lips-a name that
struck his strained face to sudden
Wilderness, ringing in his ears like the
note of a sunken bell. All that was
clamoring in him for speech rushed
into words.
"You call my name!' he cried. "You
know me! Have 1 ever been Hugh to
you? Your face, that white band
across your eyes, your voice, they came
to me like something far away that |
have known. l was mistaken. l was
crazy to think that you
He stopped. A wave of sympathy
passed we her. She felt a mad wish
to throw all aside, to cry 20 him: you
did know me! You loved me once! ]
am Jessica-I am your wife!" So in
tense was her emotion that it seemed
to her as if she had spoken his name
again audibly, but her lips had not
moved, and the tap of a woodpecker
on a nearby trunk sounded with harsh
distinctness.
81 have wanted to speak to you," she
said after an instant in which she
struggled for self control. you did
a brave thing yesterday "a splendid
thing. 1t saved me from sorrow all
my lifer'
He put aside her thanks with a GEES
ture. you saved me also. You found
me i'll and suffering, and your horse
carried me to my cabin
81 want to tell you" she went on
hastily. her fingers lacing. that ! dc
not judge you as others do. | know
about your past life-what you have
forgotten. | know you have put it all
behind you"
His face changed swiftly. Today
the determination with which he had
striven to put from his mind the prob
len of his clouded past had broken
down. In the light of the charge
which had been flung in his teeth the
afternoon before, his imagination had
dwelt in%tolerably on it.
s"You known he said hoarsely. yet
you say that! They stoned me in the
street the day l came back. Yester-
day they counted me a thief. 1t is like
a hideous nightmare that / can't wake
from. Who am /? Where did come
from? l dare not ask for fear of fur
Their shame! Can you imagine what
that means?"
She came close to him and touched
his arm.