Mexico Missouri message., 1910-09-01

this man was as free as l to choose
his course and order his life, knowing
nothing of his wife, l yielded to his
pleadings. l thought It was a noble
and splendid opportunity vouchsafed
me and in a measure, vouchsafed him
to show the world that we did really
believe what we said. Had l believed
in God then I should have said his
meeting with me, his conversion to
my theories, his passion for me, his
willingness to abide by my decision
were Providental. l was glad to con-
secrate my life to the truth, with his
aid to take the final step in attesta-
ton of my belief, to convince the
world that one woman at least had
the courage Of her convictions. 1t was
a mistake, a frightful mistake, an IT.
reparable mistake, for which / sup
pose that l must suffer to the end of
time"
NO" cried Langford, 81 am here
to repair the blunder."
There is no power on EARTH" said
the woman, passionately, that can
put me where l was; that can give me
back that l have lost"
Kate, Kate!" cried Langford, you
don't understand"
Il understand too we'll. Why con-
tinue the sorry story? Mr.. Whitaker,
and you that are men beyond, that
have wives and children and sweet
| hearts, that have been taught to love
God, to believe in him, and to observe
his laws, that have submitted your
selves gladly to the conventions of So
ciety-or II any be among you who
have outraged these and gone against
them, taken the law into your own
hands-you will understand sooner or
| later what came to me. l discovered
that there was nothing high or holy
in this mans regard for me; that he
persuaded himself that he believed as
simply to get possession Of me.
awoke to a dreaded realization, alone
with him on that yacht. He was not
kind to me. He acted according to
his lights"
Il will confess It," said Langford.
81 was a brute to her. drank; 1 ac-
knowledged that had a wife; said
she was in my power; called her
vile Names"
There was low growl, muttered
roar from the men behind Whitaker.
Even Langford's own men, in his own
pay, shrank back from him. The man
was frightfully pale, yet he went on
resolutely, Whitaker stilling the tu-
multi with appraised hand.
mo one" he cried, "can think more
hatefuuy Of a human being than !
think of myself now. l have not
learned her philosophy; l have learned
another and a better In some sort
Of a way at least I know that l can
never be happy until have made her
happy. l know that l love her now
as I should have loved her then I;
that l have hunted these seas for her
without ceasing since she left me in
a drunken stupor one night"
Left you how?" asked the lieuten.
ant commander.
"I am not quite clear. l must have
descended very low" said Langford.
81 remember some sort of a scene at
supper, and when I awoke in the
morning, or I didn't wake for six
months, they found me in the morn
ing with a fractured skull on the cab,
in floor, and they took me back to the
United States. 1t was a year or more
before l could begin the search for
her"
"He said things to me that night,
said the woman, that no woman could
endure or forgive. He came toward
me. / threw him from me with such
force and violence-I am a strong wo'
man-that he lay senseless in the
cabin. The motor launch had been
got overheard for a trial and was
trailing astern. l got in it, drifted
away, started the motor and ran II
until the gasoline was gone. l brought
food and water from the cabin table
l lived a week in the boat, bearing
southwark all the time by means OF
a sail which improvised from a boat
cloak. One night there was
a storm. At the height of It l was
thrown upon this island. The"
81 hoped" said Langford, taking VI
the tale, that that might be the case
and with that end in view l have
searched the Pacific. l have landed
upon many uncharted Islands. have
explored others little, If ever, visited
praying to God that she might be
alive, that might find her and make
reparation, and now have found heI
at last when I had given up all hope
abandoned all expectation. And
stand here confessing my fault before
men, ready to do anything and every
thing that a man can do to make
amends for the past"
But you have a wife," said Whitta
ker, coldly,
mo, she's dead these two years
thank God l never loved her. II
was boyish infatuation for a de
signing adventures who wanted {