Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-08-04

- - fHESH
There is a spring hereabouts," said
the man, ION the other side Of the
hill"
81 will fetch the water" said the
chaplain.
He was wearing a tightly woven
straw hat in which he could easily
carry 1t.
Mr.. Whitaker turned and ran to the
beach whence he sent the boat off to
the ship. The surgeon meanwhile had
bound up the woman's ankle, and
bathed it with water and whisky, and
had forced some of the spirits down
the woman's throat, but the mans
touch, his presence, would have suf-
feed to call her back to life.
do you suffer-" he asked tenderly
as consciousness returned to her.
mot since you are here" she said.
II ran to meet the ship and fell and
hurt my ankle"
"The doctor has fixed it up for you.
We have sent to the ship for band
ages"
Man." she said, whose ship is it?"
Mime"
did you see my signal?"
Eyes, and we were glad because it
told us that you were alive, but we
were coming directly here"
"And did you come for me2"
For you only"
"How did you know that l was
here?"
+ 81 didn't know it."
"Why did you com then?"
81 was sent here"
who sent you"
"Langford."
Ibid he tell you | was here?"
mo, he told me to go back to the
island, that was all"
Nothing more?"
HE gave me a letter which | was
to open when I set foot upon it."
"Open it now" said the woman
She had risen to a sitting position
, He knelt beside her, his arm around
: her supporting her. He carried the
: letter in his pocket. He had slipped il
there as he started for the shore, He
= took it out and handed it to her.
you may open it," he said.
: With trembling fingers she tore the
= envelope. Inside there was nothing
for him, but a smaller envelope ad
dressed to her. The chaplain hell
= the light close to enable them to see
u "It is for me-" she said, mot TO
you"
I YES" said Charnock gravely, ST
q fling a spasm of jealousy in his heart
you may open it"
e "Not l." returned the man touche,
e by this confidence. "It is for you"
Without more ado she tore the sec
ond envelope. A little slip of pape
q fell from it. His message was aston
st ishingly brief. While Charnock rest
IS lutely averted his head, she read thes
words:
e Il broke my word once to your so
row; I break it again to your 10!
/ Won't you try to remember now tha
L. I am gone that l tried to make amend
% and that | gave him back to your"
e She glanced at the paper and the
le she read the simple words aloud.
u Charnock understood vaguely thf
in some way Langford had known thf
the woman was alive-how he coul
ascertain later-and that she ha
n made him promise not to tell; thu
he had broken his promise and died.
IN 81 don't understand the last words
So said the woman.
"They are his last words, ! take it
u answered the man. "He looked like
| dead man when he came to me at n
house in Virginia and told me to go
n, the island"
poor Langford," said the woman.
1T May God have mercy on him
added the chaplain, solemnly. I
knew the story, too. do you forgi'
him, my child?" asked the old man
ed he, too, turned way to leave the
lis two alone.
"With all my heart" answered Il
de woman.
Id, "And do you forgive me?" ask
in Charnock softly.
IS with all my heart" again a
lie. swered the woman, but with a chan
M in the intonation that made all the d
to ference in the world between the t1
statements.
ne She turned her face toward hi
lip reaching her arms up to his neck, IL
re- getting the pain in her foot in t
long kiss he pressed upon her |
ng turned lips while he held her clio
lit there in that still and starry night
err that gemlike island Of regeneration
1ld the far Pacific sea.
THE END.
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