The Mena weekly star., 1910-08-18

thihB put the past. He saw her face dimly in the present. He could see nothing of happiness in the future.
 T don't know" he answered.
 But surely this has not made any difference in your feelings?"
 T can't tell. The difference ia in her. not in me"
 She made frightful mistake" said the captain, impressively, "but she has nobly atoned, and"
 She's not what thought sine was said the man, "and if I love her. love her now not because, but in spite, of what she is, and there Is a difference. 1"
 Miss Brenton," interposed Whitta- ker at this juncture, has settled the matter herself. She says that she will nave no mans pity, no mans con tempt. that no man shall marry her on suffrance. and that"
 Right" said the surgeon. who was man of very few words and general ly good ones.
 My young friend,- brdke in the chaplain, 'if I might advise-"
 But this," returned the islander. with fierceness, 'is not matter for advice. I don't know the world or its customs. must appear strange to you men. But take 1t that a mans choice of wife. mans settlement of his future Is not thing that he brooks counsel over. At any rate. want none of it."
 Come with me-" said the chaylaip: we will talk 1t over I have lived in'Nthe world he went on, gently. Perhaps l can help you. Have we your permission to withdraw, Capt Ashbyy'
 Certainly" said the captain.
 Pardon me a moment. chaplain" [" interposed Whitaker; "but the young lady has asked that some of us go ashore to take her deposition as to the matters that have been alleged concerning our friend here. Capt. Ashby. will youY"
 Certainly, MT Whitaker. I will go. And if you will accompany me, doctor, and you. chaplain. shall be glad. MT Whitaker. you are notary public and can administer the necessary oaths."
 Very good. sir" returned MT Whit taker. The other gentlemen bowed their acquiescence. 'The lady said she would like to be undisturbed until evening"
 At two bells in the second dog watch then have the cutter called away" returned the captain.
 Beg pardon. captain" said tie sur geon. but do you or any of you know this lady to be Miss Brenton?"
 No" said the captain, T don't know her. Do you, MT. Whitaker, or you. chaplainT
 Well, then" said the surgeon. as both the officers shook their heads, it will be necessary to have some one 2 ashore who aoes know her :n order to swear to her Identity to make her deposition worth anything"
 There is Langford." said whitta- ker. he knows her"
 Very good" said the captain: 'send boat over to the yacht and present my compliments to Mir. LangEord. Ask him if he will meet us ashore at quar- ter after five o'clock. Say to him also that 1 should be glad to have him dine with me tonight at seven. Chaplin. will you and Mir Charnock take lunch. con with me later?'
 Now, to go back to the island. The woman stood on the strand proudly, resolutely. sternly erect. without a sign of unbending until the boats reached the sides of the two ships. Even then she kept herself in the bonds of a control of steel She turned slowly, walked up the beach. entered the grove of palms. mechanically found the path and plodded along it, stin erect and unbending. until tite wind. ings of the trail and the thickening of the grove hid her from any chance watchers on the ship
 Then came the moment of yielding As if the tension had been suddenly released. she reeled, staggered: her heart almost stopped. Her instinct was to throw herself prone upon the grass, but she recovered herself iE time and. with the natuxal Inclination of the troubled toward the place, how ever rude and humble 1t may be, that is called home, she summoned her strength and dragged herself on through the trees over the hill- whence backward glance would have given her sight of the ships, but she navar fnah ft-doWn the other glope across the beach and to the cave which had been her haven for these three years.
 Then, and not until then. did she give way completely. She threw her self down upon the sand in the cool shadow of the great rocks in what to her had suddenly become a weary land. and outstretched her arms as if to clasp the earth to her breast in de- fault of the man she had dreamed of and trusted, she had loved and live-i for. and lay there silent shuddering. wretched figure.
 Her crushing disappointment st his failure to rise to the measure of her ideal of him, the total end of her dream of happiness. the breaking or all her hopes, the closing of all her ambitions, the tearing asunder of her heartstrings whelmed her in agony. She had thought that never could nu- manity experience more than the pam superinduced by the horror Of her pc sition upon the ship, but that pain to .x .-.s..x.k urao IiHa a curazq For to