The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-07-14

1or my act. AS for you, sir" he
turned toward Langford, 81 should be
untrue to manhood if | did not say
what you yourself have said; that you
acted not only like a brute and a
coward, but, sir, when l look at the
lady, l am constrained to add like a
fool"
Langford started forward, but the
lieutenant checked him.
Having said all that, must admit
that you have conducted yourself since
! that time as man of honor and as a
gentleman. l have no doubt that
your offer will be accepted; that the
world will forgive you as it will ad-
mire and respect your wife"
MOI" cried the man of the island,
| suddenly.
He had kept silence, resolved to
hear it all out without interruption. He
had suffered as the miserable story
had been unfolded to such an extent
that all that he had gone through with
before seemed like childs play. He
mad heard Langford's noble confession,
his generous offer to repair his wrong,
but without the appreciation of 1t
which the circumstances and its intrin.
sic quality might have evoked. He had
heard the woman's defense, her splen-
did justification of her course, the bit.
ter repentance that had followed it,
but without that appreciation of what
Justification there was for her and the
value of her remorse which the ac-
count should have brought to him. He
had observed Whittakers prompt and |
touching expression of confidence and |
reverence, but without understanding |
its force and power. Indeed, he had |
instructive shrewdness enough to
realize that even though the sailors,
touched by the act of gallantry and
moved with pity for the young woman
who stood there lovely in her sadness,
had cheered, yet the world would be
very slow to the same expression.
lie saw that the woman was face
to face with a crisis; that she
would either have to accept or de-
cline Langfords offer to marry her at
once.
His heart was filled with bitter rage.
lie knew that he loved the woman.
that he never would love any person
but the woman, but nevertheless the
resentment against fate which had
placed him in so awful a position, of
whose malign purposes he had been
the blind, ignoble victim, was so
great that for the time being his love
was in allegiance. He pitied himself,
ne loathed Langford, he was contemp.
,uously indifferent to the world, and
.or the moment he almost hated the
woman. The sub-consciousness that
1e had that this was as ungrateful as
It was unwarranted added to his
and misery.
No" he cried, before any answer
s made, let me speak,"
Your pardon" said Whitaker,
may | ask who you are?"
Sir, returned the man, "as to who
am and what / am, do not know.
Tor does it greatly matter" !
Your pardon again." retorted the
lieutenant commander, coolly, "but it
matters very much. Unless you have
ONE right to interfere, do not con-
ede that any suggestion from you in n
his crisis which seems to concern a
hese two people, this lady and this
is at all in order" Z
But it does concern me-" returned c
he man, impatient of this checking. t
for love this woman myself, and she
as done me the honor to say that she
owed me- I had intended to make .
er my wife should Providence ever =,
ring us to civilization again"
Had intended" exclaimed the won. n
n, under her breath but no one no. .
iced her words, and the lieutenant
poke again.
THAT being the case, some in
ormation as to who you are and how n
ou came here is the more evidentl,
! order" n
(To BE CONTINUED