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

and orders his yacht put in.
CHAPTER XIV-continued.
because"
She hesitated.
Are you afraid to tell me?"
"Yes," she said.
Afraid of what?"
"Of losing you"
Danish that fear"
But it's not that that keeps me
silent"
What them"
'I would have the worlds comment
on what l say when I say it."
"The worlds comment! What is
the worlds comment to me?"
"A test, trial of your feelings! If
1t breaks my heart, you must know"
"If you feel that way about it," said
the man resolutely, you need tell me
nothing at all"
1t was a brave thing to say, for her
mysterious words filled him with du-
biety and dismay. He had no idea
what it was that she could tell him
He had no experience by and through
which to embody her vague hints into
something real and tangible. He knew
that he was terribly grieved, and but
that he had no way to describe the
pain of jealousy, he would have said
that he was racking with that unhappy
emotion.
Tell me nothing" he repeated
again, 'if it grieves you"
Are you afraid of the test?" she
asked, swiftly.
Il am afraid of nothing, except los
ing you"
Il am not worthy of you," returned
the woman, "as told you, but if you
will still have me if you will take me
when | have said what l must say.
and when the world has said what it
will say, then l shall be yours as long
as | live"
1t IS we'll" said the man. "T wait
che ship now eagerly that may show
you that what l have said is true"
THE vessel is nearer now" she
said at last, rising from where they
had been seated together upon the
grass absorbed in each other, and
pointing seaward.
YES" he answered, T can even
see the figures upon the deck"
Your brother men"
will there be some women on the
>Ship?"
81 do not know" she answered,
quickly. ut isn't likely. Do you wish
TO see other women?"
None" was the instant answer. 81
wondered if my brothers would bring
you sisters. That was ALL"
There was absolutely no dissimula-
tion about the man. There had been
no coquetry about her. He would
simply have failed entirely to under
stand what it was. He was as honest,
as straightforward, as absolute sim
plicity and sincerity must ever be,
and she had met him exactly on his
own ground. 1t was impossible, there
mere casual interest.
She stood quietly studying the ap-
preaching vessel. AS she did so, it
came to her mind that there was some
thing strangely familiar about the on
coming ship. She stared longer, and
the conviction grew upon her. When
she realized it she clasped her hand
to her heart with sudden gasp and
turned white face upon him. He
was all solicitude in an instant.
What is the matter?" he cried.
"'Your face is white; you look so
strangely"
'It is a sudden pain" she gasped,
terror and dismay constructing her
throat.
She wavered. He thought she was
going to fall. He stepped closer to
her and put his arm about her.
mo, MOI" she said, repulsing.
1t was the first command she had
given him in those bygone days when
he had stood dumbly before her.
mo, MOI" she pushed him away. 'I
shall be all right"
"And has the approach Of men de-
DIINSu Va IhC VI IOuSL-
ing you?" he asked, wistfully. what
Is the matter?"
Don't ask me now" she answered.
"'I-I-~cannot explain"
The vessel was nearer now and as
she stared it came to a stop and
swung broadside to the reef. There
was no mistaking it. 1t was the South.
ern Cross. She knew it as well as she
knew her own face. The thing which
she had dreaded so when she fled
from that vessel in the launch, which
she had dreaded for time in the
first period of her soiourn on the is.
land. had come to pass. It was the
very yacht from which she had es.
capped. Undoubtedly it bore the man
from whom she had fed. He had
come to claim her. OF all the TEEN.
Eng millions which the world held, this
was he whom she would fain have
avoided. Rather anyone and every
one had come to her than he! What
would happen when thssH men met?
The story that she would have told
him to-day in her own way had the
ship not appeared, the story that she
w0nld have told him on her decks,
had that ship beau other than it was.