Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-09-29
CHAPTER NvIII.-continued.

rs the present Charnock married? ,"
NO" returned the chaplain. he is
an old bachelor"
That will make It easier for our
friend here" said Mr.. Whitaker, "pro-
vided the evidence Is thought convinc-
ing
The best evidence that he could pre-
sent returned the chaplain, SIS in HIS
face. He is the living image OF his
father as knew him, and he has fam
fly characteristics which l think would
enable almost anyone to identity him
without question"
Sir" said the islander, addressing
the chaplain, did you know my
mother"
That did" returned the old man.
Tier name was Mary Page Thornton.
and she was one Of the sweetest girls
IN Virginia"
And will you tell me about her,
and about my father and my people?"
With the greatest pleasure" said
the chaplain, kindly. Meanwhile
Capt. Ashby and these gentlemen will
wish to hear your story
Take him TO your cabin" said the
captain promptly, and tell him the
things he wants to know. We can
wait"
No" returned the islander; q can
wait. l have waited ali these years
and a few hours more or less will
make little difference. You have q
right to know my story, and here it
is"
Rapidly, concisely, with a fine dra-
matte touch, he told the story as he
knew it Of his life on the island. He
was so entirely unconventional that
be Intervene the bare details OF the
strange relation which he gave them
with personal touches. He made no
secret Of his love and worship for the
girl, Of the belief in her which he had
cherished, Of the reverence in which
he had held her. He exhibited that
strange commixture Of feeling with
which he regarded her as a human
woman and as a demigoddess. He
showed that he was at once her mas
ter and her creature, yet through 1t all
there ran such thread of bitterness,
OF grief, of resentment, of shame, that
his auditors, at first unpossessed of
the key to his feelings, listened to him
with Amusement and could scarcely
realize or comprehend. He told the
story Of the two lives up to the sight
ing of the ship upon the island, and
then, his heart failing him, he turned
20 Whitaker and babe him take uP
the relation.
1t was delicate matter Of which to
speak, but the simplicity with which
the first part of the tale had been pre-
scented gave the officer his cue. He
was a man of retentive memory, of
quick apprehensive power, and with a
nice sense Of discrimination, a rare
man, indeed. And he told the rest of
the tale with subtle sympathy for
the situation and the actors that en-
abled him so to present it to the inter
ested little group Of officers that he
almost made them see il as Il trans
pired.
And what" asked the captain, when
the final word had been said, do you
propose to do now, Mr.. Charnock?"
II was the first time that he had
been so addressed and the man start
ed. He had heard Mr.. Whittaker's
words as one in a dream. He had been
going over that dreadful scene on the
sands. His heart was lacerated and
torn again. He was blind TO every
thing but the past. He saw her face
dimly in the present He could see
nothing of happiness in the future
Il don't know" he answered.
but surely this has not made any
difference in your feeiings?"
II can't tell. The difference Is In
her, not in me-"
"She made frightful mistake" said
the captain, impressiyely. "but she has
uobly atoned, and
'She's not what / thought she was"
said the man, "and II love her, love
her now not because. but IN spite, Of
what she Is, and there Is a difference.
Miss Brenton,p interposed Whitta-
aer at his 1upcture. has settled the
saoatter herself sue says that she viii