The Washington times., 1910-06-16

had concluded his business you would
see him again"
listlessly. for the words gave her little
comfort, in the face OF his absence
They contained just an indefinite prom
Use as anybody might have made light
~. not meaning to keep IT,
How did he look?'' she asked at last
BADLY" replied the surgeon In
deed, though I am his meoical man,
l yentured 10 Try. TO diss,uade him rom rom
broken. He had received a tremendous
blow on the side Of his head, apparent
~. and though there was no fracture
of the skull. set he must have come
perilOusly near it
Think you he win suffer from going
out so sOon?"
It hope not" returned the other
Hes young and strong and healthy,
and if he doesn't get cold and isn't
reckless
Il never knew him 10 be prudent"
said the girl, for the moment thought
Of her own desOlate abandonment
swallowed up in concern for her lover;
Now, don't worry about that, said
the surgeon. You've difficulties and
troubles enough Of your own without
taking anybody else s. And II you
only do what I say and make the
effort, Wei have you on your feet
I'm no time. When he comes back
you'll be able to see him. clothed and
in your right mind. I trust"
He nodded kindly 10 her. called the
nurse. gave her some directions, and
went about his other duties.
Declining any attentions which the
woman, who had become much inter
CStcd in her. would have pTOffered, and
indicating her desire to be left alone,
Susan gave herself over prey 20 mel
anChOly and WreuChed thought This
was the man for whom she had periied
her life. This was he whom she had
Snatched from the ravening nav of
the sea by such an exhibition Of skill.
determination, and courag 10 saw
nothing of bodily viEOr and strength.
For him she had tramped barefooted
and bleeding across the rocky road.
For him she had endured insults and
mOckery and shame. For him she had
suffered till she would fain have died
And II all meant so little TO hint
He had come there where she lay
asleep sick, weary, alone, and had
gone away with a message that he
would return. He might not love her
what he owed upon the sea. he might
fOrSwear upon the shore what he be-
heyed in the cabin he might reject in
the hall-but gratitude, common graf
itude, should have bound him 10 more
than that hasty glance, that careless
word of farewell and that idle prom
Use of speedy return.
True he had business in London.
business, she thought, scOrufully
What business on earth would nave
taken her from him at such a l4me2
Thrones might rock and perish. dynas-
ties might rise and falls fortunes might
hang IN the balance; she would not have
given them a thought had he laid upon
bed of pain and had she bent over
him.
II must he business Of a most en-
crossing nature, leaving herself entirely
out of count she thought bitterly, that
would force a man 10 ride away on
horseback 10 London under such Condi-
tons. What could that business be2
Men would not usually 80 far incon-
venienCe themselves unless one or the
other Of two motives Influenced them
money or "A woman. He had never
manifested the least anxiety about, or
made any reference to. his financial
condition. Instantly there flashed into
her mind the conviction that the other
cause was the handspring Of his action
She never forgot for the moment the
utter unreasOnableness Of her surmise
She forgot his look IN the cabin, the
words he had whispered. the kisses he
had pressed upon her lips.
she forgot everything but that he had
gene away, probably to some other
woman or on some other woman's er-
rand
And then. in deep abasement. she
what was She? What had she 10
offer such a man as hep on the snip.
surrounded by men, il was all very
different. She had place, then, and
would nave IN any man respect. she
could do things on the ship The sea
was her element Out Of her environ
meut she was nothing.
Probably he was thinking about her
bows clothes with amused contempt,
now that he was ashore where he could
see other women
And he had said he would come back
Yes. that was evidently TO keep her
quiet
He would never come back
f- a. the mill al ~ hn~zrrro.
she was so weak and feeble and had
gone through so much and was so
heartbroken, she sobbed herself 70 sleep
aESin.