The Comrade., 1910-10-28
CHAPTER xv!ll.-Continued.

CHAPTER xV!ll.-Continued.
as the present Charnock 1harried?'
mo-" 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, lis in his
face. He is the living image of his
father as knew him, and he has fam
lily characteristics which 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.
"Her name was Mary Page Thornton,
and she was one Of the sweetest girls
in Virginia"
"And will you tell me about her.
AMI 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"
mo" returned the islander; Il can
wait. I have waited all these years
and few hours more or less viii
make little difference. You have
right to know my story, and here j
isl
Rapidly, concisely, with a fine dra
matte touch, he told the story as h
knew it of his life on the island H
was so entirely unconventional tha
he interwove the bare details Of tn
strange relation which he gave theI
with personal touches. He made n
secret of his love and worship for tn
girl, of the belief in her which he ha
cherished, of the reverence IN wh1c
he had held her. He exhibited tn;
strange commixture of feeling wit
which he regarded her as huma
woman and as deml-goddess. +
showed that he was at once her ma ma
ter and her creature, yet through 1t
there ran such thread OF bitterness
{ Of grief, of resentment, of shame, tn
his auditors, at first unpossessed
the key to his feelings, listened to- nj
with amazenaent and could scarce
realize or comprehend. He told +
story Of the two lives up to the sig
ing of the ship upon the island, a
then, his heart failing him, ne turn
to Whitaker and bade him take
the relation.
II was a delicate matter of which
sneak but the simplicity with VIII
the first part of the tale had been P
aented gave the officer his cue.
was man of retentive memory,
quick apprehensiye power, and VIII VII
nice sense of discrimination, a r
man indeed. And he told the rest
The tale With a subtle sympatny
the situation and the actors that
ahled him so to present 1t to the IN
ested little group Of officers that
almost made them see it as 1t trs
pired.
"And what" asked, the captain,
the final word had been said, 40
propose to do now, Mr.. charnock !?
II was the first time that he
ihean 90 addressed and the man 81
ed He had heard MI. WhittaK Z
words as one in a dream. he had a' :
s,o;ns over that dreadful scene on
3 sands His heart was lacerated
torn again. He was blind to ev
thing but the past. He saw nef
aimly in the present. he couia
nothing Of happiness in the future 'e
- don't know" he answered.
"But surely this has not made
,5ifference in your feelings?
4 can't tell, The difference e.
q =5 her. not in me. !,
ashe made q frightful mistake,
.ha captain, inpressively out sne nc
,nlobly atoned, and
..she,s not what I thought sne J J
said the man, sand Il Z Joys. ner, J.
her now not because, pus = : sp.s sara
uhat a, 8 she IS, and there is q E'.tl dlhere ere
1assiss as Brenton,' interposed ~ !,
a.,ss = this Il iuncture, ahas settles
matter hersslf. she say : sl''s 1