, 1910-03-10

past ~ bdN ner IAra
10y IN the present. He could see
hotning OF happiness in the future.
l doht know" he answered.
but surely this has not made any
dinerence in your feelings?"
L cant tell. The difference ia in
her, not in me-"
she made a frightful mistake" said
the captain. impressively, but she has
nobly ,toned. and"
Shes not what | thought she was ;,
said the man. and II / love her. love
her now not because. but in spite. nj
what she Is, and there is a difference"
Miss Brenton." interposed Whitta-
ker at this juncture, has settled the
matter herself. She says that she will
have no mans pity, no mans con.
tempt, that no man shall marry her
on suffrance, and that"
Right" said the geo who was
a mar of very few words and general
ly good ones.
My young friend" broke in the
chaplain, "if l might advise"
But this" returned the islander.
with herceness, lis not a matter for
advice. l don't know the world or its
customs. | must appear strange to
you men. But ! take 1t that a mans
choice of a wife, a mans settlement
OF his future is not a thing that he
rocks counsel over. At any rate. I
want none of it."
Come with me-" said the chaplain;
W will talk 1t over. | have lived
in the world" he went on, gently.
Perhaps / can help you. Have we
your permission to withdraw. Capt.
Ashby?"
Certainly" said the captain.
Pardon me a moment. chaplain"
f~nterposed Whitaker: but the young
lady has asked that some of us go
ashore to take her deposition as to
the matters that have been alleged
concerning our friend here. Capt.
Ashby. will you?"
Certainly, Mr.. Whitaker, 1 will 60.
And If you will accompany me, doctor,
and you. chaplain, | shall be glad. Mr..
Whitaker, you are a notary public
and car administer the necessary
oaths."
Very good, sir" returned Mr.. Whit,
taker. The other gentlemen bowed
their acquiescence. THE lady said
she would like to be undisturbed until
evening""
AT two bells in the second dog
watch then have the cutter called
away" returned the captain.
BEG pardon, captain" said the sur
geon, but do you or any of you know
this lady to be Miss B%renton?"
NO" said the captain. 81 don't
know her. Do you. Mr.. Whitaker, or
you, chaplain"
We'll, then" said the surgeon, as
both the officers shook their heads, ut
will be necessary to have ome one
ashore who does know her in order to
swear to her identity to make her
deposition worth anything"
There is Langford." said Whitta-
ker, "he knows her."
Every good said the captain; send
a boat over to the yacht and present
my compliments to Mr.. Langford. Ask
him If he will meet us ashore at quar-
ter after five o'clock. Say to him also
that l should be glad to have him dine
with me tonight at seven. Chaplin,
will you and Mr.. Charnock take lunch.
con with me later?"
Now, to go back to the island. The
woman stood on the strand proudly,
~resolutely, sternly erect, without a
sign of unbending until the boats
reached the sides of the two ships.
Even then she kept herself in the
bonds of a control of steel. She turned
slowly, walked up the beach, entered
the grove of palms, mechanically found
the path and plodded along it, still
erect and unbending, until the wind.
ings of the trail and the thickening OF
the grove hid her from any chance
watchers on the ship.
Then came the moment of yielding.
AS II the tension had been suddenly
released, she reeled, staggered; her
heart almost stopped. Her instinct
was to throw herself prone upon the
grass, but she recovered herself in
time and, with the natural inclination
of the troubled toward the place. how
ever rude and humble 1t may be, that
is called home, she summoned her
anu heioSh w
through the trees over the hill
whence a backward glance would have
given her a sight of the ships, but she
never took it-down the other slope
across the beach and to the cave
which had been her haven for these
three years.
Then, and not until then. did she
give way completely. h threw her
self down upon the sand in the cool
shadow of the great rocks in what to
her had suddenly become a weary
land. and outstretched her arms as II
to clasp the earth to her breast In de-
fault of the man she had dreamed Of
and trusted, she had loved Il hVea
for, and lay there a silent, shudoerihs'
wretched figure.
Her crushing disappointment at MS