The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-12-29
CHAPTER XVlll.-Continued.


rs the present Charnock married."
No" returned the chaplain, "he is
an old bachelor"
Ihat Will make 1t easier for our
eriend here" said Mr.. Whitaker. "pro-
vided the evidence is thought convinc-
ing"
Inc best evidence that he could pre-
sent, returned the chaplain, sis in his
face. He is the living image of his
father as l knew him, and he has fam
lily characteristics which I think would
enable almost anyone to identify him
without question"
Sir said the islander. addressing
the chaplain, did you know my
mother?"
THAT l 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.
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, land tell him the
things he wants to know. We can
wait
No" returned the islander; 81 can
wait. / have waited all these years
and few hours more or less will
make little difference. You have
right to know my story, and here it
is"
Rapidly, concisely, with fine dra-
matte touch, he told the story as he
knew it Of his life on the island. He
was so entirely unconventional that
he 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
essa6e had held her. He exhibited that
grange commiXture of feeling with
III he regarded her as human
an and as a demi-goddess. He
Ied that he was at once her mas
9Sccr and her creature, yet through it all
there ran such a 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 amazement 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
to Whitaker and babe him take up
the relation.
1t was a 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
nice sense of discrimination, rare
man, indeed. And he told the rest OF
the tale with a subtle sympathy for
80, situation and the actors that en-
he'd him so to present it to the inter
-VJsted little group of officers that he
Nalmost made them see 1t as 1t trans
PRED.
-WAnd what" asked the captain, when
the final word had been said, do you
nropose to do now, Mr.. Charnock?'
II was the first time that he had
been so addressed and the man start
cd He had heard Mr.. Whitaker S
words as one in a dream. He had been
Going over that dreadful scene on the
lands His heart was lacerated and
,orn agoip. He was blind to every
nine Int the past He saw her face
imiy in the present. He could see
,ntbipg of happiness in the future
81 don't know" he answered
opnt surely this has not made any
clarence in your feelings
0u T can't tell. The difference is in
hi, not in me- ,-,.,m.oid
1 che made a frigbtful mistake sad
~. captain impressiyely, but she mas
naly atoned, and -
.sbe's not what thought Sne vas as,
.,s tbc man, and if love her ! loye
s'a .n NJ, not because, but in spite o. o.,
n met rS she is and there is diaerenCf
"m ,a sn' trenton r., interposed Whitta-
n'9' mis- iuncture, has settled th ng
n mauer herself She says that she VIII