Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-27


commercial traveller, perhaps, 50 alien to the sea
that in the quiet of the harbor he had to
be helped down the Bidduphs side) she crossed the
sward and confronted him. He looked up embar-
rassedly as she approached
This one, )" he said pointing to solitary and ne
elected grave wherein cheap tombstone said there
lay Ann There the sentence ended, by reason
of the rest of it having been obterated with plaster
Why is it apart? Was she not of them?''
Again that look of affronted pride to the
girls eyes. And it seemed to Adams though the
question had also awakened some sumbering hatred
Was she not one of your" he repeated.
mol" The word came with passionate vehe
"Sure?" he asked quietly But person less ex-
cited than Miss Runter would have noticed his
strained tone.
She was by marriage only, that was all. Sne
brought shame her people, she and her son!'
Tell me- said Adams huskily.
He shirked Runter's duty when the call camel"
cried the girl fercely. :" He coward"
And you disowned his mother, blotched out
your connection with herr" interrupted Adams,
poking at the plaster with his stick What con-
ceited fools the Hunters must bel
You don't understand Ten men and ifeboat
beseeched him to lead them, and he hung back like
cur, while ships crew were drowned! Drowned!
Through Runter's cowardice!
And the other ten probably saved" observed
Adams, chipping third letter into legibity Life
boats are not infalibe.'
away How dare your
Il was thinking that all these years of torturing
remorse should have earned him dissolution: At any
'Remorse Can remorse bring back"
The family honor first, and secondly the schoon-
ers crew, interposed Adams ironically.
But why do discuss it with your" cried the
girl suddenly. You cannot understand what cow
ardice the means, seaman's unwritten
duty to his brethren!"
cold good evening. Had she looked back from the
churchyard gate she would have seen his head fall on
his clasped knees in utter detection.
TT was in this attitude that the white-hared vicar
found him hour later and gently asked II he
could be of any assistance Adams looked up and
saw face Of cultured kindness and venerable grace
a man of whose wise counsel and unbigoted soul he
had heard in his childhood.
If could help to alleviate your grief spoke
Adams rose without hesitation, almost with eager
Il am sorely in need of guidance, he replied
YEARLY.
The vicar gently took his arm and conducted him
in silence through maze of shrubberied paths to the
Now let me hear he said, placing chair for
Adams scarcely heard. He staring at faded
photograph of himself in seafaring garb among the
bric-abrac the table, though he knew the trayed
print must have been taken years before:
Won't you sit DOWN." said the wondering vicar.
Then he too looked at the photograph and back
again to Adams face.
sudden start the vicar laid an eager hand on his
shoulder.
John Runter's son!"
welcome?"
Welcome! As the sunshine in winter The
speakers beaming face alone sufficient without
the wine he brought out and his message to the foot
man that other callers desired that evening.
And now tell me about Joh-your father. Is he
we1l?"
He is i'll with lingering illness and hungers tor
over for that purpose but far have been fall-
THE w AY