The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1911-12-20
CHAPTER Xxx.

Tho Repentance That Came Too Late.
For the first time in his life the man
Of the island played the coward. He
was afraid to be alone. The others
the officers Of the ship. that ia, not
Lapgford-he had gone back to his
own yacht. declining the captains in
Vitation to dinner-would have re-
spected the islanders mood and have
left him to himself. but 1t was evil
dent that he craved their society.
Whitaker and the old chaplain sus-
pected how it would be with him, but
they knew that sooner OF later he
would have to retire to rest, and soon
er or later he would be alone.
And then his grief was so obvious,
that In accordance with 3 natural and
commendahle tendency they strove to
cheer him up. They encouraged him
to ask questions. They told him
many things in reply that the woman
could not have told him; that he had
half dimly suspected. but had not
known. They cleared up to him many
things which had seemed mysterious
and strange to him,
And on their part they marVeled at
the things he did know, at the thor
oughaess with which he had been
taught, and At the wonderful acute
ness OF perception which he displayed.
The woman had marveled at It. too,
but she had become used to 1t In three
years OF intimacy. They saw it i'm
mediately with greater surprise.
In such engrossing conversation the
long hours passed until the striking
couplets Of the bell forward tolled
eight and II was midnight. No one
had any desire to sleep in view of
the unusual and stimulating expert
eRee which both parties to the inter-
change Of thought In the play Of Ques-
ton and answer were enjoying. But
1t was the captain. hard-headed and
practical. who gave the signal for re-
firing. The men were not accustomed
to disregard even the suggestions Of
the autocrat Of the ship.
A spare cabin in the wardroom had
been arranged for the islander. and
there provided with the unwonted lux.
ury Of night wear after q hearty
Goodnight" from the lieutenant CON-
mapder and feFvent God bless you"
from the old chaplain. he was left
to his own devices. The strangeness
Of his situation. the soft bed. the
snowy linen. the silk pajamas. the con-
6ning area Of the cabin, the sudden
touch with Injuries OF civilization
would In itself have kept him awake
had be been as heart whole and as
care free as when the woman had
landed upon the island. But. indeed.
the strangeness OF these things
aroused no emotions In his mind at
ali. for the moment be was alone hia
thoughts, which he had been fighting
desperately to keep upon other things.
reverted to her. What was abe doing
for the FIRST time alone upon that Il.
land7 What was she thinking? He
realized that no more than he could
she be sleeping.
These were the hrst moments that
be could give to reflection. the first
quiet hours that he could spend in
considering the situation and in get
ting back his rudely disturbed bal
ance. There had been method IN bis
training. and he had been taught the
value Of considering q series Of eventB
logically In ell their hghts and hear
inas. Lying IN the comfortable berth
be reviewed at length and deliberate.
y the history Of his life from the day
that be had been born when be FIRST
bent over her sleeping upon the sand
until that great glad hour when. the
earthquake enlightening him. he tore
the rocks asunder. clasped her IN his
arms and pressed the first kiss that
he had ever given any one upon her
lips.
Unnlnchingly he reviewed with
what calmnesI he could muster the
scenes OF the morning ana the day
He forced himself to consider IN al
Its lights ana bearings the informa-
ton that had been given to him. He
tortured hlmaell By the deliberate
slow recalling Of every detail ana
then. ouivtring as Il un4er the sllmu-
sus q lons blow upon = raw Wound.
no reviewed hi1 eva eoaluct. E1iiEAt.