The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-28

surf breaking close inshore.
Scrubbfng his flesh agIow, he
dressed quickly. tingling with the ex-
hilaration Of his recent contest. every
trace Of fatigue and drowsiness
washed clean away A sense of life
and well-being ran like quicksilver
through hts veins; he could have sung
aloud or whistled but for the SOLDERING
thought, never far beneath the sur
face Of bis consciousness, Of his re-
sponsibility. With Katherine to
guard and care for, with Blackstock to
watch and guard against and circum-
vent. there could be little room for
chesrfulness in his hunor
Instead Of returning the way he had
come, an Impulse moved him 70 scale
the bluff, which at this point pre-
scented not too steep an ACTIVITY.
As he continued along the sole, APP
preaching the heel of what has been
likened to crude sketch Of . child's
shoe, Coast remarked the crumbling
stone walls of what had apparently
once been a rude summer house and
observatory set atop the highest hill
lock to seward But he had drawn
quite near to It before he deserted
hem Of skirt whipping round = cor
ner OF o half3allsn wall He quick
ened his steps ana took her suddenly
unawares as she stood. halfsheitered
from the breeze and wholly Invisible
from the body Of the island, her back
to the weather-beaten and nchened
stones. her gaze leveled TO seward
In somber reverie.
It was as II she had been expecting
him; she seemed not at all surprised.
But there was no light Of welcome In
her look, nor any trace Of welcome In
her greeting a. he stopped before her,
hat In hand and heart In his throat,
with something In his bearing that
called to mind q child convicted OF
transgression and pleading for suspen-
sion Of Judgment.
II came out here to think" she said
Fat least to try to think But
hoped that II you saw me you would
follow"
I'm glad" he said; though didn't
know you were here. It's hardly like
ly we'll have so good chance to talk
again"
'eYes," she admitted simply. There
was little catch in her voice and he
fancied her lips Quivered like the lips
Of tired child a. she looked away
from him. seeking again the sight Of
the sea as II she drew from it some
solace. some sorely needed strength
against her trials. I'VE must talk, Of
course. l have been trying
all night to think but every.
thing seems so.
She left the sentence incomplete,
raising her hands to press them
against her temples and then dropping
them with gesture Of utter weari-
ness.
"Oh," she cried, why did you come
back7 You promised, you went away,
and III was sorry for you and prayed
you might End happiness, Garrett
You promised, and-yeu came back
came back like ghost to haunt me
with memories and regrets" Her
voice rose to Q pitch Of wildnesR
"Somstimes, last night, thought that
surely you must be a ghost-that you
had been executed. killed and buried.
ana were come back to be his punish.
ment and mine, and minel"
His punishment--his7 he echoed
'Then, Katherine, then you do be
iieve--l"
"Ah. how do know? What do be
lieve-what can I believe? / don't
know. l can't think right; it's all sc
$50 terrible" Her tone fell to e
low pitch of fatigue, detection and be
wflderment. She leaned heavily
against the wall. watching the sullen,
interminable succession Of the surges.
you Bowed doubt In my mind and
fear In my heart when you babe me
weigh what I once knew of the good
In you against what have learned OF
him. I tried--so hardl--to do 90
Justly and still believe you the guilty
one. You swept the ground
from under me with arguments, your
attitude, your explanations; and
though they were your unsupported
words. ! never knew you to
lie to me, Garrett. and l couldn't
can't believe you would bring me lie
to torture me. just for revenge.
You made me think. and--at times ]
feared I should so mad, and then
again was afraid / wouldn't !"
She turned suddenly to him and grasp
Ing his arms, lifting frantic, piteous
eyes to his. "oh, Garrett, GARRETT
she pleaded. half hystericaiiy, tell me
you lied. tell me II isn't true, tell me
It was you--l"
He shook his head sorrcwfully, and
with short dry sob she released him
and fell back against the wall, shaken
and trembling.
'Tf," he said, slowiy-'if I thought
It would make you happy. II believed
that any good Of any sort could come
of It to you, Katherine, II could even
think 1t safe, would Held lie With
a clear conscience and tell you it was
I who killed Van Tuyl. I've taken
tina ~ fhfnI n avar and I've triad