The Elbert County tribune., 1912-03-08
CHAPTER Iv.-(continuedD


She shook her head sadly, wistful-
ly. How do l know? How can tell?
Surely. dear, no two people were ever
happier than we-yet within year
from our wedding you you left
me. ran away from me. . Why?"
well ye know why. dearest, and
well ye know twas love of ye alone
that drove me from ye. Could let
1t be said ye had a husband who was
incapable of supporting ye? Could
let 1t be said that your husband lived
like leech upon your fortunes?
Faith. didn't | have to go for your
sake?"
NO" she dissented with second
weary shake of her pretty head; Il
think it was love of yourself. a little.
Terence-that and your pride.
Why should any of our world
have guessed you were not the rich
man you fancied yourself when we
were married? Who would have told
them that your landed heritage in
Ireland had turned out profitless? Not
l. my dear"
Il know that" he contended stub
bornly, but l know. too. sooner or
later it would have come out and
they would have said: There she
goes with her fortune-hunter, the ad-
venturer who married her for her
money"
And If SO? What earthly differ-
ence could it make to us. sweetheart?
What can gossip matter to us-if you
love me?"
IF" he cried. almost angrily. III
All. but no. darling! It's your
self knows there is no If about 1t, that
I'm sick with love of ye this very
minute-sick and mad for ye :"
Then" she pleaded. with desper-
ate little break in her incompatible
voice; and again held out her arms
to him-''then have pity on me. oh, my
dearest one-have pity on me II only
for a little while"
And suddenly he had caught her to
him. and she lay in his arms, her
young strong body nodded to his, her
lips to his. her eyes half-veiled, the
sweet fragrance of her-too well re-
membered-intoxicating him; lay su-
pine in his embrace. yet held him
strongly to her. and trembled In sym
pathy with the deep, hurried pounding
of his heart.
In the south the horizon famed
nvid to the zenith, revealing a great.
black wall of cloud that had stolen
up out OF Africa; beneath 1t the sea
shone momentarily with sickly silk
en- luster. Then the dense blackness
of the night reigned again, as pro-
found as though impenetrable. eternal.
Later dull growI of thunder rolled
In across the waste. With It came the
drst fitful warnings of the impending
wind storm
Twas ye who sang to me. dear
est?"
Who else. you great silly boy?
And when you followed me to
the door. making as much noise as a
young elephant. Terence-I was mind
ed to punish you little. very little.
my dear. So merely opened mine
and closed it sharply"
There was woman In the hall"
Il saw her. dear. and laughed, think
ing how puzzled you would be.
Was cruel. my heart? But | did not
mean to be. I'd planned this surprise.
you know. from the minute | found
our rooms adjoined."
And this letter"-O'Rourke fumbled
in his pocket and got 1t out-.ye
brought it to me?"
1T came to me in London. dear. two
weeks ago; we were together-Clara
Plinlimmon and lat the Carlton.
waiting for her yacht to be put into
commission. Meanwhile she was max
ing up the party for this Mediter-
ranean trip. l had no idea
where to send you the letter. Have
you read it?"
Have had time. sweetheart of
miner"
There was an interlude.
In the distance the thunder rolled
and rumbled.
Resolutely the young woman dis
engaged herself and withdrew to lit
tie distance.