The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-08-14
Copyright, Ipii. By n. x. Fly 60.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Empty Berth.

ming to learn about Marjorie was that
she would never take the point OF
view he expected, and never proceed
along the lines of his logic.
She had grown furious at him for
what he could not help. She had told
him that she would marry him out OF
spite. She had commanded him to
pursue and apprehend the flying par
son. He failed and returned crest
fallen and wondering what new form
her rage would take.
And, 10 and behold, when she saw
him so downcast and helpless, she
rushed to him with caresses, cuddled
his broad shoulders against her
breast. and smothered him. It was
the sincerity of his detection and the
complete helplessness he displayed
that won her woman's heart.
Mallory gazed at her with almost
more wonderment than delight. This
was another flashlight on her charac-
ter Most courtships are conducted
under a rose-light in which wooer
and wooed wear their best clothes on
moonit. or gaslit twilight where ro-
nance softens angles and wraps
everything in velvet shadow. Then
the two get married and begin to
live together in the cold, gray day
light of realism, with undignified
necessities and narrowing situations
at every step. and disillusion begins
its deadly work.
This young couple was undergoing
all the Inconvenience and temper-ex-
posures of marriage without its
blessed compensations. They prom
Used to be well acquainted before they
were wed. If they still wanted each
other after this ordeal. they were pref
ty well assured that their marriage
would not be a failure.
Mallory rejoiced to see that the
hurricane Of Marjorie's jealousy had
only whipped up the surface of her
soul. The great depths were still
calm and unmoved, and her love for
him was in and of the depths.
Soon after leaving Ogden, the train
entered upon the great bridge across
the Great Salt Lake. The other pas
sengers were staring at the enormous
engineering masterpiece and the con-
ductor was pointing out that, in or
der to save forty miles and the cross
ing of two mountain chains, the rail-
road had devoted four years Of labor
and millions of dollars to stretching
thirty-mile bridge across this inland
ocean.
But Marjorie and Mallory never no.
ticed 1t. They were absorbed in ex-
ploring each others souls, and they
had safely bridged the Great Salt
Lake which the first big bitter jeal-
ousy spreads across every matrimo-
NAL route.
They were undisturbed in their voy-
age, for all the other passengers had
their noses fiattened against the win
dow panes OF the other cars-all ex-
cept one couple, gazing each at each
through time-wrinkled eyelids touched
with the magic OF a tardy honeymoon.
For all that Anne and Ira knew,
the Great Salt Lake was moon
swept lagoon, and the arid mountains
of Nevada which the train went seal
ing, were the very hillsides OF Ar
ctCia.
But the other passengers soon came
trooping back into the observation
room. Ira had told them nothing OF
Mallory's confession. In the first
place, he was a man who had learned
10 keep a secret, and In the second
place, he had forgotten that such per-
sons as Mallory or his Marjorie exist
ed. All the world was summed up in
the fearsomely happy little spinster
who had moved up into his section
the section which had begun its ca
Ieer draped in satin ribbons unwit-
tingly prophetic.
The communion OF Mallory and
Marjorie under the benson OF recon-
ciliation was invaded by the jokes OF
the other passengers, unconsciously
ironic.
DIR. Temple chaffed them amiably:
you two will have to take a back
seat now. We've got a new bridal
couple to amuse u.s."
And Mrs. Temple welcomed them
with: You're only old married folks.
like u.s."
The Mallorys were used to the mis-
understanding. But the misplaced
witticisms gave them reinsurance
that their secret was safe yet a little
while. At their dinner-table, however,
and in the long evening that followed
they were haunted by the fact that
this was their last night on the train.
and no minister to be expected.
And now once more the Mallorys
regained the star roles in the esteem
OF the audience. for once more they
quarreled at good-night-kissing time.
Once more they required two sec
tions, while Anne Gattle's berth was
not even made up. IL remained empty.
like deserted nest, for its occupant
had flown south.