River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-04-11
CHAPTER Iv.-tContinued.)


She shook her head sadly, wistful-
ly. How do know? How can tell?
Surely, dear. no two people were ever
happier than we-yet within a year
from our wedding you you left
me, ran away from me. ;. Why?"
We'll We know why. dearest, and
well We know twas love Of We alone
that drove me from We. Could | let
it be said We had husband who was
incapable of supporting ye? Could |
let it be said that your husband lived
like a leech upon your fortunes?
Faith, didn't l have to go for your
sake?"
NO" she dissented with a second
weary shake of her pretty head Il
think it was love of yourself, 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
|, my dear"
bornly, but know, too. sooner or
later it would have come out. and
they would have said: There she
goes with her fortune-hunter, the adj
venturer who married her for her
money"
And if so? What earthly differ
ence could it make to us. sweetheart?
hof fn 1Ic-if
love me?"
If" he cried, almost angrily. IF!
All, but no. darling! It's your
self knows there is no if about it. that
I'm sick with love Of We this very
minute-sick and mad for We :"
Then" she pleaded, with a 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 If only
for 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-
Notwithstanding him; lay SUI
pine in his embrace. yet held him
strongly to her, and trembled In SYM
pathy with the deep, hurried pounding
OF his heart g.
In the south the horizon famed
livid to the zenith, revealing a great,
black wall of cloud that had stolen
up out of Africa; beneath it the sea
shone momentarily with a sickly silk
en- luster. Then the dense blackness
Of the night reigned again, as pro-
found as though impenetrable, eternal.
Later a dull growl of thunder rolled
in across the waste. With it came the
first fitful warnings of the impending
wind storm.
Twas We 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
young elephant, Terence was mind
ed to punish you little, very little,
my dear. So | merely opened mine
and closed it sharply"
AhOAO was d "oudu III the nall
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 frlmbled
IL hfC bot nd
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. / had no idea
where TO send you the letter. Have
you read it,"
Have | had time. sweetheart OF
mine?"
There was an interlude
In the distance the thunder rolled
and rumbled.
Resolutely the young woman dis
engaged herself and withdrew to a lit
tie distance.
Read. monsieur" she insisted. per-
emptorily.
I've better things to do, me dear"
he retorted with composure.
You'll find it interesting"
Il find me wife more interesting
than How dye know will?"
Perhaps | have read it."
O'Rourke turned the letter over In
his hand and noted what had thereto
fore escaped his attention-the fact
that the envelope. badly frayed on the
edges through much handling, was
open at the top.
so We may" he admitted
1T was that way when received 1t.
And have read It. How could help
K7'