The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-02

strong smell OF the sea. Standing be-
fore the opening was Leslie Holt, pale
and exhausted.
"Why, Mr.. Holtw exclaimed Mrs.
Peckham.
Without a word he handed her a let
ter Thinking it to be from her hus-
band or that 1t might bring her bad
news from him, her attention was mo
| mentarily turned from its bearer to
the letter. 1t bore evidence Of having
been wet. A dampness chung to it,
and the letters Of the address had
run together. She tore 1t open and
read it. 1t was simply an announce
ment that the writer was well, had
suffered nothing in the recent engage
ment and hoped before many weeks to
return to her Having satisfied her
self that it boded no harm to the man
she loved, she turned to its bearer. He
was not there.
Thinking that what had passed be-
tween them before her marriage had
led him to go away without even hav-
ing been thanked, she tossed the letter
on table and ran out into the hall to
stop him. Not finding him in the hail.
she went out on to the porch. He was
not there, nor was he anywhere to be
seen, though there was nothing for
some distance to obstruct her vision.
| STRANGE" she said to herself and
returned to her room, a fear coming
over her that the affair was in some
way connected with misfortune to
her husband. Going to the table, she
was about to snatch up the letter
| when she saw that it was not where
she had put it. Looking on the floor
for It, she did not find it.
I'm sure something has happened
to Hector" she moaned Leslie Holt
slipped away OH purpose SO that he
wouldn't have to say anything to me
about It, But how pale he looked and
how exhausted!'
Thinking draft might have blown
the letter off the table, she looked
about until she saw something Of a
light brOwnish color in a corner. Sure
that it was the letter. which had been
her surprise to find a seaweeds
There was something so uncanny In
all this that she was now thoroughly
frightened. Dropping the seaweed,
she put both hands to her temples In
an effort to regain her equanimity.
Then, rushing out Of the room, she ran
to her aunt and sank in swoon.
Ten minutes later Dr. Coggswell,
medical officer at the academy, was
called to Professor Lyalrs quarters He
found Mrs Peckham lying on bed in
high state of nervous excitement.
Mrs. Lyall told the doctor, before he
saw the patient, the story her niece
had told her, and he did not permit the
invalid to 20 over 1t again. He said
that the expectation for long while
that her husband would at any time
participate I'm a naval engagement and
the excitement attending the recent
fight had been strain upon her nerves
that had produced hallucination. He
prescribed IA sedative and left dlrec-
tions that she was to Ike kept quiet.
But Mrs. Peckham did not recover
from the strain as soon as was expect
ed. And one morning something oc.
Cured to give her terrible back set
A telegram from Key West appeared
in morning paper stating that little
naval tender, commanded by Leslie
Holt, had been wrecked on one OF the
keys and all on board had been lost.
Mrs. Lyall kept this news from her
niece as long as she dared, hoping the
!. invalid would gain strength and there
would be less danger In communicating
1t to her Finally, fearing that Kate
might hear 1t from others, she told her
of young Holt's death.
If anything was needed to complete
the conviction that the wrath OF the
man who had told her she had wrecked
his life bad visited her, the announce
ment Of his death supplied 1t. A sub
seauent letter, however, from Peckham
served TO Tighten the blow. Kate fel,
that the matter had no reference tt
her husband; It was between her anC
Leslie Holt. She considered 1t a pun
ishment for having trifled with hin
and brooded and brooded, and all ef
, forts on the part Of her friends to con
vince her that there was nothing In i
except creation OF her own brain un
der nervous strain were fruitless.
In time Peckham came north, and Il
was hoped that his presence would LIT
the cloud that hung over his wire. Il
helped her, but did not cure her Sh'
went about as before, but how changed
"What a sad sight is Mrs. Peck
ham," said one Of the men with whom
she had trifled-one of the older ones
an officer. 1.-The matter proves the in
nocence OF her action when so man!
!, of uS were attentive to her. Wicked
: people are not remorseful The tende
consciences are usually to be found II
; innocence Had she been heartless
. a wicked flirt the fact that she ha'
wrecked a mans life would have pleas
cd her Instead of this his telling he