Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-14

"Why, Mr.. Holt" exclaimed Mrs.
Peckham.
without word he handed her let
Ter. Thinking 1t to be from her hus-
pand or that 1t might bring her bad
news from him, her attention was mo-
mentarily turned from its bearer to
the letter. IT bore evidence of having
been wet a dampness clung to it,
and the letters OF the address had
run together. She tore it open and
read 1t. 1t Tas 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 it's 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 hall,
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 1t.
I'm sure something has happened
to Hector she moaned. Leslie Holt
slipped away on purpose so that he
wouldn't have to say anything to me
about 1t. But how pale he looked and
how exhaustedr'
Thinking draft might have blown
the letter off the table. she looked
about until she saw something Of
light brownish color In corner Sure
that it was the letter, which had been
discOlored, she seized it. What was
her surprise to find seaweed.
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 Lyall's quarters. He
found Mrs Peckham lying on a bed in
a 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 go over it again. He said
that the eXpectatiO for long while
that her husband would at any time
participate In naval engagement and
the excitement attending the recent
fight had been strain upon her nerves
that had produced hallucination. He
prescribed sedative and left direc-
tions that she was to be 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
it to her. Finally, fearing that Kate
might hear it 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 had listed her, the announce
ment OF his death supplied 1t. A sub
sequent letter, however, from Peckham
served to tighten the blow. Kate felt
that the matter had no reference to
her husband; it was between her and
Leslie Holt She considered it pun
ishment for having trifled with him
and brooded and brooded, and all ef-
forts on the part Of her friends to con-
vince her that there was nothing in it
except creation of her own brain I'M
der nervous strain were fruitless.
In time Peckham came north. and it
was hoped that his presence would lift
the cloud that hung over his wife. 1t
helped her, but did not cure her. She
went about as before, but how changed.
"What sad sight is Mrs. Peck
ham, said one Of the men with whom
she had trifed-one OF the older ones,
an officer. "The matter proves the in
nocence of her action when so many
Of us We're attentive to her. Wicked
people are not remorseful. The tender
consciences are usually to be found in
innocence. Had she been a heartless,
wicked flirt the fact that she had
wrecked mans life would have pleas
ed her. Instead of this. his telling her
that she had wrecked his life wrecked
hers. He should not have said such
a thing to her, and he would not have