The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-06

and exhausted.
"Why, Mr. Holt" exclaimed Mrs.
Peck
Without a word he handed her let
ter. Thinking it to be from her hus-
band or that it 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 clung to 1t.
and the letters Of the address had
run together. She tore it open and
read 1t. 1t was simply an announce
ment that the writer was we'll haG
suffered nothing in the recent engage
ment and hoped before many weeks t.
return to her. Having satisfied her
self that it boded no harm to the mai
she loved, she turned TO its bearer. He
was not there.
Thinking that what had passed be
tween them before her marriage haG
led him to go away without even hay
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 wa
not there, nor was he anywhere to be
seen, though there was nothing 70.
some distance to obstruct her vision.
| "Strange" she said to herself and
returned to her room, fear coming
over her that the affair was in some
way connected with misfortune to
hcr husband. Going to the table, she
was about to snatch up the letter
when she saw that 1t 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 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 corner. Sure
that it was the letter. which had been
discOlored. she seized 1t. What was
her surprise to find a seaweed.
There was something SO uncanny III
all this that she was now thoroughly
frightened. Dropping the seaweed
she put both hands to her temples ir
an effort to regain her equanimity
Then, rushing out Of the room, she rar
to her aunt and sank in swoon.
Ten minutes later DR.. Coggswell
medical officer at the, academy, was
called to Professor Lyall's quarters. HI
found Mrs. Peckham lying on bed ii
a high state Of nervous excitement
Mrs. Lyall told the doctor, before ht
saw the patient, the story her niece
had told her. and he did not permit thu
invalid to go over it again. He sale
that the expectation for long while
that her husband would at any tim,
participate In u naval engagement ant
the excitement attending the recen
fight had been II strain upon her nerve.
that had produced hallucination. II,
prescribed Il sedative and left direc
tiOns that she was to he kept quiet.
But Mrs. Peckham did not recove
ed. And one morning something oc
Cured to give her terrible back set
A telegram from Key West appeare,
In morning paper stating that littl
naval tender, commanded by Lesli
} Holt, had been wrecked ON one Of tn
keys and all on board had been lost.
Mrs. Lyall kept this news from he
niece as long as she dared, hoping tn
invalid would gain strength and ther
would be less danger In communicating
it to her. Finally, fearing that Kat
might hear 1t from others, she told he
! of young Holt's death.
, If anything was needed to complet
: the conviction that the wrath Of tn
man who had told her she had wrecke
his life had visited her, the announce
: ment Of his death supplied 1t. sui
, seQuent letter, however, from Peckhar
: served TO tighten the blow. Kate fel
, that the matter had no reference I
her husband; It was between her an
Leslie Holt She considered 1t a pun
ishment for having trifled with hir
! and brooded and brooded, and all el
, forts on the part Of her friends to cor
: vince her that there was nothing In
, except creation OF her own brain III
4 der nervous strain were fruitless.
/ In time Peckham came north, and
, was hoped that his presence would Iii
. the cloud that hung over his wife.
r helped her but did not cure her Sh
went about as before, but how changed
"What sad sight is Mrs. Peel
: ham," said one OF the men with whor
. she had trifled-one of the older one
: an officer. The matter proves the fl
I nocence of her action when so man
e Of us were attentive to her. Wicke
, people are not remorseful The tende
t consciences are usually to be found |
{ innocence. Had she been heartles
t a wicked fiirt the fact that she ha
], wrecked mans life would have plea
ed her Instead of this, his telling ht
9 that she had wrecked his life wrecke
e hers He should not have said sue
a. h,r r. a