The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-06-26

sHppeQ away on purpose so that he
wouldn't have to say anything to me
about 1t. But how pale he looked and
how exhaustedT'
Thinking a 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
discolored, she seized it. What was
her surprise to find a 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 a swoon.
Ten minutes later DR.. Coggswen,
medical officer at the academy, was
called to Professor Lyalrs quarters He
found Mrs. Peckham lying on bed In
a high state Of nervous excitement.
Mrs. Lyall told the doctor, before he
saw the patient, the story her niece
bad told her, and he did not permit the
invalid to go over 1t again. He said
that the expectation for long while
that her husband would at any time
participate In a naval engagement and
the excitement attending the recent
fight had been a strain upon her nerves
that had produced hallucination. He
prescribed sedative and left direc-
lions 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 &C.
ourred 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 Hollis death.
II anything was needed to complete
the conviction that the wrath Of the
man who had told her she had wrecked
his life had visited her, the announce
ment Of his death supplied It. A sub
seQuent letter, however, from Peckham
served to tighten the blow. Kate felt
that the matter had no reference to
her husband; 1t was between her and
Leslie Holt She considered 1t pun
ishment for having trified with him
and brooded and brooded, and all eff
forts on the part Of her friends to con-
vince her that there was nothing In it
except q creation Of her own brain IN
der nervous strain were fruitless.
In time Peckham came north, and 1t
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 a sad sight Is Mrs. Peck
ham," said one Of the men with whom
she had triied-one of the older ones,
an officer "The matter proves the In
nocence Of her action when so many
Of us were attentive to her. Wicked
people are not remorseful. The tender
consciences are usually to be found in
innocence. Had she been a heartless,
a wicked ffirt 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
said 1t had he been older and realized
the effect it would have on her"
1t Is years since this shock came
to Mrs. Peckham, and, although 1t has
somewhat worn away, it has left its
effects. She is still beloved, for at
heart she is the same innocent wo-
man, though very different from the
days of her girlhood. Every one ex-
cept herself refers the visit of the
wrath to a shock coming from over
strained nerves She would as soon
doubt her existence as doubt the real
ity Of the visit. After sufficiently re-
covering to talk about it she declared
that she not only smelled the salt air
Of the sea, but saw Leslie Holt stand
ing before her-not lifeike, it is true,
because he was very pale, and he had
the appearance Of having been in the
water. The only thing to prove her
position was the letter she received
and the seaweed, but that disappeared
during her first shock and never was
recovered.