Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-10-03

strong smell of the sea. Standing be-
fore the opening was Leslie Holt, pale
and exhausted.
"Why. Mr.. Holtr' exclaimed Mrs
Peckham
without a word he handed her a let
ter Thinking 1t 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 it open and
read 1t. 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 BODIED 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 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. fear coming
over her that the affair was In some
way connected with a misfortune to
her husband. Going to the table. she
was about to snatch up the letter
she had put It. Looking on the floor
for 1t. she did not find It.
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 exhaustedr'
Thinking draft might have blown
the letter on the table. she looked
about until she saw something Of a
Hight brownish color in a corner. Sure
that It was the letter. which had been
NASNOAVASNAy cAAN otA@<C0 49, W AS1b !" 80
her surprise to find seaweed.
There was something 50 uncanny In
ali 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 q swoon.
Ten minutes later DR.. Coggswell,
medical officer at the academy, was
called to Professor Lyall's quarters He
found Mrs. Peckham lying on q bed In
a high state Of nervous excitement
Mrs. Lyall told the doctor. before be
saw the patient. the story her niece
had told her. and he did not permit the
Invalid to 30 over It again. He said
that the expectation for = long while
that her husband would At any time
participate in q naval engagement and
the excitement attending the recent
Fight had been 4 strain upon her nerves
that had prodsced hallucination. He
prescribed q sedattve and left dtrec-
lions that she was to be kept quiet.
But Mira Peckham did not recover
from the strain as soon rs was expect
ed. And one morning something oc-
CURED to give her a terrible hack set
A telegram from Key West appeared
in q morning paper stating that little
naval tender, commanded BY Leslie
Holt, had been wrecked on one Of the
keys and all on hoard had been lest.
Mrs. Lyall kept this news from her
~ -, H. prx1 ,fvvrv I'm
invalid would gain strength and there
would he lcss danger IN communicating
1t to her. Finally. fearing that Kate
might hear 1t from others, abe told her
Of young Holt's 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
Rcquent letter. however, from Peckhnm
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 1t q pun
ishment for having trifled with him
and broodesi md broodesi. and nll CT
forts on the r,rt Of her friends to con
vince her that there was nothing in It
except a creation OF her own brain un-
der a nervous strain were fruiticss.
In time reckham came north. and 1t
was hoped that his presence would lift
the cloud that hung over his wife. II
helped her. but did not cure her. She
went about as before. bnt how changed.
what q sad sight In Mrs. Peck
ham," said one OF the men with whom
she had triHed-one OF the older ones.
an officer THE matter proves the In
nocence Of her action when 80 mahy
Of US were attentive to her. Wicked
people are not rcmorSesul The tender
consciences are usually to be found In
innocence. Had she l.een heartless
a wicked firt the fact that she had
wrecked mans life would have pleas