Morris tribune., 1917-02-23


for the lady told him that the moment
she reached Honolulu she would ca
BILE back to America for money. But
it put her under an obligation to Jones,
and she was naturally grateful. The
voyage to Honolulu is a long one, and
the two, being without other friends
or acquaintance on the vessel, spent
much time together.
After the first shock at their unfortu-
nate situation was over they subsidized
into encomiums upon their respective
partners. Jones tired of this first and
was glad when his companion gave
over expatiating upon her husbands
noble qualities. 1t soon seemed like
a widow extolling the virtues Of her
first husband to her second.
The voyage was favored with pleas
ant weather, and the two, having moth
ing to do but idle away their time on
| deck in comfortable steamer chairs.
were not long in becoming recOnciled
to the situation. Then came moments
when they felt q shock in realizing
that the frightful separation they were
enduring was losing it's frightfulness.
| One day when the water was rough
and Mrs. Stanley was kept in her room
| by seasickness Jones walked the deck
disconsOlate. thinking Of her instead of
| his Evelyn. On another occasion, when
Mrs. Stanley, after seeing Jones stroll
| ing along the side when the ship
was lurching, heard the cry of Man
overboard!' she paled. fearing that it
might be Jones.
When the vessel reached Honolulu
Jones decided that it would be neglect
| of O defenseless woman to leave his
companion without seeing her COM
fortably started on her return journey.
Since his ship spent but half day
there, to do this he must remain over
and take another passage to Hong
kong In any event, Mrs. Stanley de-
termined to wait the arrival of the
next steamer from America, which
would doubtless bring her advices from
her husband and her family. In such
a complicated case nothing could be
decided upon cablegrams.
When the next mail from San Fran
cisco came in it brought two letters for
Mrs. Stanley-the one from her hus-
band, the other from her parents, who
had become aware of the contretemps.
The latter inclosed a draft for funds
| and advised her immediate return,
| which was indeed what was to have
been expected. The former letter con-
tanned great shock for the bride.
Joseph Stanley wrote his newly made
wife that his father, having suspected
something was in the wind, had em-
| 70
Stanley had avoided the detective SO
far as to be married. but the detec-
tive had caught him just as he was
about to enter the dOckhOuse to board
the steamer. This was by way of ex-
PLANTATION. The letter went on to say
that. being taken to his father, he had
been told that unless he consented to
an annument Of his marriage the for
tune that would be his-a million dol
lars would be left to a cousin, Robert
Stanley. whom Joseph hated.
Since he had not been brought up to
earn his living. due regard for his
bride as we'll as himself compelled him
to submit His father had held will
he had made in his hands, ready to
destroy it, waiting for his sons deci-
sion When it was given he was re-
quired to sign an application to the
courts for an annulment of his mar
rage.
Jones received similar shock in a
cablegram intended to intercept his
voyage from Evelyn SmithsOn asking
| him to await adviceS at Honolulu.
When the advices came they revealed
a greater weakness on the part Of Eve
Ign than Joseph Stanley had shown.
The morning that Evelyn was to have
sailed with Jones her mother, seeing
that she was agitated, pressed her to
tell her what was on her mind. Eve
lyn weakened and confessed what she
was about to do.
OF course the confession was tanta-
mount to a backdOwn. Mrs. Smithson,
anxious to be rid of man whom she
did not wish her daughter to marry
at least not then-refused to send word
to the steamer that Evelyn would not
sail.
Jones and Mrs. Stanley having re-
ceived their letters by the same steam
er read them in the latter's private par
lor at the hotel where she stopped.
Jones finished reading his letter first
and waited for his companion to do
the same. When she did she handed
her letter to him. He read it and look
ed up at her. Seeing something en-
couraging in her eye he went to her
and-kissed another mans wife.
Now, had Mrs. Stanley not been a
married woman Jones might have mar
ried her and the two could have con-
tinued this double intended wedding
journey condensed into a single one.
But Mrs. Stanley was tied to another
man, and there was nothing for it but
to return to America and procure an
annulment Of her marriage before they
! could be united.