Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-23

was very terrlble--thal Tiny, pitching
cabin with the swinging. smoking
lamp. and the mailman sitting there
muttering To himself over the glass In
which the morphine was dissolying
. it happened three times before
the wreck: | thought should go out
OF my own mind"
She shuddered, her face tragic an[
pltful, For n little she sat. heaC
bowed, broodng.
Hugh she cried, looking up tC
search his face narrowly-"Hugh
you've not been pretending-?'
'Pretending" he repeated, thick
witted.
Hugh, could never forgive you
If you'd been pretending. 1t would
be too cruel All, but you haven
been! Tell me you haven't
Il don't understand Pretend
ing what"
"Pretending you didn't know who
was--pretending to fall in love with
me just because you were sorry for
me, TO make me think 1t was Inc yOu
bound to take care of, because you'd
you had"
Mary, listen to me-" he interrupted
II swear | didn't know you. Only
Thursday. you were that girl again
! never dreamed Of aSsociating you
with my wife. Dear, | didn't know
believe me. 1t was you who beWitched
fr1e--not the wife for whose sake
fought against what thought infatua'
ton for you. | loved love you only
you as you are-not the poor little
girl of the Commercial House"
Il have loved you always" she said
softly between barely parted lips
ALWAYS. Hugh. Even when l thought
you dead l did believe that
you we're drowned out there. Hugh
You know that, don't YOU
Il have never for an instant Ques,
toned It,"
1T wouldn't be like you to, my
dear: 1t wouldn't be you, my Hugh
No other man | ever knew--no, let me
say it.-ever measured up to the
standard you had set for nue. to wor-
ship. But Hugh-youll understand,
won't YOU about the others?
please" he begged--'please don't
harrow yourself SO. Mary"
NO, | must tell you. The
world seemed 50 empty and so lonely,
Hugh: l tried to lose myself in my
work, but it wasn't enough. And those
others came, beseeching me. anh--nnd
! liked them. ! was starving for at
lection. Each time, Hugh. it was
the same. One by one they we're
taken from me, strangely, terribly. . ..
Poor Tom Custer. first he was a dear
boy, but didn't love him and couldn't
marry him. had to tell him SO. He
killed himself. Then Billy HAM
iltOn; | became engaged to him, but
he was taken mySteriouSiy from a
crowded ship in mid-orean. A
man named Mitchell Thurston loved
me. | liked him; perhaps | might
have consented to marry him. He was
sSassinnted--s down like mad
dog in broad daylight---no one ever
knew by whom, or why. He hadn't
nm enemy in the world we knew
Of. And now Drummond ="
MARY, Mary" he pleaded Don't
--don't-those things were all acct
dents"
She paid him no heed. She didn't
seem to hear. He tried to take her
hand, with mans dull. witless no.
ton of the way to comfort distraught
woman; but she snatched it from his
touch.
"And now"-her voice pealed out
like great bell tollng over the mag
niticent solitude of the forsaken
islnnd-"and now | have it to live
through once again; the wonder and
terror and beauty of love, the agony
and passion Of having you torn from
me. Hugh. l don't believe
| can endure ii again. | can't bear
this exquisite torture. I'm afraid |
shall 90 mad, Unless.
voice Shuddered-'l have
the strength, the strength to"
Stop" he cried in desperation.
you must not go on like this Mary!
Listen to me-"
ITO be- continued.)