Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-27
CHAPTER XXI

lpESSIE had passed miserable night.
~ Having been Awake until after Ave
IN the morning, she was asleep at nine
when somebody knocked ut her bedroom
door. It was old Miss Ethel with a
telegram. Bessie opened 1t with trcm.
bling fingers. !.
,,,.SssS ,,Ns.;epss %,,,. dear :: am coming up as
With fingers that trembled still more
noticeably Bessie returned the telegram
to it's envelope and slid It under her
pillow, saying with u twitching of the
mouth which always came when she was
telling an untruth):
"It's from Mr.. Cell. He wants me
to meet him in Douglas. ! am to 60 up
immediately
That's nice said Miss Ethel. "The
change will do you world Of good,
dear; III run down and hurry your
brcakfast, no that you can catch the
Bessie dressed hastily. put few
things into q little handbag. and then
sat down to write her promised let
ter. 1t was a terrible ordeal. What
could she say that would not betray her
secret? At length she wrote:
Dear Alick-Do forgive me-. I must
20 away for q little while. 1t Is all
my health. l have been III all winter
and suffered more than anybody can
know. But God is good. and 1 will get
my health and strength back soon, and
then will return and we can be mar.
rted and everything will be all right.
Do not think I do not love YOU because
l am leaving you like this. have never
loved ynu so dear ns now. But am
depressed; and ! cannot get away from
s don't se' try to f,nd m nc. shall be be quite
all right, and shall think Of you
every night before I 60 to sleep. and
every morning when awake. So now
I must close with all my love nnd
kisses. BESSIE. xxxxx"
Having written her letter. and blot
ted it with many tears. she pinned 1t
TO the top OF her pillow. without re.
memacrinG that the telegram lay un-
derncath. Then she hurried down.
stairs. swallowed mouthful Of break.
fast standing. said good.by to her old
hQusemates with an effort at gaycty and
set of az for the railway station.
She had no intention of going there.
The morning haze was thick on the
edge Of tho sea.- and as soon as she was
out Of sight of the house. she. slipped
ucross the fields t. winding lane which
During the night. crying n good deal
and stining her sobs under the bed.
clothes. she had thought out all her
plans. It was still two months before
her time, and to be separated from Alick
az long as that was too painful to think
about. 1t was also too dangerous.
Long before the end Of that time he
would search for her and find her, and
then her secret would become known,
and that would be the end of every.
thing.
She had been to blame. but what had
she done to be so unhappy? Why
should Nature be SO cruel to a girl? Was
there no way Of escape from It?
At length light had dawn-d on her.
Remembering what she had heard of
women doing (wives as we'll as unmar-
ricd girls) to get rid Of children who
were not wanted. she determined that
her own child should be still. born.
Why not? 1t threatened to separate
her from .Ahck- Ito turn his love for
her INTO hatred. Why should II come
into the world to ruin her life, and his
also? Gs
Yes. she would tire herself out, ex.
pose herself to some great strain, some
fearful exhaustion, and thereby bring
on q sudden and serious Illness. In.
stead OF taking the train she would
walk all tho way home tn her mothers
house-twcnty odd miles. fifteen of them
over steep and rugged mountain road.
~ wouIa oe uuhEerous 10 girl IN her
conaition' pMt NOT nait SO dangerous as
lntrryng Alck m1W' nnu running inc
ilsk OF ~ emu nNg tnas OF tne poor
young Wme o. .nc ieei nsnerman.
ana tnen u wo"Iu pe 80 hluch iairer.
II hcr iaut; ner misIortuhe' Gouid DC
wiped our 3eiore she married Alck. no.
body cGuiQ say shc had deceived her
husband. , -, 80.
Such was INC WIZ gamble win ne
ana death whlch bessie had decided
upon at tne prompting OF love ana
shame ana rear. Ihe consequences were
not long IN coming.
Ihe Wnaihg lane mad 20 cross the
ialway line near 70 village station
nefore II reacneu thc open country, anu
coming sharply upon the level. .crossins
at quick turning she found the gates
closed. and train drawing up at the
platforms
She knew at once that this must be
tho train from Douglas which Alick
Cell was to travel by, and IN moment
she saw hin. lie was sitting alone IN
iirst class carriage, looking pale ana
tha south side of the island Who had
bcen nm. to see Stoweii on by the
steamer. They were smoking and laugh.
a. -Is....-.J A.