Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-19
TODAY'S INSTAI.LMENT.
xxxIII-INTO THE DEPTHS.


most improbable imaginings
that had swept through her
! brain. it had never occurred to her
that there could have been another
girl connected with Jacks past. She
had heard that men coming out OF
a long trance often mentioned the
name Of the last person whom they
beheld. No doubt it was dearly
loved sister whose name he called
upon with such a world Of pathos in
his voice.
She watched him in alright as he
seemed to battle tiercely with awak-
ened memory. unlocking the past.
which he was facing with such woe.
Should she remain by his side. quiet
ly. without speaking. until the tor
rent Of his keen despair had ex-
she noticed that, instead of exhaust
ing itself. his throes of anguish in
creased. AS she looked into his face.
he burst out with a mighty sob
cane shakes and bends to the break
! ing point strong tree, crying out:
"Clairena, oh. God in heaven.
Clairena"'
Jil-Bett looked at him in growing
| wonder. He seemed to forget her
presence and to think only of Clair
/ ena. upon whose name he called over
a nd over again She could endure the
agony of suspense no longer. Coming
closer to him. she compelled him to
see and hear her.
Jack she whispered. attempting
to draw herself within the shelter of
his arms. who is Clairena?"
He recoiled from her as though she
, had struck him a sudden blow. Like
a shock the realization had come to
him---he. who loved Clairena, the
beautiful girl who was to have be-
come his bride. the girl whom he
loved better than his own life. was
parted from her forever by this girl
who held him firmly in the clutch of
the marriage tie.
Jil-Bett was sorely frightened.
Years passing over his head could
not have changed him more than
those few minutes had done: All in
an instant his bonny brown hair had
| fled gaze. while his face became more
ashen. his eyes more bloodshot.
who is Clairena. Jack?" she re-
peated gently. great fear awaken
! ing in her heart that she was some
one he had loved.
He turned upon her fierceiy- God.
| have pity on me-" he groaned You
, have come between disappearing
RE from my love as surely as though
| one of us lay in the grave. l was TO
have married her-1-"
Jil-Bett stood as cold. white and
still as a marble statue before him.
| looking up into his anguished face.
The words struck her as an icy
blast strikes a tender flower. Wither-
ing 1t In an instant OF time. Very
through her bewildered BRAIN.
He had, and still loved another.
The force of the terrible truth was
slowly dawning upon her. She Won
dered vaguely that she did not drop
dead at his feet. She had not only
loved. she had idolized this handsome
young man who had come into her
desolate life and made the earth a
paradise to her. The awakening from
her beautiful girlish dream of love
was more bitter than death.
He was her husband: her very own:
they were welded until death did
them part, so the minister had said !;
and those beautiful words stood out
in letters Of gold, ever before her
mental vision. OF all the sweet and
seemed vague except those. And
now-would she be able to cling to
him. until death should them part:
She drew back and looked at him
You say l have come between you
and a beautiful girl-you-love-
and were to have married." she whis-
pered in q strained voice from which
all the gladness had died out.
ct is So" he answered drearily,
despairingly.
ana Bn6 loves you rs uSdIly as
you love herr" she queried.
He bent his head in assent TOO
wretched for words.
Did the ruby bring back the MEM
DRY of her to your" she questioned,
striving to keep back her tears. ,,
| of it. That he was to have given it
to Clairena as a bridal gift: that 1t
| was he who had commissioned the
! New York Arm to have the. word
Mizpah engraved on the ruby. 1t
! hearts, and that he was to search the
world over until a competent person
was found to undertake the work.
The money in the box at her feet he
! had paid as an advance payment:
| His words ended in groan. bitter
You love this Cairena of whom
you speak, Jack?"
He laid his arms down upon the
rail- and his head upon them: Love
her. hr he ~, life 50 is some
, have had many loves; as boy and
man, have had but one-my peerless
Clairena. My life. my hopes were
conferred in her. To be the lover of
| the girl one loves Is a delight in
comparable; to be the husband Of the
girl one loves is heaven on earth"
Jil-Bett looked long and steadily
at him. Was this the cold sweet
heart who had never made love to
her; never held her hands in an en-
dearing clasp; never breathed into
her ear the words, Il dove you. dear
this man whose very heart seemed
riven asunder at the thought of be-
ing separated from this Clairena?
Il am sorry for you-and for me,
Jack" she murmured piteously.
Sorry" he groaned. turning saw
| asely upon her will that undo what
has been done-tear asunder the yoke
| that has gotten around our necks-
will it get either one Of us out Of the
| predicament in which we are?"
You mean you bitterly regret that
i xrra ra hound fn each nfhar2n