Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

II
self down in a steamer chair.
l. and burying his face in his
hands gave himself up TO the
most anguished thought that ever
rent a mans bosom. What had
Clairena thought" What had she
done? Had she learned in any way
what had happened to him? The
date set for their wedding had long
since passed When no word had
been received from him on that date,
what had been the result?
His last remembrance was bowling
along the shaded road, with Thorne
at the wheel; how came he lying In
a death-like stupor at the other end
of the world? How, and under
what conditions had Thorne left
him? The more he cogitated over
il, the more certain he became that
his one-time rival was responsible
| for what had happened to him
He felt that Thorne would use
every means in his power to cause
Clairena to believe that he had de-
serted her: and the old colonel. what
had he done, what had he thought
of it all?
A shuddcr passed over him: he.
would know. in the morning; the
colonel would receive the wireless,
and lose no time in answering, or
perhaps Clairena, his darling Clair
cna. would reply.
His suspense was so great he hard
| ly knew how to contain himself un-
! til the morrow. He might receive
| their message by noon; possibly not
| until shutdown, the captain had said.
Then, as though an icy hand had
| clutcheds his heart. he thought of jill
| Bett r. she would not release him.
| she should never see him again.
| There were clever attorneys in New
| York: he would lay the strange case
| before them. asking if there was no
| way in which he might be freed from
| this marriage which had been forced
upon him. Jil-Bett should not need
| to worry over the outcome of that
| ill-starred marriage: as he had told
! her, he meant to do handsomely by
| her as far as money was concerned.
After he had gone out of her life
| she would forget him in no length of
| time. after the fashion of most
| women. His freedom from Jil-Bett
he must gain; that was all there was
| to that.
| He took the ruby from his vest
pocket, where he had thrust it, ex-
| aiming It with the greatest care.
Little by little. fine as the engrav-
| ing had been done. he was able TO
trace the word "Mizpah" upon it
all save the last letter. The bright
| rays Of the moonlight falling upon
| the stone seemed to turn it to drop
of blood afire. He shuddered. The
| fire within it seemed that Jil-Bett.
of all others, should have restored
to him the ring that was to grace
| the beautiful hand of Clairena at the
altar.
And, last, but by no means least.
how strange that this ruby had ac-
complished that which the most skill
full Of doctors had failed 10 do
| memory, giving him back to Clairena.
Suddenly he saw the face of ma
ture change; great black clouds bank
up. obscuring the moon, covering the
deck and the waters beyond in man
tie of darkness. The wind fresh
ened and the bosom of the ocean
began to heave convulsively. Then
without warning, as from a clear sky.
the squal which often takes place
on the ocean was upon them. Thun-
der rolled, lightning flashed. but as
yet no rain accompanied it. The
storm agreed with his mood. He still
sat there. determined TO sit there
until dawn. and lose himself in the
thought of Clairena.
He saw the sailors darting hither
and thither, but paid no heed to
them. All he desired was to be left
to himself-to think. How could he
wait until tomorrow to hear from
her whom he loved so we'll? 1t al
most seemed to him as though his
soul left his body and hurried on to
the end of his journey, and-Clairena.
He did not heed the vivid forks of
lightning that played about him like
that fell from the lips of the sailors.
"All this lightning, without a drop
Of rain, for such length Of time,
forecasts disaster" whispered one.
AYE, ave.! returned the other, so
I have heard. i am more afraid of
lightning than anything else, I as
whats that chap doing out. here?"
demanded his companion, and, in a
louder voice, he called to him, warn
ing him to go inside, for when the
storm burst, which it might do at any
moment. it would be, a veritable
cloudburst, which would sweep the
deck like a flood.
81 shall remain here and watch It,"
was the reply.
well, we've warned him; If he
comes to grief, the fruit of his folly
be on his own head, that's all"
Meantime the mutterings overhead
grew louder and f1ercer, and the
waves began to rise mountain high;
the elements, his own heart was in
state of commotion equally fierce.
Down in her stateroom the stew
ardness was looking out of her port
hole with fear and trembling. Turn
ing to Jil-Bett, she asked nervously:
Are you awake. child?"
81 have not been asleep" returned
Jil-Bett.
"It might be as well for you to get
up, and-and-prepare for-for any
thing that might happen, she ,whis-
pered. This is fearful night on
the sea-don't you notice how the
shin is rockiuR?"
yes" returned Jil-Bett, realizing
that 1t must pc something out OF inc
had followed the sea so long.
I'm going TO put . life-belt on