Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1941-04-03
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| He looked at her steadily, said at
last: "Why-he didn't give it to me,
no. l wanted to 60 on deck, and it
was cold, and Peter gave me Rich
ards big sea coat to wear over my
own. After we got on deck, put
my hands in the pockets, and felt
piece of paper, and before I
thought, I looked at it, 1t was your
letter to Richard, Mary"
She spoke quickly. "It began:
Dear Richard, Having been capti-
waited by the charms of your per-
son p"
For answer, he fumbled in his
pocket, produced crumpled paper,
gave it to her. She smoothed it out,
read it swiftly with racing eyes that
nevertheless fingered over the IA
miliar, not-to-be-forgotten words.
She smiled as she read. Once
these words had seemed to her so
impassioned and tender and beauti-
full that they made her senses swim;
and once she had treasured this
scrap of paper in her bosom happi-
this moment she was amused; and
she looked up at George in a deep
mirth.
"You really thought I'd written
this to Richard?"
"What could I think?''
''I mean, since we came aboard
here?"
'tI'm afraid I did," he admitted.
"My dear, can you imagine any
girl really writing letter like
that; SO many long words, so silt
ed and silly and everything?"
He said, half-smiling at his own
confession: GIVE never had love
letter, Mary. 1 don't know much
about them. Didn't you write it,"
Eyes, but years ago. My hand
writing doesn't even look like that
now!"
GIVE never seen your handwrit-
ing, you know. We've not been sep
arated, so we've never written let
tiers to each other.''
"And it's signed Mary Doncas-
ter" she insisted. "Not Mary Nc
Ausland."
II thought you had forgotten you
we're my wife"
He spoke so humbly that for a
moment she caught him close in ten
derness; but then she spoke in swift
explanation, and soberly now. Lis
ten, George. I copied this letter
out of a Complete Letter Writer
when I was in school in New Bed
ford. 1t was supposed to be from
man to a girl, and thought it was
perfectly beautiful"
81 see," he assented. "But Mary,
Richard kept it all these years. So
perhaps he loved you too!'
She shook her head. "No, he
didn't keep it! He never saw it. 1
know that now. Peter stole it from
me in school. He told me he was
going to give it to Richard. begged
him not to-" Her cheek colored,
and she said honestly: Next day he
brought me what he said was Rich
ards answer; but I know now that
Peter wrote the answer himself, be-
cause it's the same handwriting in
the log; and he must have kept my
letter all this time . :" Her voice
checked as though some thought
struck her; then she went on:
"And he put it in Richards coat,
to fool you, to make you mad!"
He said grimly, remembering that
storm of emotion which had racked
him SO: II was crazy, Mary. I'll
spend the rest of my life making
up to you for the way acted that
day"
She told him, warmly comforting:
81 didn't mind really, George" Her
eyes twinkled almost mischievous-
ly. "You know, you've never told
me you love me. It's only when you
get terribly jealous that / can see
you do" Then she cried, tense
again, leaning close to him so that
they could not be overheard: "But
don't you see, George, this means
Richard isn't dead! If he is, Peter
killed him; but know he isnt!'
He asked gropingly: '<How does it
mean Richards not dead?"
why, don't you see?" she in
sisted. "Peter's a coward and a
sneak and thief, or he wouldn't
have done that with my silly let
ter! George, we've got to make him
go back to Hoakes Bay and find
Richard"
After some consideration George
agreed with Mary to seek aid from
the crew in forcing Peter to re-
turn to search for Richard. Mary
sat beside George and in a whisper
explained that when Peter was sure
ly asleep, they could creep across
to wake the mates and enlist their
aid. For if help were to be found
against Peter it must come from
those next in authority aboard.
Mat Forbes and Corkran were