Year: 1875

A . u
/ wish"


She arose instantly. He took of
the cape and buttoned it under hel
chin, in his usual kind way, then
gave her his arm and led her dowr
to the cabin. Once there, she went
Immediately to her stateroom-


All night she was very sick. He
sat late outside her door, growing
white and desperate in knowing she
was alone and i'll. At length he went
to his room. throwing himself down
| in sheer exhaustion from the uea,
and tear on nerve and brain. Al
day dawn he was again silent senti.
tinel.


She came into the cabin early,
starting on finding him there. He
was the sole occupant of the cabin.
She looked pale and faint.


"You want to go on deck; get on
your wrappipgs," he said.


mo, | think / shall not be sick
again, and it is cold," with a shiver).
He led her to an easy chair, then
taking one at short distance, drew
pape-from his pocket, and seemed
reading. She was watching him
He was very pale, and there we're
tense lines about his lips.


Again with the anxiety that had
ruled her the night before, she arose
and going over, stood beside him.
He gave no evidence of being con,
scions of her presence. She laid her
hand timidly upon his shoulder
Again that dash of color in his cheeks
His confusion made her quite self
possessed.


"You have been SICK" she said,
her voice almost quite steady.


"No' Simply monosyllable, and
forcing down the color.)


The hand upon his shoulder trem-
bled, yet she persisted, the thought
of the night before coming resolve.


"He can love. l shall make him" }"


Her voice was a little uncertain.


"You look very tired. Won't you
lie OH the lounge? there is no one
here" Then she grew confused and
embarrassed at the little fact che had
asserted.


No one here! That vas what had
filled her with dread of his voyage /;
now she had said it as if glad. The
man was forced to silence in his fierce
struggle for control. He obeyed,
following her to the lounge. She
shook up the cushions. lie threw
himself down and closed his eyes
wearily. She went to her stateroom.
and bringing a shawl, covered him
There was something half of bashtul
ness, half Of tenderness, in the way
she did it. He thanked her without
opening his eyes. A moments besi-
tation then she wheeled q char qnite
beside him, and sat down.


At that a faint flush again swept
his face. She had taken his paper,
and feigned reading. In a little
while with a strange new sense of
rest, he slept Then the paper was
cast aside, and this woman studied
the face of this man, who in worldly
parlance had been her husband over
year.


That terrible time! 1t had added
ten years to his age. His brown
hair had grown gray-sprinkled; the
quiet face had many new lines, as it
some conflict was constantly waged
to sustain the quiet. Suddenly a
thorght became q conviction. The
craving of mind for mind had not
satisfied What was this other de
mand so palable now, when the iron
will was not keeping guard? She
bent q tride forward, with intese,
sorrowful craving. He looked very
i'll. had he fever? She laid her hand
lightly on his forehead. Instantly
he opened his eyes She drew it
quickly away in utter confusion.
al thought you had fever. Par
don me for rousing You"


"My head aches. Ior hand is
very cooID he said. quietly, and
closed his eyes again. With bash
fulness pitiful in the wife of a year
she pla ed her hand tremblingly on
Lis forehead. At the touch he drew


long deep breath. She did not
comprehend its significance. After
ward she thought him sleeping.


A Ii tie later two young girls came
into the cabin. She did not move
lest she should again disturb him,
but taking the paper in her desen,
gagged hand, tried to read.


The two girls were talking in an
undertone. She distinctly heard
every syllable.


"What devotion said one laugh.
ingly.


"They are doubtless still in the
blissiul honeymoon, said the other.
Then for the first time she knew he
was not sleeping. There was that
new dash of color in his cheeks This
time the glad start in her heart was
revelation. He already loved her.


After that tor several days she
tried him in fifty ways. Sometimes,
when standing together on deck, she
would put her hand voluntarily with
in hi. arm. At each time he would
turn on her look Of keen question
ING. bot she wonll not meet it. Once
or twice, when he had been sitting
on a sofa reading, she sat beside him.
and read from the same book. Then
there had been strange, bright, half
convinced lights in his blue eyes.


At length, when they had been
several days out. one evening the two
we're upon the upper deck. Though
49, u-ara ,,t,ita