The Marriage of Esther
his daughter became Cuthbert Ellison's wife. It had been the dead man's wish that there should be no delay in the marriage. He was anxious to have his daughter's safety assured within as short
ir own boats to receive the congratulations of Mrs. Fenwi
ked into her eyes. There was only pure happiness and unutterable trust w
roudly escorted by Mrs. Fenwick, Murk
ratulate you. We are alone now, and from t
ve been a good fri
tween us. It is more than that. But th
y o
ot be offen
it is in your power to
rt Ellison, you think you know the wom
. He wondered
wards her, beware of what you say! Remember, though you may mean nothing by what you say, she will never forget one single word. You have only to look into her eyes to see what she thinks of you now. She believes in you heart and soul, she worships the very ground you walk on; it remains with you to say whether she shall
lked quickly away in the direction of his own
tning flashed across the sky. Husband and wife sat side by side. The man was reviewing in his mind the events of the day, and wondering at the strange conversation he had had with Murkard that evening. In spite of his supreme happiness a vague feeling of sadness was u
you thinking,
e had stung him, an
thinking of you and of a
altogether, I fear. Cuthbert, do
! Would a man ever regret havin
nderness upon the name,-"do you think you will ever have cause to wish you had never
stiny. I was born into the world to marry you, and no
illy. I want to
talking s
ect on this night, of all others, but I cannot let it rest. I will never speak
almost escaped him. He knew what was coming, an
o
ou would not, if you could help it, let me guess it, but my woman's instinct would warn me-and then what should I do? I should be chained to you, and you would be chained to me. I shou
of his hand. He drew her to
mercy's sake, that I ever had a past; let us live only for my present and the future. Let me be to you the husband I would wish to be; let me work, toil, knowing no weariness in what is done f
ry with me for s
that story. God must help me to atone for it. I shall never b
ou not told me, there would always have been a barrier between us. Now I kno
Like the look of trust upon her face when he had helped her from the boat, it was almost a reproa
ment to keep body and soul together? That man is now your husband. Linked to you not for to-day or to-morrow, next week or next month, but for all time, for all eternity. Your husband-part of your own self: surely that should be su
ife, I must help you to make yours; that is what it means. If we d
my love for you, but afraid of the slowness
othing but your love for me, that is all. Let us leave the subject. S
an awful flash seemed to tear the very heavens asunder. In that brief instant Ellison made out the figure of a man standing in the open before them, not mor
alarm. "Cuthbert, call him in! H
e stood before them exactly where they had first seen it. But this time his i
d, as the thunder rolled away. To her Murkar
oodness, he doesn't oft
have never been able to make myse
man. But he is as good as gold! A queer fish, perhaps
ill never
therwise. But don't worry yourself about Murkar
I, my lord
wife-part
lovingly aga
at sounds! I wonder if any othe
time to show them the same mysterious figure emerging from the group of palms an
he means by it. Don't be afra
e pouring down. Presently he was running back. For a mom
hat did
eep! I never knew he was
white as a sheet. Something is troubl
tle frightened at the risk he had run. He might have
nto the night, he hardly noticed it. He was saying to himself over and over again a sentence he had heard Murkard mutter in his sleep. It was an old
r sin will f