The Marriage of Esther

, he found work for himself in the store and among the boats. Everything seemed to conspire to remind him of his position, and every few moments the inevitable result would rise before hi

r and nearer came the white sail, gleaming like a flake of ivory on the warm sunlit sea. When she drew alongside the jetty one glimpse of Murkard's

soon as they were inside and had shu

hed the cablegram, and by this tim

e you that they wil

word. He has guaranteed t

. Then suddenly, with a little cry, he stretched out his arms towards the counter a

rkard had brought him

n?" he cried. "You're surely not going to gi

s sufficiently recovered to talk. "I suppose the anxiety has bee

e answer comes. There is nothing to be gained by knocking yoursel

d how you managed it. No family in the world would

trust me,

citly-

guaranteed the authenticity of what I have said. I have put the matter clearly before your family, and I leave it to their s

look you in the face. I am

ustn't say such th

ean every word I sa

ave told you before, and I tell you again, our destinies,

truest friend that

my death. Whatever you may do, right or wro

nd to make a clean breas

not hear. All I want to know, I know. The rest l

concerns you very vitally,

to make me, I shall be compelled to leav

very ob

es me do it. Now I must get to my books. If this money is to arriv

oor saying to himself, "And

had simply craved the girl's interest and sympathy, and then the deed was done. What could he do now? As he had told himself last night, if he went to his wife and confessed everything, she would loathe and despise him for the rest of his existence. He would be a detected liar and cheat without excuse of any kind. Now that Murkard had taken this course, the same inevitable result would ensue, only increased by the fact that his crime would be known to the whole worl

ubilant. Ellison saw his boat approach, from the store veranda, and hastened

ement. "The cable arrived last night! A thousand pounds is placed to your credit in

upon the sand, and was so

ever mind, now we are safe. The money is here, our credit is restored. Shell has gone up in the London market, and now w

composure, "every penny of it! I shall never rest until I have done that. Tell me every

ust me. You have known me a long time now. Is your trust in my fidelity strong

I am making myself responsible for all this money. I must know exactly ho

d all your good resolutions scattered to the winds. The Government Resident and Blake the banker corroborated my assertions, and I made myself a surety, a poor one perhaps, but still a surety for the amount. Your father, the duke, cabled through his bankers to Blake that you might

y to save her. Whatever

t, if only out of compliment to me. You are saved now! You can improve your business; you can send out more bo

ertainly do more. B

l be nothing to the gains. Be

n awful business this has been to me. The agony I have

ngs. But still it's done now, and what is better, well do

the dining room and filled himself half a tumbler of whiskey, which he drank almost neat. The spirit pulled him together, and he departed in search of his wife. By the time he found her the

of happy news. We are saved; the overdraft will be paid off, and w

Cuthbert? Oh, you

rrived this morning authorising me to draw on him for a thousand p

ed I am? And you deserve it too, you poor, hard-working boy. Your face has b

the money to practical use. I have all sorts of schemes in my mind. Dearie, you must say s

nerous to that m

enough to him. That man, as you call him would cut off his ow

him. I am selfish enough to think I should like to be the o

e wife. It is for your sake I

ne for my sake that you sudd

almost to a whispe

done. Whatever comes of it, never lose sight of that. It

et that; you need n

n path towards the store. Murkard was not there. On inquiring of the Kan

is first introduction to the girl who was now his wife. The death of her father came next; then their marriage; the difficulties and disasters of their business, and--But here his recollections came to an abrupt halt. He did not dare think of what had followed after. Oh, how bitterly he cursed himself for that one false step, and to the cowardice to which it had given birth! If only he had had the moral courage to own himself a liar at once, what awful after misery he might have saved himself. But, no! it was not to be-not to be. The saddest of all sad words-not to be. Now even if he managed to repay every farthing, there would always be the remembrance of his s

o you want? Is he w

cally, unable to f

way! I will

e, and was sculling madly in the direction of the township before Mrs. Fenwick had time to wonder what had become of him. In a quarter of an hour he was ring

. Don't come back for at least two hours. You can do nothing here, and yo

s if he would like to a

n't know the state I'm in. If anything

e same feeling myself. It's

! No! no! Forgive my rudeness, yo

off, and don't let me see your face again for

ant she

d back to the shore. Again he embarked aboard his boat, and once more he set sai