Show 1 t le e Woman Thou ThOD Ga Gayest vest Me Vie BEING THE STORY OF MARY ONEILL O'NEILL Written by HALL CAINE t. t In 2 bv bY H rf Copyright In hi Great Greit Britain I Copyright ht 1913 by J. J K n. LIppincott Co D 0 I r CHAPTER my 1 wedding day ty approached and andIe nd Ie r an n short abort tho the air nir of joy which b bp p pervaded od o our r house w was dr driven out an u. u atmosphere of ot irritation We Were re C aU I living on our nerves nr The Thc Thelea 1 lea les thAt used to be he at everybody's y drs dr's ic ico o place plate to ti frowns and in intA tA Bridget's Bridgets t 5 case ase to an angry y words cOrd cOrda ch a h were wo cre distributed on all sides and I til occasions i ia t a consequence I took fook refuge in ini i om om and sat at lang Ions hours there thore in ein in ing gown m and nd SUppers slippers h hearing aring hubbub that was gong going on oa in In the he rot of the tho hous but taking a as little it in it as possible In this thi semi semi- and solitude the cx- cx mont which hAd d swept me mo along r C three weeks subsided rapidly I IL began to think and above c all to II 1 1 nod and the one I felt feit beyond olse was a sense enc of some- some i. i ing Mg wanting the beautiful words of e about marriage as a a. mystic ro- ro ion tion a sacred union of souls a bond love Jove such as Christs Christ's Io love lore e for his and I asked myself if I felt any auy ch eh k love Jove for the man who was to bemo Jeo perno be- be mo rno o my husband I L knew I did not I r reminded myself it t I had bad had bad nearly no o conversation th Lh him that our intercourse had been the thc briefest that I had seen soen him himly Iy ly three times altogether and that I knew him at alLAnd alL aIL A. A And nd d yet I was going to marry him fa a few days more nore i I should DO bo histo his fo to to and nd we e should be bo bound to together ether long as life should last Then rhen I remembered what Father Dan Dand DanI d I said eaid about a girls girl's irIs irI's first lo love e her herit it lovo letter and all tho aU-tho the tho sweet good goodings that should hould to her at tho the ings L come io Lu ui VI UW lU ng c. c None ono of them ha had come ome to me mc I dot do dot t t think my thou thoughts of love 10 were werey er er y disturbed by any expectation of 3 r delights of the heart l heart n ors of Id lon long embraces 51 sighs hs and ses and the joys and fevers of the tho h for h for r I kne knew nothing about them t nevertheless nc 9 r I asked myself if I Id d d. d mistaken the matter altogether is c lovo really realty necessary In all aU their theiry ay sy y preparations ons neither m my father r r my my husband nor the lawyers nor bishop himself had bad said anything out ut that i C begat began to sleep badly and to dream Was WK waK always the tho Sl san same dream T I was wasa was was' wasa a. a a a. frozen region of the thc far north or orith or orith ith living in a I ship bip which was wag stuck I t tin in the ice and hail had a great frown frown- barrier before it that full of aB crevasses o l. l Then for some Borne ison Lson I J wanted to write rite a letter lett-er but buts s to do so o because c somebody 1 ri trodden on fly my pen an and broken it t seems strange to me inc bow io as 1 look sk ic t upon t that ba i time tini that I did not Dot notO O OF what a angel cl was T troubling tHe te terl of my soul sou th that nature was to me as it w whispers to rv girl irl at nt the first great crisis life hut But neither did I TW what hat angel angrl was lS leading my foot foot- steps when three morn mornings ng before m mj my wedding day I L got u up ul earl early and went out to walk in the crl crisp p salt air air Almo Almost t without it thinking I turned turner down the lane that led e to the shore and before I r was conscious of ot whore i I was going oin I I found m myself near Sunny Lodge Tho The chimney was smoking for foi breakfast and there was ws a smell oJ of bl burning turf coming from froin the tho house bouse w which ich WS W'S wits was so so pretty and unchanged d with tho last of tho the years year's roses creeping creep creep- ing over or the porch and round round- the tho w. w win windows n. n dows of ot tho the room in iu which 1 I had slept when a a. child v Somebody was digging in fn the thc gar- gar don It was tho the doctor in his his' shirt his shirt shirtsleeves sleeves slee Go Good d morning doctor I 1 called speaking over tho the fence e Ho rested on his hill spade and l looked ked up up but hut did not not speak peak for a moment Dont you JOU know who I am amt I asked Why Why yes of course you must b be e 41 Without finishing he ho turned his bi head towards the tho porch and cr cried ed Mother Mother C Como Come mo and sec see who's here hero at it last Martins Martin e mother came out ont of ot the porch a little smaller I thought but with tho same dear womanly face over or her light print which was as a's as sweet as She held up both bands hands at sight of me mc and cried There now now What did I toll ton you doctor Didn't I sa say ry the they might nugh marr marry her to fifty lords lord but but she wouldn't forget her old friends I lau laughed the doctor I laughed u h I and then she he Inn laughed and the tho sweet sweetest cst p part rt of ot it was was that she fino did not know what we were wore laughing laughin at Then I o opened ned tho gate and stepped Bt up and hold out my iny hand and involuntarily involuntarily involuntarily she wiped wined her ber own hand which was co covered cored red with meal from the porri porridge c. c sho was was making b before foro mine mIno G s me it its it's s 's Mary 0 ONeill Neil I Yes its it's I. I But But lot let mo nio have hav a right look at you ou she ho said aid taking me now by bJ- both hands bands They were saying such wonderful wonderful won won- won things about bout the youn young that I wasn't willing willinA to believe them But no no no she said after alter a a. mOI moment t they didn't toll mo me rap the he hc half I was was still laughing but it was as a's much as I could do not to cry so 50 I 1 paid aid May I 1 como come in in My Mv M goodness s yes and welcome welcom mo 01 she said and calling to the doctor to wash his hiS' hands and follow us eho led the wa way into the tho kitchen parlor where the kettle was aS singing from rota the tho and a porri porridge ge pot was as over oyer the fire Sit down Take the elbow chair in inthe inthe the h the tho h hearth place Th That's tf nice you know tho the house Being by unable to speak for a R lump Jump In in my throat that was wae hurting hurt hurt- iu jug ing m me I looked round the room 80 so sosweet sweet so homol homely so closely linked with memories memori t s of my childhood d while Martins Martin's mother herself a little nervous nonous and with iUt a t touching s softness in her tier face went on n talking while sho stirred the porri porridge e with a porridge o I 1 1 Well well To think of all the years since you ou came ame singing n carols to tomy my mf door You remember it Jt dont don't yon you 0 Of do Doctor Docto course ourse you on 1 I faid said dont talk foolish Shill Shell not not t foi forgot ot I know Mary ONeill She may be going to bo be a great eat lady ady but haven't ha I nursed her bor on my knee Then you youve you've c heard what's to happen happen hap hap- pen pen I asked II Aw Aw yes woman yee yes she sho answered answered an an- in iD a 8 sadder adder t lone ne I J thoo thought ht U Everybody N bound to hear it it- it what with th the bands practicing for the procession and tho the bullocks fo roasting sting for the tho poor and the fireworks and the illuminations and I dont don't know what She was wag silent for a moment after I that and then in her simple way she he said But its it's all as M one if you voa ron lovo love the theman man even en i if he is a lord f Yon You think that's necessary dont don't you you What Love Lo You think it its it's necessary to love lo-e one ones one's 5 husband Goodness sakes girl ri yes es If you Jou dont don't have lo love e what have you i What's to keep tho the pot boiling when the thc fires fire's getting low and the winters winter's coming on maybe maybe ma The doctors doctor's tell tell- lug ing mo me some o of the fine fino ladies in iu Loudon Lon Lou don aro are marrying without it just it-just just for money and titles and all aU to that But I cant can't believe holie It I cant can't They Thc c ye 0 got their trouble sanie same as ourselves ourselves our our- selves poor thin things 5 and what what's e the use of their fine clothes and grand td carriages carriages car car- ria rs when the dark rk days come and the ni nights night's ht s 's falling on them It Jt was harder than over o to speak now flOi o f-o I got ot up to look at some oine silver er cu cups cups s that stool stood on OD the mantelpiece Martins Martin said Martins 8 his mother to whom they wore were pr precious rubies hies Tic He II as aa ru c won won them at swimming and anil n running and leaping looping and climbing and Bud all to that Aw Mv yes yes cs Ho lio was always alway grand at games l if he hc couldn't learn his lessons poor loor boy boJ And now hes he's gone away awa Hom u- u looking u. looking for south poles some some- wheres U I I know know know-I I aw 5 him in Rome Borne aid T I. I 4 She dropped her porridge stick dick and looked at mo with big bl eyes Saw him In Rome Borne you rou say say After he failed ou you mean mean I nodded and aDd then she cried excitedly to the doctor who ho was just juet then coming into tho the house after washing his hands under the pump Father she sho saw himself in Rome after he sailed There was only one himself in that house therefore it was not difficult for the doctor to to- know who was meant And Aud BO so great was tho the eagerness of the theold theold old people to hear the thc last news of tho son who was vas the tho apple of their eye that I had to stay to breakfast and toll tell them all about our meeting While Martins Martin's mother laid the table with oat cako and honey and an bowls ot of milk and aud deep plates for tho the porridge J I told toM the tho little there thoro was to tell and aud then listened to their impJe comments commont There now doctor Think of that two meeting in foreign parts that used sod to he bo such auch friends when they were wore children Like Liko brother and sister you might say And whiles and whiles while we were thinking that some Bome day daj but DUt w well weH lI say no more about that now doe doc toT tor No j o we we ll Ii say Bay no more about that now Ten Christian Ann said aid the tho doctor Then Tien there was a moment of silence and it t was jUst t if ju as iia they thov had b been en rum ruin ma maging in among half forgotten things thing in a dark con corner r of Dr their house and aud bad I como come upon a cradle and tho the child that I had lived in it was wa t dead It was was was' sweet but it was also lilio painful to stay long in that house of love lovo ovo and so soon Boon as I had bad cl eaten ten my oat cake and honey I got up to to go The two good souls saw law me mo to tho the door saying I was not to expect cither either of of them at the Big House Mouse on my wedding day because she was no woman for smart clothes and the tho doctor who was as growing rheumatic had bad given up up l his hitt ni night calls and therefore there there- fore for his gig Jig so as to keep down ex ex- pen ses 4 Well bo be at the church though said Martins Martin's mother And And it we wo dont don't sec flee you to speak to you'll OU n know wore there and wishing you happiness in our ourI hearts I could not utter a word wh wb when n I left them them- but bat after I bi had d walked a wow way II I 1 looked back intending lin to wave 1113 my farewell e and there tho they wore were together at the tho gate lat still and one aDO of her Lands hands s was on the doctors doctor's shoulder shoulder tile the e sweet woman who had chosen love loe against the world and did not regret it even now when ben the night was waif Tailing on her I i had to pass tho the on m my wa way home homet and as I did so SOt I saw Father Dan In in his Jus study He lIe threw up the window sash and called in a soft voice asking skip mo me to wait u until il he ho came down to tome me He lie came camo down dOWD hurriedly just a as M he heW W was S in his worn worn and aDd disc discolored lored cassock and biretta and aud walked up the tho road by tny my side breathing rapidly and obviously obvious obvious- J ly Jy much agitated The bishop is sta staying with me over o the wedding weddin and aud he be is JS 1 in rn such a fury that N II Dont Don't wOrry It will bo be a. a all right But But l Yest Did Dd you yi I see sac oo young Martin Conrad while whilo you JOU were lD in ini Rome J i I answered that I did II And Aud did anything piss pass se bet between een you about your marriage I mean I told him all aU that 1 I had said to Martin and all aJl that Martin had said ald to mc me i t. Because he be has written a a. long OD l letter to tho the bishop denouncing denouncing- it and calling on him to stop it it To stop i it s so so He says it if IR is nothing jut but trade and barter and if the church chums is is' is willing t to f ive its blessing to such rank commercialism let Jet it bless mess the stock exchange l lot let t it it sanctify the sl slave v market markot Well WellI The bishop threatens to t toll 0 your o father Who is is this young youn man man man manbo bo hI says who dares to fc But if it i 1 t thought there thoro was w nothing more to your marriage than If J I imagined that what occurred lD in in the caso of your dear mother But that's not nil all Jl Not all aIlt No Martin MarUn has nas written to me too too saying aying worse far worse far worse What does 1005 bo ho say Father ather Dan I dont don't really know if I ought to tell teIl yon you I really dout douL Y Yet ot ff If its it's true tine rue if it there 8 in it itI It I was trembling but I 1 be begged ged him to tell ten me roe Martin had said Ho He told me ne It was about my intended hus- hus that band and that he ho was a man of irr irregular gular life ife a a. notorious loose liver er wb who kept up a connection with somebody in LonI Lon Lon- I don a R kin kind of actress s who was wag practically call cally his wife already and therefore hl his bis marriage with me mc would bo be so so Martin had bad eaid said nothing nothing but legalised and sanctified concubinage With many breaks and pauses dear old priest told mo me this story as aB my mx if it were something so infamous that his simple and innocent heart could scarcely J. J credit credi tit it If If I really thon thought ht it was true ho he said that that a man living such a life lite would come como here bere to mart m my little 4 But no God could not not suffer a thing thine like that I must ask thou though h T r must make mako sure Wo We live BO so far hway in this little island that But I must musto go o back now The bishop will be bo calling call caIl- lug ing me mc Still deeply a agitated Father Dan left loft mo me by br the bridge and at the gate ate atc of our OUI drive I found Tomm Tommy the Mate late on n a ladder covering with flowers from the conservatory a triumphal arch which the tho joiner had nad ad hammered up the day before The old man hardly ly noticed me as I passed through 11 and this prompted meto mo me moto moto to look up and aDd speak to him biro II Tommy I T said do you know you are tre the tho only one who hasn't said saida a good od word to mo me about my marriage mar mar- ria l' l Ze answered with without without Am Am I missy he be out looking down Then Thon maybe that's because I Ive I've 0 had bad f so so O many bad ones to say tar to other people I 1 I asked winch which other people u Old OId Johnny Christopher for one I Imet Imet Imet met him last night nt itt the I Horse |