WEST SMOKE.
iaination from Max Drowning (who shadowed .r
every moment) caused her to lmrry to his side.
whs kneeling In-side the body of a woman . vi.l. ntlv
young and lieautiful upon whose Iiohoiu wan found "ft
child a tiny girl marvelottsly resembling tin- mother.
Tlic child iH not dead," Max said h he looscm-d j
from tin icy breast. "Sec I its heart U-ats. Mildred,
if no ont' claims the child I shall keep it; hut for the
present you must take care of it, and I will continue
the work here. Take it to the nearest cottage and I
will wnd a doctor up. One can Is- spared here."
Mechanically the girl ola-yed, Haying : "Search for
sonic clue to its identity In-fore they take her awav and
-wait." Kneeling beside the dead woman she severed
a lin k of the drenched golden hair, and pressed a kiss
on the scaled lips, murmuring: " For soinclHsly'ssake."
Two hours later she sat by a fisherman's humble
fireside, holding the little ocean waif in her arms and
almost smiling into the big wondering blue eves.
"Mamma 1" whispered the child, for she was still very
weak. "Here, darling, I n in your mamma now, an
swered Mildred gravely.
" He oo ? "
" Yes, and now go to sleep, pet."
" Ks, ine's jx't," she answered dreamily, and fell
asliK'p.
Thus Max found them when he came in. " A me
take her," he said gently, extending his arms as if ac
customed to caring for babies all his life.
" Have you found?" She faltered, and the young
man shook his head.
"You had lictter get ready and go home now.
Your mother will be anxious; av was looking foryoii."
" I may take the baby' I'et,' I think they must
have called her with me for the present?"
"If you wish, Mildred."
heaving a piece of money in the hands of the fish
erman's wife, the young couple passed from the house,
lie with the sleeping child in his arms.
I 'ays formed into weeks and weeks into months,
and still then; was no tidings of Mildred's lost lover,
excepting that a spar was washed on shore with a hand
kerchief knotted about it, in the corner of which were
the initials "T. V."
Tenderly the girl laid it away among her choiivst
treasures Is-dewing it often with her tears
A year and a half Itefore the events rvori'd in the
lirst chapter, Tom Vecder came to San Krain i-" I" lH
'sition, obtained through a friend, in a large nwr
untile establishment; and fate, provid. nn or what
ever on,, chooses to call it, directed his r toward
the home-like hoarding house kept by Mildr-d M
id"wed mother. It had been u gemma- can- ( hvt
"t first sight Wtwccn Tom and Mildred
I Max Itrown.ng and the latter had known each other
r..n.ch,l(h,H,11( though, ,). years ndvan.vd.
Max from .ing Mildred's chu.n U,ne her most
'slave d devoted lover, si ould not bring
H-THrlft,, Wk uN.n hi,,, as anything or anybody hut
, Max, and was surprised n, rvs,..lful at' his bitter
I antagonism for V ivilcr.
I " t don't s.r, Max llrowniug. whv vou should ! ,
"Piteful toward Tom, he UV Voii well, and
'" is more than you do him," she had said.
" IWlsec.eh? Well, ,rrhaH. have o reason
f..r feeling spiteful toward the man who is robbing .
of the one woman I ear.- for in all the world; but hii,
imreasonahle enough to hat., him with my whole heart."
"Now Max. Hint you ashamed? It's i.L,.l i..
I hate folks, beside like you just exactly as well ns I
ever did. Now don't U-silly,"
The result of it all was. however, a decided coolness
Utwn-n Max and Mildred; and truth to say, the latter
eared very little about it, as her whole attention was
given to Tom. They were to U married in the spring
meanwhile the house scut him to Japan for a few
Weeks to look into their Interests there, Ml Id nd felt
that the time would never pass; and to make mailers
Worse, a Sense of itil'leling ill rested like M pall llsi
her spirits. Eagerly she had c ited the weeks and
then the days, and at l,it the ship was due. A it
never came to harU.r, no doubt remained in the mind
of the Miie that it was the one that sank that fateful
morning.
IW Mildred ! tine ray of light only shone on her
darkened pathway. I'et the tiny "ivau maid," n
Max called her, largely cugnwmd and diverted her
mind, and in time Ireaine her idol AUuit the child
: mrined to eiilervine all the tendril of a (lection so rude
ly Severed ill the o. of her loVer
I'et was iUirii of two loyal hearts m I least, mid
right regally she wielded the sn pler. She was a very
Isautiful, wiiiwiine i r ature with a sunny, happy di-
! mitio. Mat was (Mule. Mildred HUlllle ill her Vie
eahul.irv, and h.i-Llng in their of she Im-ViT felt (he
iws of other fra ud
Again Slid itg.tlK the two, sitting together Watching
the goldi n h.iind f.iiiy. or reviving her iiiixirtial i n
: resx s. would wonder und it.nj.i lure who she was, and
if iinv one hung wn luouriiing for her. UfcuiirM
Mill HilvirtiMil tie ihdd III lift, but N time went oil
their one fiar w.i- "f Umg lr lVrhni wild Mm,
however. In fi ir of ..-mg Mildred, if the lie furnihei
hv their nniliiiil i r In bnl' was destroyed,
.i of p iranioni'i iinp 'Uon- A year pa'd and In
hid ..keu no f I t.-'.irtle le r npeidy in liii pres.
,.,,. ! I.,, I mo. I for Tom a hf would had It
I. en h r hr..!h. r
Mild'- I "I '-'' 'be bill- ur ill her BMH oil