In the Fog.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8053, 21 February 1906, Page 4

In the Fog.

It was on one of my first trip 3 from New York to Naples on board one of tbe great North-German Lloyd liners, and before we bad been many days out I had met* a few sympathetic people, with whom I spent most of uiy time while going aoross. Two of these weru American ladies, of whom especially one before long told meeverytbingabout herself, though I had ucver tried to win her confidence. She felt in need of a friend on board the big steamer travelling alone, so she told me that she had been engaged for five years to a countryman whom she was on her way to meet and marry at Naples. Her intended husband was a scientist, aud had formerly been too poor to think of marriage, but now be had received a position in the famous acquarium which enabled hinuo support a family, if not in luxury, at least comfortably. For five long years she hut? not Been him—had only heard of him through letters which came with unerring punctus'ity every week—and now she was so happy that ehe could hardly realise that the whole thing was not a dream.

She was far from beautiful, pale and thin, with an expression which told of many sufferings ; but when she spoke of " him " her face became so radiantly happy that one could not help considering her pretty; and in my thoughts I often congratulated t e man who was to be the husband of such an affectionate and loving wife. The other American girl was very much different. Serious, intelligent, well read and evidently unusually energetio. She was a Socialist and had devoted her time to the improving of the conditions of the poor of Chicago. She was the author of several books on the social question, which hud brought her not a little fame, and was a delightful conversationalist. >These two American ladies, one of the ship's surgeons, a Frenchman who was returning to France after having made his fortune in the States, and myself soon formed a little eioiasive clique which waswatohed with jealousy by the other passengers. Our seats'were close together at the table; on deck we moved our easy chairs together in a little nook at the end of the promenade deck, and the evenings were generally spent in the saloon playing cards or chatting. ' One evening when we were ploughing otir way through a heavy fog and the roar cf the whistle made the whole ship tremble ever," minute, the Frenchman, whp had until ihen been very silent, began to speak of ghosts, spiritism andolairvoyance. The surgeon felt in duty bound to deolare that he only bolieved in science and denied the existence of spirits of any kind. Much to my surprise he was hotly contradicted by the Socialist lady, while the other lady and myself did not take any part in the discussion. " I am willing to let you decide for yourself," the Socialist lady said. " Maybe you will believe me when I tell you all about your own thoughts, your plan and your past." " And what about your future? " " " The future neither I nor any other human being can say anything about." "Oh, then I do not see much in it," laughed the Frenchman." " i know my own past; its only tbe future which interests me." "But I can tell you not only your past, but also what any of your relatives are doing at this moment."

" No, thank you; I do not caro a continental for my relatives." Miss May Some-B. tho bride, looked up, and eagerly said, "If you do not mind. Miss Burton, I should like to know then what my fiance at Naples has been doing to-day, or is doing now. Then I will ask him if it is correct when we arrive? "

" With pleasure," replied Miss Burton, and seized her right hand, whose lines she began to scan carefully. Suddenly she turned very pale and became greatly agitated, though Miss Somers, who was hushfully looking down did not notice it. We looked at one another in surprise, but soon the color came back to her face, and in a most natural and unconstrained tone she told the bride-to-be a few commonplace things, which she evidently invented on the spot. Miss Somers was rather disappointed, but said nothing, and soon after retired. When she had left us we sat for a few moments in deep silence, which was broken only by the hoarse roars of the whistle. Ail of us felt a suspicion, a forewarning of something, but nobody dared ask Miss Burton what she bad read in Miss Sotuer's palm. Finally I took courage and asked: " Please tell me, Miss Burton, what nark secret you kept away from Miss Somcio? "

"Oh, something terrible—something which fiilled my heart with the greatest sorrow and pity."

u Is he dead ?" asked the Frenchman, " No! Much worse than that I " "What then?"

41 At 5 o'clock this afternoon he wrote a letter to her, in which he breaks the engage* ment because he luves another—an Italian girl—and immediately after he deposited the money for her return ticket with the American Consul at Naples, She will get the lotter the moment we arrive."

The earnest way in which she said these words made a strong impression upon us, but with an effort the surgeon tried to make light of it, and said with a smile :

" You are not as smart as I thought, Miss Burton. We shall easily be able to find out whether you are right" You doubt! Well, we shall see when we get to Naples. Good night," aud without another word she left us.

Pour days later, when the pilot came on board, the first officer distributed the mail among the passengers. Miss Somers was standing leaning over the side of tbe ship 60 as to be sure to catch sight of her lover as soon as he came near the dock.

" Now we shall see whetheryou werelright, Misa Burton," whispered the surgeon. " Yes, we shall see," she replied, almost inaudibly. Suddenly we heard the officer call out: "Miss Soniers! Miss Somers! A letter for Miss Somers!"

The young lady ran towards him while we eagerly watched her every movement. She looked at the envelopo with a smile and tore it open. We began to breathe freer. A piercing cry, and we saw her faint and drop as if dead. Everything which Miss Burton had for#* told came true. Miss Somers never returned to Americt. She entered a convent at Naples.