The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-26

you met Sir John Mt Ashford or not. King
him Dutchman. boor, drunkard,
what, you will-at- least, he dies at high game.
and docs not hawk at inject"
Aye. micel' sho answered with a snap of
her ,eeth-nnd, she looked all over the little
vixen she could be. "Fo-. what arc wci What
the Duke TO his ~enomies. leave him to be ruined
and disgraccd. leave him to pay the penalty,
safe and snugi For shame. Dick, for shame!"
she continued with such a thrill In her voice
that the pigeons feeding behind her fluttercd
inuuisitivcly.
/ had my own thoughts and my own feelings
/ challenge. any to. say that l lacked either re-.
srcCt or affection FOR him. But a mans wits
move mlorn slowly thHn q woman's. and the
news cnme ON me suddenly. 1t WAS no great
wonder II could not in u moment stomach the
prospect OF, returning to risk and jeopardy, to
the turmoil from which | had been SO long
freed and the hazards OF a life and death strug.
gle. In the political life of twenty years ago
that l might save tho Duke and suffer in his
P InIsS, be d iS1f of many Mi,S e g gSItS Sep pei SrnncS q,
reached London in the net In which my lords
own feet were caught, ! foressw not ono, hut "A
man could DC expected TO regard with cqua.
nimity, or any but q hare-hiRined girl would
eneSTntcr with a light heat. ..,,
that being SO i confess that II was with relief
remembered my lemeness and named IT to
words, You are right" said. Something
should DO done. hut for me it is impossible at
present; ] am lame, as you see."
More than lame" I ansvcred-but There
was that in her tone which which babe me avoid her
NO, not a cripple" she answered.
so grave and firm that i WINGED. "fet us be
u never said / was a soldier answered.
standing me. 'n II s rSR' a eow widdIi'y And %'s a soW:
ard will not marry,
saw that her face was white. Was il a COW.
ard that saved your life-in the squarei" 1 NUT.
NO" She answered. "Bu 1T was a coward
played tho sneak for Ferguson. And a coward
played the rogue for Smith, 1t was a coward
hind. And a coward, Who viii now sacriare
his benefactor TO save his own skin. And you
pni,y dn sHs en- hSm m saE t 2iaS rs, 1hnipE Yor y ,Sai he ave
now; DO his one brave thing and all viii be
ann with n sudden blaze in her face she stopped
and threw her arms round me. II you love
me, do IL. Do IL for us both. Do II, or, II you
cannot, God knows it were better that we were
hung than married"
l cannot hope 10 describe the fervor which
she threw into these last words or the effect
which they wrought on me. weakened as ] was
by long illness. In a voice broken by tears /
'uHluich nc. W ElNe It liilo lO give me tinle-
a few days in which TO consider what 1 would
do.
not a day." she answered, springing from
me In fresh excitement, and as IL my touch
burned her. II will give you no time. You
have had n lifetime, and TO what purposei ]
will give you no time. Do you give ME your
wordf'
ITO so TO EnElandl'
"Ncs."
] was s-shake from head to foot. and groancd
aloud. In truth, II l had known the gallows
TO bc the certain and inevitable end OF the
rnaH on which waa agEei IN antor \ DNt,Il
not have been more sorely bcset bet ween rage
and fear and shame OF her and desire for her.
But while l hung in that misery. sho contin
uinS TO stand over me. l looked, as n hap.
rcned, in her face, and l saw that it was no
longer hot with am or, but sad and drawn, as
trembling and shaking.
Now" said she, are you n brave man. and
perhaps the bravest."