The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
ASHES OF EMPIRE.
BY ROBERT w.
~CccpvrtoAt. 1898. by RObsrt ". cAamDsrs.,
CHAPTER XIV.

forts, turned to pink and pearl. Soft thunder
muttered among tho westward redoubts; sill.
very electric stars pricked tho haze that yelled
~Slorien; tho river slipped past misty, mea-
aawed shores untroubled by n keel.
Tho house On tho ramparts was very still;
Bourke sat in his room by the window reading;
Hardwood stood at his window looking out over
the valley. Below him, tho Prophet, tilted sky.
ward, doomed, ominously swathed In it's canvas
winding sheet. The sentinel stood motionless
On tho pArapet, head turned toward tho hay
hills, whore . thin column Of smoke mounted
straight up into the still sky. Once q little
Whirlwind of bugle music from the Porte Rouge
allied tho street; once the wind veered and the
heavy defamation of tho cannonade set the sui.
cry air R-quivor for q while.
Tho expectancy Of evening brooded :oveF all
ever the massive rampnrts, over the fresh
grassy thickets on the glacis, in an imperceptiblo
wind that freshened and cooled tho face, yet
scarcely stirred a leaf.
Presently there came n chatter of small sabots
on the stairs outside, the discreet patter Of
Otockinged feet, q knock, q happy whisper. 1t
was Red Riding Hood, como for her evening
visit. Hardwood kissed her listlessly.
You bring twilight with you, little ono" he
said, turning back her thick black ourls. ''The
scarlet ribbon-it is very becoming--do you
know itf'
Monsieur Bourke gave IT. said the child,
nestling closer to MIN. "Come, let us sit down,
will your
Hardwood absently drew q chair to the win
dow; Red Riding Hood leaned against his
shoulder. They looked out over the valley in
silence.
II might have been perfect snid Red Riding
Hood presently, but Mile. Hide could not give
mo my lesson to-day"
Hardwood asked without turning. "whyi''
II do not know said the child will q little
sigh. Hardwood bit his lips; his hea-t turned
sick with the futile bitterness that ~follows-too
late. the knowledge of consequences, conse-
quences that spresd like ripples from a pebble
IN o troubled pool.
mile. Hide will hear your lesson tomorrow"
he said. looking from the window.
Tomorrow repeated the child.
He said nothing more. Perhaps he was
thinking of those endless to-norrows, passing.
passing, each one troubled as the spreading
rings In q pool disturb the placid peace that
once reiRned there. And he had cast the stone.
Look at me-" said the child.
He turned his head, her durk eyes met his
own.
"Is 1t sadnessi' she asked.
YES, little one"
She held his hand q moment. then let 1t drop.
He scarcely noticed it. A moment afterward
he heard the'click, click, of her little sabots
down the stairs outside. An hour later, a bitter
hour, he followed. descending the worn stairs
silently, fearing the very silence that he dared
not break.
Yolette moved about the dining room singing
to herself in an undertone. He passed into tho
hallway and out to the bird store. where Hide
kuelt among tho wicker cages.
When abe saw him she rose to her knees, hid.
ing her burning face in her hands. Ho bent
close to her and touched the flushed cheeks be-
tween the hands. One by one he UNFINISHED tho
slender fingers, closely interlocked, and at last
he raised her head to his. But she would not
look ct him. her sealed lids pressed the lashes
tightly to her cheek.
"Why have you hidden away all days" he
paid.
Presently she answered.: Can you ask"
He raised her from her knees; her eyes were
still closed, but her white hands stole around
his: neck. There was silence. When at last he
released her aud the quiet tears Ind dried in her
eyes without falling, she went to the open door
and stood there, looking out into the west.
Earth came back to her slowly through the
heaven OF their kiss-sounds grew through tho
music of his voice; she heard the cannonade's
dull triple throb. she saw green tree tops stir
ring in the sun.
He came and stood beside her. Loves lassi-
tude hung heavy on her limbs. He took her I'M
resisting hand-that little hand, 30 small, so
smooth, fragrant and fraught with mystery, q
cool white blossom with five slim petals tipped
with pink.
The beauty of life was upon her. the loneliness
Of the world was in her eyes-the world 30 kind
to her-so kind to ALTO all!
In the red west a flaming belt of haze girdled
the horizon; in tho north plumed clouds sus-
pended from the zenith hung motionless; the
glass of the stream mirrored a single tree.
When their silence grew too heavy, too sweet
for such young hearts. they broke It; and it
broke unsteady, with the melody of half-caught
Questions-a sigh. @ little laugh re-echoed pure
rs the tinkle of two crystal glasses touched dis
croetly. Tho softest drumming of the guns
stirred the pulsating air like the distant drum
ming of a partridge; tho gemmed azure. yelled
with haze. swan and shimmered with its mil
Lion brilliant atmospheric atomS,tiny points of
nerce wEite busting the blue like diamond dust.
When the sun was very low and the level
sparrows,, gathered for the night on tree and
stirred the Gagged birds In the shop. Linnet an
OWered thrush. hnches whistled wistful answers
TO tho free twlt.ering Of the sp9rrows; a little
ieTH FSSIled ana Funled' q piacKoId uttered a
And I HIDE Edte'" who. when her own heart was
when she listened. understood, and her own i'm:
prisoned heart answered the plant OF wild Gagged
TO her half-spoken thought he answered; to.
gether they gathered all. the feathered Wild
rot'S pale eye was Yelled in Scorn; tho monkey
nOuted freedom with a grimace. shivering and
mouthing as the hundred wings beat at the
wicker bars.
Hardwood took the cage; Hide walked beside
him, In ecstasy at the thought of freedom
given by these who know that something else Is
sweeter. There was a shrub in flower on tho
Glacis-some lAte- blooming bush. starred with
waxen blossoms. breathing perfume. Under
this they Placed the cage.
When Hide opened the cage a feathcred
whirlwind circled about her head: there came a
rush Of wings. a thrilling whir.r! and she
clasned her hands and stepped forward. Out
over the valley the bird flock rushed. bore to
the left. circled. rose. swung hack on a return,
ing curve. but always rising higher, higher, un'
foated. and chose their course. due south.
She watched. them driving southwark,
She could toll tho hnches by their gndnlatina
Ehe sighed contentedly. She had opened the
door OF pity when love opened the door to hel
heart.
Look" whispered Hardwood, there ia one
little bird that will not leave u.s."
lit ls ead-God forgive me- faltered Hide
A'rush OF tears blinded her. She knelt beside II