The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-09
COPYRIGHTED. 1897. l
CHAPTER XXXVI-Continued.

NO. she answered, reassuringly
Poor Dudley was simply my friend. he
called on you and extracted the document
from your pocket while you lunched TO-
gether, because he saw in what diem
ma was. He knew l loved you dearly,
and never once spoke a single word of
affection to me. That l swear before
heaven. What followed his visit to
Downing Street / have only hazy idea,
so full of awful anxieties was that breath
less day. From Waterloo station he tele.
,graphsd to me that he had successfully
secured the agreement and handed it to
1he chief of spies. The lattsr, who had
been waiting IN Parliament street expect
ing me, seeing him, took in the situa-
ZION at glance, and approaching him
asked for the document, which he had
kiven up. An hour afterwards, fearing
that you might suspect ms, 1 telegraphed
% you at Shepperton to dine with us,
veil knowing that already the text of the
Convention was at that moment being
transmitted to Petersburg and that war
was imminent. You came; you kissed
me. l loved you dearer than life, yet
dreaded the frightful consequences of the
aastardly act had instigated. Suddenly,
while we were at dinner, and you were
laughing, happy and unconscious of the
conspiracy against the peace of Europe.
thought flashed across my mind. we'll
knew that an awful conflict of armed
sorces must accrue from my deep, despica-
bic cunning, and it occurred to me, as l
sat by your side, that I would, using the
secret cipher had been provided with,
telegraph to Petersburg in the name of
the chief of spies, assuring our Foreign
Department. that a mistake had been
made. [ slipped out, and running down
TO the telegraph Office just before it
closed, sent MESSAGE to an unsuspicious
looking address, stating that the text Of
the Convention already sent had been
discovered to be that of a rejected draft,
and not that of the actual defensive ALI
apce that had received the signature of
the Emperor William.
tThen it was actually this message of
yours that prevented WARP gasped, in
prorandud astonishment.
Yes, " she answered. before receipt of
my telegram all preparations were being
made for the commencement of hostilities
but on its arrival the Gar at once count
ermanded the mobilization order, and
Europe was thereby spared terrible and
bloody conf1irt. All that was indeed a
memorable night, brought to conclusion
by dark and terrible tragedy"
Her astounding disclosures held me
aumfounded. remembered wildly how,
Turing our lunch at the Ship. Dudley
had risen and gone out to the bar to
speak to an acquaintance. 1t was at that
moment, having stolen the document
from me, he glanced at its register-num-
Der and initiated it upon the dummy
with which Ella had provided him.
''But how came you possessed of the
original of the conventionp" asked.
IA week before I fed from you re-
ceived it by post anonymously" she re-
piled. "When compelled by my enemy to
leave you and return to my true position,
/ unfortunately left it behind, and knew
that, sooner or later, you must discover it.
El'ha vvhn with tho G1ar,a antbnritu
held me under lash, still holds me, the
plaything of his spite, and threatens that
if l allow you to come here and OCCUPY
your rightful place as my husband, he
will denounce me to the British Govern.
ment as spy. Hence I am still his pup
pet: still held by a bond of guilt that /
dare not break asunder."
g Be patient" urged Sonia, in deep.
calm voice. BE patient, and you shall
yet be Free
"Ah Godfrey" sobbed my wife, her
hlanched =, fearful face buried in her
hands, "you can never, I fear forgive.
After all, Notwithstanding the glamour
that must surround me as Grand Duchess
I am but mean, desptoable woman who
foully betrayed you, the man who loved
me.''
"You atoned for your crime by your
successful effort to preserve the peace of
Europe" answered.
'Yes, yes,n she cried. with a culver in
her voice there was no mistaking for any
note save that of love, but, alas !! I am ii,
the power of an INSCRIPTIONS knave who
partsa us because he saw me happy with
gou. Can you forgive nae2 Can you. now
you know Of my unworthiness, ever say
That you love:1n as truly as you did in
those bygone days at the Nook? Speak
"Yes." answered, fervently pressing
her CLOSELY in affectionate embrace. ST
forgive you everything, darling. You
sinned; but, held as You have been by the
hateful conditions imposed upon you by a
base unprincipled villain, cannot blame,
but only pity you.p
.sThen yon still loye.me, Goffreys'' she
cried painting. gazing up into my face.
For answer I bent until my lips met
hers in long and fond caress. In those
moments of ecstacy I was conscious of
having regained the 1dyllic happiness
long lost. Even though her story was full
of bitter and terrible sorrow, and rem
dered gloomy BY the tragic death of her
feif-sacrincipg friend, the truth neverthe-
Less brought back to me the joys and
pleasures Of life that not long ago I be-
lieyed had departed from me forever.
Again and again our lips met with
murmured words of tender passion-she
declaring that her crime had been fagf-
tious and objectionable. vat assuring me
VI WA0U 1 dOW 1O4u COuTluC6u, UQaU n0r
love had been unwavering. II ii were not
that she resolve to renounce her title and
become my wife she would never have
fallen beneath the vassalage OF the infa-
nous scOundrel who sought her social
ruin.
Thus we stood together locked in each
others arms, exchanging once again VOWS
OF love eternal, while Sonia stood watch
ing us, sad, silent, and motionless save
for deep sigh that once escaped her. She
knew that supreme happiness had come
to the woman she had once denounced as
my bitterest foe.
CONCLUSION.
1t was four O'Clock on the following
afternoon. The black iron studded doors
Of the Bank of England were just closing.
The beadle mopped his brow the traffic
around the Royal Exchange was becoming
more congested, as 1t generally does at
that hour, and perspiring clerks hurrying