Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-08-24


you Gomez ,,,
Il have already answered you," said
tho Engiishman. with a firmneSs which
loft Sanger no hope. MY resolution
is irrevocably taken. | viii not follow
you"
WHY
II render account but to myself,
George replied. with marked hauteur.
But. with no less hauteur, Saugor
spoke again:
The sahib is wrong. To her who
waits. who never before waited, ne
must render account of a refusal which
is insult"
"Well, be 1t so, Them exclaimed
George. 81 will write the
who sends you. You will carry TO her
my letter, and at least she VIII no ac-
cuse me Of having lily understood or
executed her commands.
Seated before a table, the English
man hastily wrote, on a sheet OF paper
bearing his crest, the following lines:
ITO her whose face | do not Know
TO her who TO me is nameless: Thanks
TO you. madame, | have had a dream, a
charming and intoxicating dream
which might, which should, perhaps,
have led to love! Happily for my
heart, between me and love there was
a mask! l have entreated you, but
ever vainly. The jealous mask has not
fallen; ii has closed "A passage to love.
To-day the awakening has come. The
dream is ended, but its memory never
can be effaced. There exists an image
-yours-adorable, although incomplete
which will ever rest, clear and lu-
minous, in the grateful heart OF
GEORGE MALCOLM"
This he put in an envelope and sealed
with his ring. upon which was en-
craven the Malcolm escutcheon.
Here he said, extending it TO Sau-
COR. There is nothing left for you 70
do but to bear TO your mistress this
message
The Hindoo made his situation
then. with n single leap, and not touch
ing the support of the balcony, reached
the ground.
George fastened to the window, to
follow him with his eyes, but he could
see nothing. His dark form was al
ready lost amid the shade of the trees.
The young Englishman stood pensive.
Have done my duty. o more than
my duty" he said to himself. Have
/ not committed the crime Of rudeness
toward a woman whose debtor, after
all, / am. since she has done me the
honor to accord me her favor and Civ
en- me its every proof? Might | not
have made of my austerity less parade
have zone for the last time to the
rendezvous, and. instead of writing,
have spoken? This Hindoo was not
wrong when he said my refusal was
outrage, and il | had consented to fol-
low him tonight, i might have taken
all sting from the rupture"
Thus he reasoned for and against
himself, until at last. throwing back
his shoulders aud proudly lifting his
head, as if Kidding himself OF a heavy
burden, he said, almost aloud:
"Yes-a hundred times, yes! I have
done my duty, and only my duty! A
love such as one look from Agnes Bur-
tell has kindled in my soul. should be
preserved from all impure contact.
Even involuntary infideIity would soil
this pure child. Honor demanded that
| refuse. | should again refuse
Absorbed by these contradictory
thoughts, which so long had agitated
him, he lost all consciousness of time.
but, in reality. since Saugor's depart
ure almost an hour had elapsed.
Suddenly the Englishman started. A
small, white object, which appeared
heavy, fell at his feet.
He stopped TO pick it up. and saw
that it was a sheet Of paper wrapped
about a stone. He unrolled il. and
found written upon it, in English, and
in very elegant chirography, these
lines:
Come! The mask will fall and the
dream shall never end, for it shall be-
gin anew in lover
And, lower, these words:
"The messenger waits"
Again George approached the window
and now, standing beneath the balco-
ny, silent and motionless, he deserted n
human figure. 1t was Saugor the mvs-
terious guide.
To do Malcolm Justice. this time there
was no struggle. Curiosity. feeling IT.
self conquered in advance. made no eff
fort to enter in the conflict with dutv
He took a sheet of paper. OH which
he traced four words:
1T is too late"
This, in his turn, he rolled about the
stone, and, having thrown it into the
garden. closed the window. to deprive
the Hindoo of any further possibility
Of a new temptation.
Co he murmured. with manifest
relief. ut is this time ended well end
ed"
He threw himself, overcome with ex-
haustion, upon his couch, to sleep and
dream of her whom he at last ac-
knowledged his hearts sovereign.
Ten minutes later Saugor placed tho
little note in the hands of the un-
known.
AS she read the four words which
left her no hope, her pale face became
still paler. A smile of incomprehensi-
bic bitterness parted her lips and re-
vealed the dazzling Wilderness of her
teeth.
Abr she cried, sit is too late! So no
II. then. You repulse my love. I nrom-
Use you my hate. The Princess Dieua
knows neither forgetfulness nor for.
giyeness! Beware, George Malcolm.
The princess (for by her own confess.
ion we learn her name and title) had