Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-08-24

/ .1,he hour passes. The mistress
waits. For the last time, sahlo' WI"
you Gomez" soia
II have already answered you" sal ,
the Englishman, with firmness "nion
left Saugor no hope. my resolution
is irrevocably taken. l will not follow
you"
why" .,e,
81 render account but to myself,
George replied, with marked hau.esr.
But. with no less hauteur, SauSor
spoke again: ,,,
"The sahib is wrong. To her VINO
waits, who never before waited, nc
must render account of a refusal WHICH
is insult
swell. be it so, them" exclaimed
George. 81 will write the unknown
who sends you. You will carry to her
my letter, and at least she will not ac.
cuse me Of having lily understood VI
executed her commands"
Seated before a table, the English
man hastily wrote, on sheet OF paper
bearing his crest, the following lines:
"To her whose face do not know
to her who to me is nameless: Thanks
to you, madame, have had dream
charming and intoxicating dream
which might, which should, perhaps,
have led to love! Happily for my
heart, between me and love there was
mask! I have entreated you, but
ever vainly. The Jealous mask has not
fallen; 1t has closed a passage to love.
To-day the awakening has come. The
dream IS ended, but it's 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 Saul
gor. ''There is nothing left for you to
do but to bear to your mistress this
message"
The Hindoo made his salutation-
then. with a single leap, and not touch
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 I done my duty, or more than
my duty" he said to himself. "Haye
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 it's every proof? Might 1 not
have made Of my austerty less parade
have gone 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 if had consented to fol-
low him tonight, might have taken
all sting from the rupture"
Thus he reasoned for and against
himself, until at last, throwing back
his shoulders and 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! \
love such as one look from Agnes Bur
tell has kindled in my soul, should be
preserved from all impure contact
Even involuntary infidelity would soil
this pure child Honor demanded that
l refuse. l should again refuse"
Absorbed by these contradictory
thong hts, 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 1t was sheet Of paper wrapped
about stone. He unrolled it. 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 q
human figure. 1t was Saugor, the mys-
FERROUS guide.
TO do Malcolm justice, this time there
was no struggle. Curiosity, feeling it.
self conquered in advance, made no ef-
fort to enter in the conflict with duty.
"ae took a sheet Of paper, on which
he traced four words:
''It 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.
Cor he murmured. with manifest
relief lit is this time ended-well end
ed!''
He threw himself, overcome with OK.
haustion. upon his couch, to sleep and
dream Of her whom he at last ac-
knowledged his hearts sovereign.
Ten minutes later Saugor placed the
little note in the hands of thp nm.
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 nor
teeth.
-Ahr' she cried 'it is too 1atet So ho
it. then. You repulse my love. I prom-
Use you my hate. The Princess Dicllo
knows neither forgetfulness nor for
giyehess! Beware, George Malcolm,
NM vNpsSvr &c. 4