The Springfield herald., 1900-05-11

/ KING DON: 5 +
; A STORY Of MILITARY Lift IN INDIA ; p
-..sY MANOR ALLAN..



Lille still stood there motionless, 1t
seemed almost without breath or be-
ing. She was not looking at Don any
longer now. Her blue eyes were gaz-
ing into vacancy. with an expression
of horror In them, as II they gazed in
reality upon that ghastly scene the
Prince had painted-hsr husbands re-
volver pointed at her fathers breast.
The silence and the anguish Of 1t all
grew more than Don could bear.
'Lillie!" he cried.
She made no movement. It was as II
she had become unconscious of his
presence or even life itself.
"Lillie! For mercy's sake. Lille,
look at me! Lille! Lillie!"
He had gone to her side now and
touched her cold hand. and at the
touch she swayed a little and would
have fallen senseless. but he caught
her In his arms and laid her on the low
divan. He threw himself on his knees
beside her. and looked at her with his
breath coming in hard, quick gasps.
Despair and shame overwhelmed
through 1t all came the proud fear for
that self which had hitherto ever been
first with him all his life long-the self
for which he had often sacrificed the
happiness Of others or well-nigh for
feited honor. for which at last in a
moment of frenzy he had even sold his
soul.
I I'M In hot o. tyf,y
ment for what he was. and even with
Captain Derwent's dead body at his
feet he had failed to see himself.
Scorned and shamed before men. II
brought near to him another tribunal.
higher and all-powerful, at whose por-
tails he must needs stand at the last
day, and he bowed his head in the
first real prayer that had ever rent his
bleeding heart.
my God, my God. be merciful!"
How would she for whom he had
sinned look at him when those closed
eyes openedf Would she not shrink
from his touch as from some unclean
thing? Would her love not fail be-
fore this blow he had dealt 1t. or was
Il that love possessed Of divine pity
which would not turn even from the
hand that struck It? He took the ivory
fan which had dropped from her nerve-
less fingers and waited 1t softly over
her palid face.
Her long, thick lashes quivered, the
white eyelids opened at last, and her
blue eyes were looking into his
He covered his face with his hands
and bowed his head on the cushion be-
side her, for he could not dare to look
at her now. She put out trembling
hand and touched his thick brown
hair.
"Don." she whispered family, tell
me 1t is not true!"
IT cannot!" The hoarse reply
pierced her very soul. Her hand
dropped. She burst into sudden and
passionate weeping. With a strong
effort Don recovered his self-control,
and spoke with labored intensity.
"It was not my shot that killed him
AS God is my Judge, l swear to you
1t was not; but. in a fit of anger,
fired. and 1t might have killed him.
He insisted you were to marry that
dark fellow. and he would not listen
to me, and lost my head. Lille. Lii
lie! don't look like that! Don't!
cannot bear it,"
She had stayed her convulsive sobs,
and her blue eyes were regarding him
In a way that made his proud lips
CULVER.
You did that, yet you came back to
me and told me nothing Of it. and you
made me marry you!" The words
broke from her in low. halting SEN
tences, as il they choked her to utter
them.
Lille, be merciful! 1t was my love
for you that made me reckless. What
good would it have done to tell you of
our quarrel? For l never dreamt you
would come to know of it"
"Oh, why did you make me marry
you?" she walled. And now she broke
down once more and wept bitterly.
"Lillie!" he cried, beside himself
with remorse and suffering, you don't
believe me guilty of his death? Don't
tell me you doubt mel"
II do not doubt you," she spoke at
last; but you have deceived me, and
oh, Don, 1t has broken my heart!"
He looked at her wildly. and seemed
to realize. with n new sense of desc
lation, that 1t was indeed true. He
had shattered alike her faith in him
and her love.
"Oh!" he cried out, "if you had loved
me as l love you, you would under
stand and be pitiful!"
II do love you.' she answered bro
kenly-"you as you should be, as God