The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-07-04

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tnat you had never met me, so that this
last, worst thing had not come unto
you! You wrong me If you think that
y could be so callous, so Indifferent, as
to leave you here without heed as to
your fate. Believe in your innocence!
You know that do as firmly as though
you substantiated it with a thousand
proofs. Reverence your devotion to
your honor! You are certain that
must or all better things were dead in
me. You reject my friendship. You
term it cruel, but at least it will be
1althful to you-too faithful for me to
pass out of Africa and never give you
one thought again. I believe in you.
10 you not know that that is the high
est trust, to my thinking, that one hui
man life can show in another's? You
decide that it is your duty not to free
yourself from this bondage, not to ex-
pose the actual criminal, not to take up
your rights of birth. I dare not seek to
alter that decision, but I cannot leave
you to such future without infinite
pain, and there must-there shall be-
means through which you will let me
near OF you, through which, at least,
can kIc'- sSlat .ss-.::~ orc ;::v,-..s"
she stretched her hands toward him
Win that same gesture with which
she had first declared her faith in his
gulltlessness. The tears trembled in
her voice and swan in her eyes. He
seized her hands in his and held them
close against his breast one instant.
against the loud. hard painting of his
aching heart
God reward you! God keep you!
II stay, I shall tell you all. Let me
go and forget that we ever met! I
am dead. Let me be dead to you!"
With another instant he had left the
tent and passed out into the red glow
OF the torchlit evening. And Venetia
Corona dropped her proud head down
upon the silken cushions where his
own had rested and wept as women
weep over their dead, in such a pas
sion as had never come to her in all
the course of her radiant, victorious
and imperious life.
1t seemed to her as if she had seen
him slain in cold blood and had never
lifted her hand or her voice against
his murder.
Outside her tent the CHALLENGE rang
on the air:
"Who goes there?'
Cecil never heard it. Even the old,
long accustomed habits of a soldiers
obedience were killed in him.
"Who goes there?" the challenge
rang again.
Still he never heard, but went on
bindly. From where the tents stood
there was a stronger breadth of light,
through which he had passed and was
passing still-a light strong enough for
1t to be seen whence he came, but not
strong enough to show his features.
"Halt, or I fire! The sentinel
brought the weapon to his shoulder
and took a calm, close, sure aim. He
did not speak. The password he had
forgotten as though he had never heard
or never given it. ~-.~~-~-~-- N~-s--~------
Another figure than that of the SOL
der on guard came out of the shadow
and stood between him and the senti-
mel. 1t was that of Chateauroy. He
was mounted on his gray horse and
wrapped in his military cloak, about to
go the round of the cavalry camp.
1T is one Of my men," said the chief
carelessly to the sentinel. leave me
to deal with him.
The guard saluted and resumed his
beat.
"Why did you refuse the word, sir?"
II did not hear"
"Why are you absent from YOUR
squadron"
There was no reply.
'Have you no tongue, sir? Why are
you here?"
There was again no answer.
Chateauroy's teeth ground out a fu-
rious oath. Yet flash of brutal de-
light glittered in his eyes. At last he
had bounded down this man, so long
out of his reach, into disobedience and
contumacy.
"Why are you here, and where have
you been?" he demanded once more.
81 will not say"
The dark and evil countenance above
him grew livid with fury.
II can have you thrashed like a. dog
for that answer, and will. But first
listen! 1 know as we'll as though YOU
had confessed to me. Your silence
cannot shelter your great mistress
sham. All, ha, la Faustine! So ma
dame your princess is so cold to her
equals only to choose her lovers out of
my blackguards and take her midnight
intrtgues like a camp courtesanv
Cecirs face changed terribly as the
vile words were spoken. With the
light and rapid spring of leopard he
reached the side of his commander,
one hand on the horses name, the 9TH
er on the wrist of his chief, that it
gripped like an iron wise.
"You lie, and you know that you lie!
Breathe her name once more, and, by
heaven, as we are both living men, I
will have vO11r 1ifo for vow. o,,%ro rops