Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-05

in this assemblage, for the agony now visi
BILE upon the brow of Mary Connynge.
Monsieur, the wine has turned your
head said the regent scornfuly. You
boast!"
Il boast of nothing" cried Law savagely.
his voice now ringing with q tone none
say to you again. this woman was my slave,
and that she will again do as l shall choose.
Your grace, she would come and wipe the
dust from my shoes If should command
Of me- If should command 1t! Shall prove
this your grace?'
"Oh, assuredly!" replied the regent with
a sarcasm which now seemed his only re-
lief. "Assuredly, If Monsieur Las should
please. We here in Paris are quite his
humble servants
Law said nothing He stood with his
biting blue eyes still fixed upon Mary Con-
nynge whose own eyes faltered, trying
their utmost to escape from his; whose fin
gers. resting just lightly on the snowy Hol-
lands Of the table cloth, moved TREMENDOUSLY;
whose limbs appeared ready to sink beneath
her.
Come, then, Mary Connynge" cried Law
at last, his teeth setting savagely to-
gether. Come, then, traitress and slave,
| and kneel before me, as you did once be-
fore!
Then there ensued a strange and horrible
spectacle. hush as OF death fell upon
| the group. Mary Connynge, trembling, halt
Ing, yet always advancing, did indeed as
her master had hidden! She passed from
the head Of the table, back Of the chair Of
the regent, who stood gazing with horror
| in his eyes; she passed the chair Of Aisse
| near which Law now stood; she paused in
front Of him, and stood as though in q
| dream. Her knees would have indeed sunk
| beneath her. She drew from her bosom a
silken kerchief, as though she would
indeed have performed the ignoble service
which had been threatened for her There
came neither voice nor motion to those who
| saw this thing. The sheer force Of one
t,xy to- t,,fa y,o{f N$
one supreme moment-this might have been
| the spell which commanded at the table Of
| the regent. Yet this did occur
There came a sound which broke the
| silence, which caused all to start as with
| swift relief. A sob, short, dry, hard, as
| from one whose heart is broken came from
| beyond the place where Law stood facing
| the trembling woman. The eyes Of all
| burst this irrepressible exclamation of
agony. Will Law. as one grown swiftly old,
haggard. broken-down. stood gazing in
| wide-eyed horror at this woman. so hui
inflated in the presence Of all in this bril-
liantly lighted hall; before the blazing mir
| rors which should have reflected back
ing roses. which should have been the signs
| manual Of undying love; under the smiling
cherubs, which should have typihed the
deities Of happy love: VIII Law, too, had
loved Perhaps still he loved.
| This sharp sound served to break also the
| spell under which Law himself seemed held.
He cast aloft his arms. as in remorse or
in despair. Then he extended hand to
| the woman who would have sunk before
| him.
God forgive me! Madam" he cried 81
| had forgot Savage indeed you are and
have been. but tits not for me to treat you
/, brutally."
Your grace" said he turning toward
the regent, Il crave your pardon. Our ex-
plantations shall reach you on the morrow"
He turned, and taking his brother by the
arm, advanced toward the door at which
/ he had recently entered. pausing not to look
/ behind him. Had his eye been more curious
! as he and his half-fainting brother bowed
/ before passing through the door, 1t might
have seen that which he must long have
horne in memory.
Mary Connynge. trembling, pallid utterly
| broken. never found her way back to the
/ right hand Of the regent. She half stumbled
into chair near the foot of the table. Her
| bosom f1uttered at the base Of the throat.
| Half blindly she reached out her hand to-
| ward glass Of wine which stood near by.
foaming and sparkling, Its gem-like drops