The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-20

tnougn L thought IL cruel that / should
have to fight my battle for the losing of
her over again, had not the heart to chide
her.
You could have done much less. dear
much less and still be blameless. You
nave done too much for me already |
would you had not done so much; would
10 God had been hanged before you went
upon your knees TO that"
She freed one hand and laid a finger on
my lip-nay, 1T was her palm, and If took
a dying mans fair leave and kissed IL soft
iy l think she knew ii not
Hush!' she commanded. "Is this time
to harbor bitter thoughts? thought you
Monsieur John"
There is no other thing that may say"
Not anything at all?"
hope you will be true and loyal to yourself
Margery mia"
ITO myself? do not understand"
II think you dol think you must"
But do not
turned 1t over more than once in my
mind If / should tell her all / had feared
should tell her how / came to kill a man
and was fair set to kill another had found
wedding afoot in the great forenoon.
could not bring myself to do it, and yet l
thought 1t would go hard with me if 1
should leave her still unwarned.
IF l should try to make you understand
you will be angry, as you were before"
The wicker chair was close beside the
table, and she sat down. And when she
spoke she had her hands tight clasped
across her knee and would not look at me.
rs it--about-Sir Francis?'
1T u.s." said !, pausing once more upon
the brink of full confession.
She waited patiently for me to speak
further: waited and let me fight it out in
slow pacings up and down before her chair.
Without the night was calm and STILL and
through the opened easement came the
measured beat of footballs on the gravel
meath the window. Within the single can
die battled feebly with the gloom and
lighted naught for me save my dear lady 8
face. pensive now and sanity sweet as 1t
had been that morning when l had dwelt
upon 1T the while she knew 1T not. And in
the background stood the sleepy tire wom-
an, giving no sign of life save now and
l think my lady must have known how
hard 1t was for me to speak, for when the
silence had grown overlong she said gently:
Il bought these flying minutes of the
sentry, Monsieur John. Will you not use
them?"
you'll think the minutes dearly bought,
mo, that shall not if it will ease your
'Then tell me why you sent for Father
The light was dim, as have said. yet I
| could see the faint flush spread from neck
to cheek.
John. You would not understand If l should
tell you,
Il think / understand without your tell
ing. You said Sir Francis Falconnet had
asked for you"
Twas you who drove me to say it,"
Because / tried to warn your?
Because you would be vengeful when
you should have been forgiving."
Twas not revenge just then, though
while / live l shall have ample cause to
hate this man."
What was it them"
ut was love; love for you and-and Rich
ard Jennifer."
for all the half gloom of the candle light.
"You are a loyal friend.' she said, and
there was that within the words to make
glad for fate the s dawn sSnS
of others first: you think of others now
when-when death-oh. Monsieur John!
what can ] do for you? Say quick! The
Now 1 have told you this. there Is but
one other thing, Margery dear; one little
| thing that will not let me die in peace. If
i might have ten words with Richard
| Jennifer-"
She left me in a fever fiutter of excite
ment, whipped to the door and had word
with him who stood without. | heard the
| chink of coin and then she FASTENED back
to me. all eagerness and tremulous i'm
| patience.
do / am not afraid. Shall 1 ride down to
| Jennifer House and fetch Dick here?"
| HE is prisoner, and If he were not they
would not let him see me: BESIDES wom ini
God help me. Margery. there is many an
innocent life hanging on this, the lives or
helpless women and little children. Have
YOU ever a messenger to send, man who
will risk his life and can be trusted fully?'
! Eyes, yesr' she cried. Write 1t down
| for me and Dick shall have 1t. Quick; for
| our lady's sake, be quick about II! .
Sancta Maria, mater Del
| The low, impassioned chant of the Ro-
man litany was ringing In my ears as sat
| down to the table to write my message to
Richard Jennifer. There were quilts and
| an ink pot at hand, but no paper. / felt
mechanically in my pocket and found, not
some old letter, as i hoped, but the crum-
| pied parchment map snatched and hidden
| when CAPTAIN Stuart had WINGED and
dropped ii at the bidding or the whlstilng
/ sword about his ears.
HOW IL was they had not searched me for
| IL / know not, though haply the captain did
not guess how he had lost 1t. Be that as 1t
| might. I had it safe, and Dick should have
| If safe and use il, too, to some good pur-
| pose. as fondly hoped.
| you'd hardly think from the slow and
| clumsy spinning of this tale that / could
| crowd the narrative of all that 1 had seen
| and heard into a niggard threescore words
| or less But this / did, writing them upon
| the margin of the captains map and not
| ing i'm an added line the pricking out of the
| nnwder conveys route. And while my pen
| rwas looming on the flourish to my name my
| eager little lady seized the pounce box,
| ga nded me the heavy trailings OF the quill,
snatched and hid the parchment in her
\ bosom and was gone.
/ And hut for this, that 1 heard the door
| latch click behind her and then the heavy
| wooden bar fall into place. might have
| thought the happenings of the hour the UNI
! substantial fancies of dream.
ITO Be Continued