The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-09


cursingly avowed, to-wit, the furtnerns ol
his daughters happiness. when there came
tap at the door and Mistress Margery en-
tered
Dear heart. Do they limit you to a single
candle when my back is turned?' she sa,o,
In mock pity; and saying 1t. went TO heht
the candles in the mantel sconces.
The sight of her standing a-tiptoe TO toucn
of the candles on the chimney breast sci
the old love spell at work TO make my neart
beat faster. What If there were hint OF
truth in Gilbert Stairs wrathful protest!
What If. after ALL she cared less for Rich
ard and more for me?
Do not. | pray you, my dears, think too
hardly of the man who thus lays bare the
secret thoughts OF his heart for YOU Twas
| but passing gust Of the tempest or dis
| loyalty, and / was not swept wholly from
my mornings. Nay, when she came to sit on
| the hassOck at my feet, as she used TO DO
| In that other halcyon-time of convalescence.
| sweet face with eyes that saw beyond her
to the camp or battlefield where my dear
lad was spending himself
/ For time sat in silence, and twas
| she who spoke first.
MY father has been with you." she said
| II hope you did not quarrel with him.
| mo-" l denied, salving my conscience
with the remembering that 1t takes two to
make quarrel; and / had done none OF
the cursing. He came to give me this
| added, handing her the Will.
| She opened the folded parchment reading
| line of it here and there softly TO herself
=" Being of sound mind. doth bequeath
and devise to his loving wife. Margery-
| All, had you been writing it you would not
! have written il so, would you, Monsieur
| John?"
It's but a FORM 1 would say. "All
wives are loving in lawyers speech.
She smiled UP at me like an innocent
and fearless child that for the moment L
| could figure her no otherwise. Yet her re-
Joinder was a womanS.
Il say you would not have written it SO;
| is not that the TRUTH?
/ would not let her pin me down.
IF L should write 1T now, 1t should be
| written in great letters, dear lady. Though
it is but a form, though that which fol-
| lowed was but another form, you have not
failed. in any wifely duty. Mistress Mar
gerry"
Not once?'
mo. not once. Three times you have done
| what the lovingest wife ould<do to save a
husbands life; and l do greatly suspect
there was a fourth and earlier time. Tell
me, little one; was il not you who sent the
Indian to Captain Forney to tell him pa
triot spy was to be executed at day-dawn
| in the oak glade?'
She would not answer me direct
Twas | who brought you TO that pass"
she said, speaking soft and low. But for
my riding down upon you one other MORN
have had Sir Francis Falconnet's sword in
your shoulder. And but for that sword
wound. nothing that followed would have
Saying this she fell silent for a space.
and when she spoke again she was become
by some subtle transmutation my trusting
do you remember how you used to make
comrade of me in the old days, Monsieur
John, telling, me things my older brother
might have told me, had had one?"
l said l remembered that / was not likely
to forget
Are you strong enough to stand in that
elder brothers place again to-night?
Try me and see, dear lady,
Not whilst you say dear lady," she
pouted. Twas 'Margery' and Monsieur
John year agone."
| "HaYe III a < will. will a
'Madge' If it pleases you better"
NO" she said; that is Dicks name for
me; and-and it Is Of Dick that / would
speak You love him WELL do you not Mon
1 said l could never make her, or any
woman. fully understand the bond there
TRULY" There was the merest flavor of
playful sarcasm in the uptit of the word,
~ WAS 50 gone TeoS wnen sne went IN c nsr
you can advise me better. Tell me, II you
please, must 1 marry him-when-"
for VIZ s5ons v 20 no not NV
She was pulling the threads from the lace
edging of he. kerchief and would not for a
kings ransom let her eyes meet mine.
You used to say-in that other time
that love should go before marriage; did
you not? Or DO remember badly?"
You remember well. said 1T then, and I
say ii again at this present. But Dick loves
you well ano truly, sweetheart; and you
She looked up quickly with the little laugh
that used to mind me of happy children at
play.
And I?-how you will read womans
heart for me- Monsieur John. Tell me; do ]
love him as his mistress should?"
Nay, surely" said 1, gravely, for some
how her laugh Jared upon me, surely that
Is for you to say. But you have said it. long
Have I?" she queried. with an arch lift
: ing Of the penciled brows that came straight
from her French mother. "Mayhap you
overheard ME say it. Monsieur Eavesdrop-
per?'
| God help me. little one-so did," said I
! All in flash her laughing mood was gone
and she stood before me like an accusing
; You told me once the past was like a
dream to YOU: you must have dreamed that
part Of it, sir. And yet you said a little
: while ago that had not failed in any wife
ly duty!'
1.-THE time and circumstance were thei,
own best excuse. Sure l am far from blam.
ing you. my dear. But let it pass, tits
enough thatsI know you love him as he loves
YOU.
Again her mood changed in the twinklins
of an eye. She sank down upon the hassock
laughing merrily.
: 20 wise Monsieur John! how well yor
| read won:ans heart! IT'S you should b,
) the lover. instead of Dick. He rides a-court
ing as he weuld charge a legion on battle
| field. But npthing would ever tempt you (,
be so mastdrful rough. would 1t, Monsieur
John? You; would look deep into youl
I you would say. mon ami?"
= All, my dears, 1 hope no one of you will
: ever be tempted as l was tempted then
forgot my dear lad, forgot honor, forgo
everything save that had leave to tell he
| how L had soved her from the first; how
should go on loving her to the end. So for ,
c moment hing trembling on the brink an,
s then she pushed me over.
< rs this how you would do Monsieur
e Monsieur Ogre ?-sit stock still and glove
, | at the poor thing as if you were betwee,
3 two minds as to loving her or eating her p
e L bent quickly. took her face between m,
hands and Kissed her twice-thrice
v THAT is what / should do. Now that yo,
{ | have made sme what / was not before ar
you satisiel?'
e Twas long before she gave me a word
t | And when she spoke 1T was only to saw
q Are you not most monstrous ASHAMED
: Monsieur Jehn?'
"No," sail i. 'T am but a man, and yo
: have reused that part of me that know
+? neither shame nor remOrse love you. Mis-
: | tress Margary; do you hear? / have love
you since that day i'm June when / cam
e back from deaths door to find you sittin
r here to bear me company"
d She locked her fingers across her knee an
g would not lSok at me.
q But by your own showing you should b
ashamed sur" she insisted. What of tn
g dear friend TO whom you would give III
q even the love of your mistress?'
n You may fay me as you will; 1 shal
: neither finch nor go back from nv word
q You are mine. and shall give you up to n
o man. i know / have not your love-sbal
never have it. Also, 1 know that I hav
n gained an 6nemy where once | had a Joyin
| fri ard