The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-14
CHAPTER Nv.
WHICH MAY BE PASSED OVER
LIGHTLY

ing Of things found myself abed in room
which was strange and yet strangely ia
miliar. Barring great oaken clothes press
I'm one corner. raree show of curious
china on the shelves where the books
should have been and the face Of an ar
mored soldier staring down at me from its
frame over the chimney piece, where /
should have looked to see my mothers por-
trait, the room was counterpart Of my
old bedchamber at Appleby Hundred. There
was even a faint odor OF lavender in the
bed linen: and the sense Of smell, which
hath ever a better memory than any other
carried me swiftly back to my boyhood
and to the remembrance that my mother
had always kept a spray or two of that
sweet herb In her linen closet.
At the bedside there was a claw-footed
table, which also had the look OF an old
friend. and on 1t dainty porringer filed
with cuttings of fragrant sweetbriar. This
was some womanIy conceit said to my
self, and then laughed, though the laugh
set a pair OF VOLS jaws at work on my
shoulder. For you must know that had
lived the full half of King Davids span
OF three score and ten years and more, and
what womanly softness had fallen to my
lot had been well got and paid for.
/ closed my eyes the better to remember
what had befaIlen. and when opened them
again was fain to wonder if the moment OF
back-reaching stood not for some longer
time. In the deep bay OF the window was a
great chair Of Indian wicker work, and I
could have sworn it had but now been
empty. Yet when looked again a woman
sat In It.
Now OF truth I had seen this woman's
face but twice, and once it wore a smile
of teasing mockery and once was full of
terror; but I thought I should live long
and suffer much before the winsome chal-
longing beauty OF it would let me be as I
had been before had looked upon it.
She knew not that 1 was awake and slak-
ing the thirst OF my eyes upon the sweet
ness Of her. and so 1 saw her then as few
ever saw her. I think, with the womanly
barriers of defense all down. 'Tis hard
test and one that makes a blank at rest of
many a face beautiful enough in action:
but though this ladys face was to the full
as changefuI as any April sky, it was never
less than triumphantly beautiful.
/ had said her eyes were blue, but now
they were deep wells rejecting the soft
gray OF the clouded sky beyond the window
panes. had made sure that her lips lent
themselves most readily to hooking smiles
scorpful OF any wit less trenchant than her
own; but now these hooking lips were pen
sive. and with the rounded cheek and chin
gave her the look of a sweet child wanting
TO be kissed. I had said her hair was
bright In the sunlight and so, indeed, it
was; but lacking the sun 1t still held the
dull luster CT FURNISHED copper in its
masses, and her simple, care-free dressing
OF 1t at time when les grandes DANES
were frizzing and powdering and adding art
to art to mar the woman's crown of glory
gave her yet more the look of a child.
Lastly. had called her small, and GER
tainly her figure was girlish beside those
grenadier danes Of Maria Theresa's court
to whom my old field marshal had once
presented me. But when she rose and went
TO stand In the window bay marked this,
that not any duchess or margarine of
them all had a more queenly bearing, or,
with all their stays and furbelows, could
match her supple grace and lisscm figure.
What with the blood lettings and the
wound fever, coupled with the subtle witch
cry OF her presence thus in my sick room,
IL Is little to be wondered at that curious
madness came over me or that forgot for
the moment the loyalty due to my dear lad
Could I have stood before her. and, read
ing but half consent in the, deep-welled
eyes. have clipt her in my arms and laid
my lips to hers would have run to pay
the price In earth or heaven or hell L
thought. deeming the fierce JOY Of it well
worth any penalty
At this I should have stirred, suppose,
for she came quickly and stood beside me-
You have slept long and well, Captain
Ireton." she said; and in all the thrilling
JOY OF her nearer presence I found space
TO mark that her voice had in II that sweet
quality of sympathy which is all woman
y. They say am good only to fetch and
carry-znay I fetch you anything?"
I fear the madness OF the moment must
still have been upon me. for said: "since
you are here yourself. dear lady, 1 need
naught else"
At fash I had my whipping in a low
dipped curtsy and hooking smile like that
she had flung to Falconnet.
''Merci! mon Capitaine.'' she said. and for
all my wincings under the sharp lash OF her
sarcasm 1 was moved to wonder how she
had the French Of it. And then she added:
Us 1t the custom OF her Apostolic Majes-
tvs officers to come out of death swound
only 70 pay pretty compliments?"
Twas no compliment" / denied: and
Indeed i meant IL. Then / asked where
was and to whom indebted though / had
long since guessed the answer to both
questions.
In a trice the hooking mood was gone
ana she became my lady hostess STEPPED
10 ner nnger tips In gracious dignity.
You are at Appleby Hundred, sir. Twas
here they fetched you because there was nc
other house so near, and you were sorely
hurt. Richard Jennifer and my black box
made litter OF the saddle cloths and with
Sir Francis and Mr.. Tybee TO help
think she must have seen that this
thrust was sharper than that of the Ger.
man long sword. for she stopped in mid
sentence and looked away from me And
surely, thought IL was the very irony OF
fate that / should thus be brought hail
dead 10 the house that was my father 8
with my enemy and his second TO share the
burden OF me-
But your father2' / queried when the
silence had grown overlong
My father Is away at Queensborougb
so you must cen trust yourself To my fen
der mercies, Captain Ireton. Are YOU
strong enough 10 have your WOUND
dressedr'
She asked. but waited for no answer n,
mine. summoning black boy TO hold the
dressing with as little ado as IL she had
been surgeons apprentice on a battlefield
and i bloodless ancient too old TO thrill
At the touch OF a woman's hands
Dear heart! tbs a monstrous ugly hurt %
she declared. replacing the wrappings with
deft fingers. How came you TO 90 ahou,
picking a quarrel with Sir Francis?"
Twas not or my seeking" i returned
and then j could have cursed my foolish