The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-01
The Garden of Lies
By Justus Miles Forrnan
CHAPTER xlv.-continued.
copyrisht 1902 b, Frederick A. stoke. COMPANY.


CHAPTER xlV.-continued. =
find. now that I come to write it.,
that ! can give no adequate description
of the strange alteration which had taken
place in her, of the cold. proud aloofness,
the regal majesty that seemed to hold
her at some great ineXplicable distance.
She seemed to have gained In stature,
to tower above us, lofty and alien in her
bitterness and proud grief. AS Miss Man
nering had said, she had suffered little
physical i'll. She appeared; strong and
we'll, save that the circles had come about
her eyes once more and that her lovely
meuth dropped at the corners. Her voice
was low and quite civil but infinitely
cole.
You see, you see" cried Miss Man
herring. when the princess had, left. DO
you wonder that no one can approach
her" How-how does she seem to you,
M. Creighton?,' o.,
But I shook my head.
Don't ask me-" I said. IA queen
nursing a pain too great for words but
holding a calm face to the world, If you
like. don't know. Great heaven, her
eyes are the saddest tragedy ever saw!
How she's suffering! And how she must
have loved him.
I rose, still shaking my head.
Il must be going back to Denis," said
Hes waiting for news Of her. Yes, Won
Altdorf.s right-Fate plays"
Once back in the studio, I told Denis
all that had heard and seen, proud that
had so much to give him. He made nc
comment or remark save an occasiona
Yes, yes, man, get on! get on!' when
paused for breath. And when told him
how the princess had suddenly come into
the room where Miss Mannering and sal
talking. he gave, deep-voiced "Ah-h-h!'
and dragged his chair nearer.
sp,,%
made an end, dear lad, you tell so little
Nothing that I didn't know before. Al
these things one could take for granted
Tell me the little things, Teddy, how she
bore her eyes, and that queens head o
hers. All. high in the air, I'll warrant
And was she paler than her WON'T lad
And was one little curling lock Of hel
hair loose over the ear-the left ear, az
it always Is? Had she flower at hel
breast? Ah. you We no eyes. Ted! I'd hav,
known every tiniest thing about her in al
instant
He rose and went over to the windov
that gives upon the garden. 1t was opel
wide for the sweet spring air to enter
and he stood by it staring out into hi
lost paradise for long while.
, . I'll walk in the garden for while,
said he at last mo one will be there t.
see rue or interrupt. Iwant to sniff tn
perfume once more. and-sit OH the ston
oelcIl. ne tnre" a loot. over the win
dow ledge and vaulted down to the tur
below.
took up pipe and book to pass tn
time. but Denis walked up the old grave
path between the straight prim rows @
chestnut trees; and the heavy fragrance Q
the blossoms above hung over him lik
the scent Of burial flowers.
He walked, head down, eyes fixed upo
the ground before him, hands clasped be
hind his back, SO that he came slowly int
the little circle Of shrubbery that sur
rounds the fountain, and where stands tn
cracked old stone bench, without glancin
ahead. 'c
Then he raised his eyes and fell a ste
backward
'I-beg your-pardon!' said he; YER
row. ana IN a queer breathless voice. q
e didn't-know there was any one-here.
thought should beealone ''ss-s.>
And l." said the Princess Eleanor fror
the old stone bench ELISE T should nc
I'm go away ct. once said Mallory: l.: nc
e. looking at her: "I-won't intrude upo
you"' - : NV
Just moment, please!'' begged tn
+ tilncess - Eleanor. She rose to her fee
hal1 closed, her lips with the slightest ad
d1tlonal curl as if he were something o1
1enstve, unpleasant to see.
l do not know. SIR she began coldr
What mas been told you relative to-
/. .Wnat occurred on the day before yeste1
DAY. or to my sentiments toward YOU ?
present-and for all time in the future?''
:. she spoke as If in question, and pause
moment. -,
Il think have-heard it ALL" said Den
~ quietly, ''or at least quite enough to ur
derstand-qulte., OF course I'm not SUI
= prlsed' ne went on, 'at your feeling abo,
II aI-l-eXpected to be-despised and
all that, for you can't know. prohah1
never Will know, how desperately neces
sary 1t was to take some immediate ac
! tlon, and how we were forced to. lie I
you. to impose upon you for your ow
sake. Ah I'm not crying for your mere,
L m not even trying to apologize for wis
we did. However we hated the task. U
knew 1t was the only thing, and we'd d
1t again, think, if the same problem wei
offered u.s.
can understand, SIR" said the prir
cess how Sir Gavin Mackenzie and ttes
other gentlemen--even my Cousin Jessie:
might use a deception to save my
health. There is nothing terrible in tha
But that you should carry the thin
y on. day after day, seeing as. yo
Unjust have seen. what it we
coming to-seeing that I must grow
care for you, letting me care more an
more. aye, making me care! till YOU ha
me. heart and soul in your hands Al
there's where the, awfulness of the thir
lies! To think that a man cou,d be s
base. SO contemplate, so infamous.
ss:. To think that / could have loved sue
a-such thing! Ah-h. I could tear +
heart from me and stamp upon It, whe
Il think of these past weeks! It's unclea
vile!-I had not supposed that any huma
being, anything made in Gods inas
could crawl so low, could DO such q hid:
.sous thing ais. to mask himself in smoot
fine words, to prate Of his honor, hon,