The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-31

Veronica, you must be the damsel- You
are in the right sort of dress"
I'll be the knight" exclaimed Alwyn,
leading the way TO the hail. Here. lend
US a hand with their cuirass! 1 don't
know what size those beggars could have
been" he remarked, discontentedly, after
/ frantic struggle. Can't some one lace
it up the back with string?"
But this inspiration was vetoed. LET
Mr.. Feveril put it on" said Bertred; he
is simmer than you. The knights of old
were spare men and fought on one meal
a day"
minute later Paul was standing surly
arrayed in the plate armor worn by Sir
Ughtred Weston at Bosworth. while Col
! onel Grierson, mounted on chair, was
/ trying to force reluctant helmet to de-
scend into it's place.
Hold on. old chap" protested Paul;
this casque wasn't built for man Of
my size It's simply suffoeating me. 1
! shall get a sweDed head if you dress me
/ up like this
! But a chorus of voices drowned his re-
| monstrance and an oficious hand pulled
/ his visor down and fastened the collar.
| The door was opened, and Veronica pre-
| ceded him into the room, while the storm
/ of applause that greeted his appearance
! showed that the word was correct.
| But, as he turned to go. strange dizzi-
ness came over him, and the room went
round. He reached the door and stumbled
through the hall into the library, putting
his hand up to his neck in a vain effort
to undo his helmet and release himself
And Veronica, watching him, saw him
sway. stagger and then fall headlong to
the floor.
She was at his side in an instant,
struggling with trembling fingers to I'M
do the rusty clasp of his helmet But the
thing gripped like a vice, and all her
strength could not move it.
Come here Quickly, Mr. Weston!" she
called, as Alwnn crossed the hall. Mr.
Feveril has tainted
My God.' he said as he too, wrestIed
with all his strength. 1.-THE helmet is too
small for him. l can't get it undone.
Ring for someone-quick-we must force
it open.
Two minutes more before the butler
had fetched the tools, and the nanother
futile attempt to make the collar-fasten-
ing yield or the pivot of the visor work
And to Veronica, kneeling on the floor
beside Paul, it seemed an eternity of
agony. He is Dead she was saying to
him"
Send for doctor and fetch her lady
ship here" said Alwyn to the butler.
Now Miss North, will you hold this
down with all your strength while l try
down with all your strength while I try
to lever it apart?"
One more strenuous effort. and the col
lar yielded and opened. Veronica gave
a law cry of joy. Now we can get it
off" she said
But ribbed, discolored line around the
throat where it was swelIed with the
pressure still held the casque in its place,
and spreading crimson stain on one side
showed that there was some hidden in
jury.
We must get the visor up, or he viii
be suffocated," said Alwyn.
Yet more precious moments were spent
before the visor was lifted
There was so sign of life in the livid
face. the swollen, purple lips, the closed
eyes sunk in grey hoIlows. Veronica
heart gave a great leap of pain.
How quickly the comedy had changed to
tragedy!
Someone put her aside and took her
place. and she listened as if in a dream
to the doctors curt, rapid directions
1T must be got off, she heard him
Say. at any cost"
Then there was silence, and presently a
sharp exclamation from Alwyn and a stir
Nov a basin Of water and some bran
dy, and one Of you life his head and sup
port it so; I want to get at this side Of it."
Lady Algitha had moved across TO Yer
onica and had put her arm around the
girls rigid figure. Don't despair. dear"
she whispered. Il think it will be all
right" For one look at Veronica's face /
had revealed its secret and Lady Agitha |
had a kind heart hidden under her crust /
Of modernity
They stood together for some moments. /
and then. with the first sound of Paul's !.
voice, faint, broken questioning. Veroni- |
ca broke into tears and sobbed her heart /
out quietly on Lady AIgithas shoulder. /
''Will you tell me why you accused me /
a week later. He was lying on the sofa,
with his head swathed in bandages. and
had been left in charge of him
by Lady Algitha.
because you seemed quite happy and
content all that week, and
And"
4 was told you were broken-hearted
Ill the time
Were you told anything else about
me?"
She flushed and held her peace.
4 had the bad luck to offend a little
lady once he said. and she assured me
hat she should put n spoke in my wheel
whenever she had the chance. l won't
en you her name But she has done it
very e6ectually this time s. you thought
me- a humbus. Veronica?"
She was still silent.
or fortune-teller. which is worsey'
ne added. Yet" he continued. after a
pause, Lady Algitha tells me you took
A great deal OF trouble fer me last night.
might have gone over the border. it
seems. if you had ont found me 50 quick
y. / suppose it was Christmas charity
, nyour part In any case, thank you
ma good-by"
"Goed-by.' she muTmured.
Yes told Lady Aleitha just now
hat refused 10 be a. burden on her hos
'itaiity any longer. am going to tewn
omcrrow. l have learned avery bitter
essen here"
She knelt down beside him. ''you are
lot Vel enough 10 travel yet" she said.
any, a II ft,lI1- .Tlla- 81 ,r+ = oe NJ
'everil