Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-22
CHAPTER xxi.
The End of a Day.

To speak of his love had been the one
thing that Wortley had determined that
he would not do. All other lawful pleas
he would urge for the girls mercy and
forgiveness; all other motives he would
confess; but that, which had not indeed
been the first. but had soon become the
strongest, so .that all others were for
gotten, he would not even let her guess.
Such had been his determination. When
he saw her turn her face to the cushions
and cry, he had been sorely tempted to
forget his prudence; but he had put a curb
on his tongue, and instead of speaking soft
ly of his love, had met her scorn with
roughness And now he had spoken, and on
a far smaller temptation! Merely because
she had asked him to express regret, he
had told her that he did not regret be-
cause he loved. AS soon as the words were
spoken, he would have recalled them; for
surely she would send him about his bust
ness nowi
But the words were spoken: they could
not be recalled, He could not deny them,
or qualify them-was there any hope that
he could disarm her anger by strengthen
ing them?
~ love your he said again II did not
mean to tell you. 1t is madness to tell
you now! But when l am with you, and
when l know that perhaps it is for the last
time my tongue will not obey me. Mary
dear, l can't help telling you. You ask
me 10 say lHdl regret the Gays InaI
have spent with you, fighting for you with
the weapons which were put into my hands
l can't say 1t! The weapons were not hon
est, and think they have wounded me the
most; but l will not say that l am sorry
l used them. l would make you happy if
could-don't ask me to regret that 1 have
at any rate been able TO save you from
fate that would be misery! If you had
married Harvey Wiseman-'
She cut him short with a gesture
Il would never have done that!' she said
in low, firm voice.
No he said Il wrong you even in
supposing that 1t could be possible. And
he added with wan smile, lin saying that
take away the only excuse / had for in
terferfng to protect you,"
i do not allow that you ever had any
excuse she answered In the same quiet
voice.
He raised his eyes to hers, and said
quickly:
Except my love!'
You insult me by speaking of that
again."
He WINGED as though under a blow. He
had expected her to be angry, and instead
she was merely calm, with uuietness
which was surely unnatural! why had she
not caught at the least spark of the heat
with which he was burning? Was it after
all anger. or was 1t only contempt. that
made her little paler than her won't and
Infinitely chilling? She had not forgiven
his deception. though she said that she be-
ileYed his explanation of the manner In
Whlch 1t mad come about. He did not be-
lieVe that she still thought of him as q
merely despicable adventurer; It was inn
possible now that she should. But 1t was
impossible also that she should treat him
thus. unless In his actions she still found
something that she thought she must de-
spse!
He drew himself up, and answered in a
voice as cold as her own:
DO not admit your right to make that
charge. To say that love you is no insult.
But allow your right to refuse to listen
TO me II what | say is unpleasant for YOU
TO near l can't help loving you, because
noying you further. 1t was madness to
speak at all, and l did not mean to do il,
II you tell me 1t Is your wish. / will leave
you now; and" he stopped and then An.
ished very Quietly-"we need not meet
again"
But at those words Marys strange i'm
passivity was broken. slight SILVER ran
| over her, and she said very family
When you go away at o'clock, you
| mean that you will not come back?'
Il will come back, but not to HOLLAND
| Abbey"
| why not? If you come back at all. /
| think you must come here"
| He shook his head.
| No he said, that would make it harder
| for you to avoid me. And to live in the
| same house as you, and to have to avoid
you-well, that would be hard for me- too.
| will take room in one of the hotels IN
| Elgin, and fight Wiseman from there When
| he has been driven away. will go. too
Shall you tell him that you are not Sir
Eustace Holland?'
Yes. him and every one else. That farce
| is at an end now. / refuse to regret that
l began 1t, but l will not carry 1t on any
| longer"
There was a brief silence and then the
girl said steadily:
"All that you propose Is impossible
Either you must go away at once, and not
come back at all. or you must come back
as Sir Eustace, and fight Harvey under that
name
Wortley started. He could hardly believe
that he had heard her rightly. She was bid
ding him keep up the deception, and yet
her quarrel with him had been that he be-
gan 1t.
II won't do either" he told her, deter
minedIy.
"But you must. You must come back