Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-25

l@s42BI signed his fief into the Mikado's hands
The officers had long ago departed, 10
enter upon the new courses the parting benefits
of their leader had determined for them. Some
were already upon their way to the provinces
the Offices Of Mort had procured for them, as
governors appointed by the Mikado.
Ioro had gone TO Catzu, TO govern for the Nj
kado the territory his father had administered
Tor the Shotgun. Father and son had been re-
united. The Lady Evening Glory had long been
dead and Catzu was without mistress.
Yet Mori had detailed for Toro what he con.
sidered greater reward.
"Toro," said Mori, "you will deliver this order
signed BY me, in person to the Lady Hollyhock,
directing her to cease forthwith her mutnious re
bellion, and to render herself as conquered
province into thy hands"
but, your highness," said Toro, II do not de-
sire an unwilling bride, who yields herself but
to superior command"
| Morris smile had within it the tinse of ca
tiricnl wisdom.
'Toro my comrade and friend" he said,
gravely, II do assure you that you will not need
that order. The heart of the lady Is yours. Only
her coquetry holds out. and finding in my writ
convenient pretext, she will gladly go the way
the heart has long directed"
With exuberant joy Toro had started from
the apartment.
spokesman, had presented to their old comman.
der two swords, richly wrought, the usual token
of the samurai as their parting tribute.
II do assure you" Mort had responded, "that
IN giving me these swords you have not merely
given me reminder, your spokesman has
said of our services for the New Japan, but you
have given me as well the conquest of a newer,
higher, more happy universe. As citizen Of
greater universe, thank you"
| Now they were all gone out of Morris life, into
the new life he and they had created together.
| The Shining Prince was left alone-alone with
| Law n loIyta oh ut hia sid
| Yet Ill spite of the atmosphere Of fnality that
! he felt pervading his apartments, Mort was not
thinking of the termination he had set to his
activities. His thoughts carried him beyond the
black period he had said should close his SEN
tence Over into regions of life across finality
his imagination strayed. The Lady Wistaria
came back to his memory, his mind, his heart
occupied his whole being with the force CT the
magic spell she had woven about him.
When Jiro had made his plea the day pre-
vious Mori had instantly recognized its mean
ing 1t came with no JOY to him. His course
Of thought and heart had been too long bent in
one direction for the timd, blind words Of n
youth to swing it abruptly.
| cit is enc more device, perchance, of my enc
miles," he had said, duly, in the first bitterness
that came when the lads words had touched his
heart. b.
| Now, when all over he again, in
spite of his WILL weighing the possibilities. Of
course there might be truth in what Jiro had
said but it could not be determined save in the
| eyes of the Lady Wistaria herself, and now the
| lad Jiro had not come, as he had promised.
| With profound sigh, Mort, raising his head.
caught sight again of the two swords. Yes, they
held their meaning for him. Jiro's words were
not worthy Of belief. He stretched out his hands
| to the swords
'She was false-and Jiro hed!" he muttered.
His hand sought and found the hilt of one of
the swords and grasped it firmly, stiffened, and
| fell to his side Suddenly the face of the Lady
Wisoris with its all-pervading purity and truth
| compelling quality arose before his vision. As
he regarded the upsought vision which had come
to his uncontrolled imagination, 1t dawned upon
him with a sudden, great light that he had been
wrong-wrong. Back to his consciousness foat-
ed that dark night by the side Of the stagnant
| moat, the memory of the tortured white face
that shone out from the nterlacing boughs of
bushes about them, the trembling hands and the
little watersoaked feet Were she utterly false
as he had thought, would she have thus come
to him to warn him Of the danger that enoom-
passed the one she did not know was he him
SELF
A great upheaval arose in Keiki The rush Of
emotions ingulfed him. A cry, groan, escaped
him. as, burying his face in his arms, he threw
from HIM the swords.
"she was truta ITSELF" he said. at is who
have wropged her-I who have been unworthy"
""Too latel" voice within his world-dulled
soul sad. He recalled now the intelligence be
had heard somewhere many months before. The
Princess Of Mort had become priestess of the
Temple Zuieanli
my lordl"
The voice behind him, vaguely familiar, passed
into that of the boy Jiro.
"My lord" repeated the soft voice, at is ],
:Iiro, returned to thee"
Mori answered:
"Alss, you come too late, my Jiro Thou canst
tell ME nothing now, for know that she was
guitless l was at fault. The gods alone can
forgive Ihe.'
| Again he bent over the swords. The figure
behind him moved from its position. 1t stood
before the bending Prince A white robe
reached to the floor, brushing his hand and GOV.
ering the swords at his feet. Impelled by a
force he could not resist Mort raised his head.
WistaIia-Wistaria in her bridal robes. with
white flowers in her glorious hair, stood before
him.
Mort started to his feet
"Jro-Jiro--"
He looked about the room, as though he soil
thought the boy within the apartment. Was he
dreaming, or had he actually heard the voice Of
the Icy Jiro, saying:
at is I, Jiro, returned TO thee
: But where was Jiro, and who was this white
being who had taken his place? Not the Lady
Wlet9ria she who had become a prestess be.
cause Of her wrongs. Then her lips framed them
selves in words that reached his consciousness.
"If It please thee, my lord, am Jiro"
LADY Wistarial" he gasped.
81 am Wistaria," she said.
Slowly with the movement of one dazed, M0ri
moved towards her. Her exquisite hands she
held out TO him. He seized them with his own.
For moment he held them in close, spasmod-
J c clasp then suddenly he sank to the floor,
buryng his face in the folds of her kmono.
But the Lady Wstaria was upon her knees
beside him her hands upon his head