Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-03-24

You-and you knew? What a
strange sound his voice had in his own
earsi
Yes. From the very beginning I
knew you to be a gentleman in mas
querade; that is to say, when I saw
you In the police-court. The absence
OF the beard confused me at first. but
presently I recognized the gentleman
whom had noticed on board the
ship" So she had noticed himl
That night you believed me TO be
your sister Nancy. But did not know
this till lately. And the night I visited
her she exhibited some photographs.
Among them was a portrait OF you
without beard"
Warburton started. And the thought
that this might be the case had never
trickled through his thick skull How
she must have laughed at him secretIyl
She continued: Even then I was
not sure. But when Col. Raleigh de-
clared that you resembled a former
lieutenant OF HIS. then I knew" She
ceased. She turned 70 her horse as IL
TO gather the courage TO 20 on: but
Jane had her nose hidden In the
stream. and was oDlivious OF her mis-
tress' need.
He waited duly for her TO resume
for he supposed that she had not vet
done.
Il have Inundated you IN a hundred
ways and for this I want you to for
/ give me. 7 sent the butler away for
the very purpose of making You serve
In his stead. But you we're so good
about & all. with never a murmur OF
rebellion. that grew ashamed OF nv
part in the comedy. But now" Her
eyes closed and her body swsved. but
she clenched her hands. and the faint
ness passed awav But for YOU. my
poor father would have been dishon-
ored and I should have been forced
into the arts OF man whom despise.
Whenever I have Inundated you. YOU
have returned the gift OF a kind deed.
You will forgive me?"
Forgive yOul There Is nothing
for me TO forgive on my side. much on
yours u IS YOU who should forgive
me. What YOU have done have de-
served" His tongue was thick and
dry. How much did she know?
No. not wholly deserved it." She
fumbled with the buttons Of her waist:
her eyes were so full that she could
not see. She produced an oblong slip
OF paDer.
When he saw n a breath as OF fee
enveloped him. The thing she held
out toward him was the cancelled note.
/ For while he did me the honor 70
believe that 7 had betrayed him.
81 understand the kind and generous
impulse which prompted this deed. oh.
I admire IL. and 7 say 10 you. God bless
youi But don't YOU see how impos-
sible u IS? II can not be: no. MOI
My father and I are proud. What we
owe We shall pay. Poverty. 10 be ac-
/ cepted without plant. must be with
out debts OF gratitude. But II was
+ noble and great OF you: and knew
that YOU intended 20 run away without
4 ever letting any one know"
Who told youe"
mo one. I guessed It,"
And he might have denied all knowl-
| edge OF 81
| Wont you-wOn't YOU let n be as
/ II Is? ] have never done anything
worth while before. and this has made
me happy Won't Won let me do this?
Only Won need know. am going away
on Monday and Il will be years be-
/ fore I see Washington again. No one
need ever know"
ut Is impossiblei"
why"
She looked away. I'm her minds eve
/ she could see this man leading
I troop through n snow-storm. How the
wind roared How the snow whirled
and eddied about them. or suddenly
blotted them from sight But on and
| on. Tesolutely. courageously. hopeful
/ " he led them on 70 safety.
He was speaking. and the picture dis
solved.
Wont YOU let it remain Just as
IL is?" he pleaded
Her head moved negatively, and once
more she extended the note He took
IL and slowly tore IL into shreds. with
Il he was tearing up the dream and
tossing fl down the winds
THE money win be placed TO your
credit at the bank on Monday. We can
not accept such a gift from any one
You would not. know. But always
shall 7 treasure the impulse. II will
give me courage IN the future-when
I am fighting alone"
What are you going to do?"
81? I am going to appear before
the public. with assumed lightness;
81 and my violin"
He struck his hands together. The
stage ?'-horrified.
II must live."-calmly
But a servant to public caprice1
1t ought not TO be- realize that /
can not force you to accept my gift,
but this | shall do; | shall buy In the
| horses and give them back to you"
You mustn't. | shall have no place
10 put them. Ohi"-With a gesture
full OF despair and unshed tears, why
have you done all this: Why this
mean masquerade. this submitting to
the humiliations / have contrived for
you. this act OF generosity? Why?"
Perhaps she knew the answers to
her own questions. but. womanlike,
wanted TO be told