Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29

wrong. The best thing"
'Go-go. tell you. Don't argue. l know
best l cut him short, in a sharp whisper,
pushing him again
This time he made no more objections
but went into the adjoining room. my bou-
doir. The key was in the door; turned it
In the lock- snatched 1t out and dropped 1t
into a bowl Of flowers on a table close by
That done. flew out of the drawing room
into the little entrance hall and opened the
front door.
There stood Raoul his face dead white
and very stern In the light of the hall lamp
had never seen him like that before.
know why you're here. 1 began
quickly before he could speak. Count
Godensky told me what he said to you. I
hoped you would come
rs this why you wished to know what
would do II you deceived me?" he asked.
with the bitterest -reproach In eyes and
voice
mo For haven't deceived you" an
swered. Il haven't deceived you now. If
you loved me you'd believe me. Raoul'
l put out my hand and took his. He
gave mine no pressure. but he let me draw
him into the house.
For Gods sake, give me back my faith
in you. If you can" he said IT'S death
to lose it. 1 came here wanting to die
After you'd killed me, as you said?"
Perhaps. I couldn't keep away. l had
to come. If you have any explanation. tor
the love of heaven. tell me what 1t is"
You know me and you know Godensky-
yet you need an explanation Of anything
evil said OF me by him?" In this way
hoped to disarm Raoul; but he had been
half mad. 1 think. and was scarcely sane
now, such a power had jealousy over his
better self
Don't play with mel" he exclaimed. Il
can't bear it. You sent me away. Yet you
had an appointment with Godensky. You
took him into your carriage. and now
Marianne was in the carriage. II could
have had you with me, I should have
packed her off by herself, alone. that L
might be alone with you. Oh. Raoul, 1t
isn't possible you believe that could lie
to you for Godenskys sake-a man like
that! If I'd cared for him. why shouldn't
| have accepted him instead Of you? Could
1 have changed so quickly. do you think?'
Il don't think: I'm not able to think. I
can only feel he answered.
''Then-feel sure that love you-no man
but you-now and always"
"Oh, Maxine" he stammered.s Am I a
fool or wise to let myself believe you?'
You are WISE" answered as firmly as
IL l deserved the full faith 1 was claiming
from him as my right. IF you wouldn't
believe. without my insisting. without my
explaining and defending myself. I'd tell
you nothing. But you do believe. just be-
cause you love mel see 1t In your face,
and thank God for it. So I'll tell you this.
Count Godensky hates me because /
couldn't and wouldn't love him. and he
hates you because he thinks I love you.
He" l paused for a second. Wild
thought had flashed like the light Of q
beacon in my brain. II l could say some
thing now which. when the blow fell-if It
did fall-might come back to Raours mind
and convince him instantly that 1t was
Godensky. not 1. who had stolen the treaty
and broken him! If 1 could make him be-
lieve the whole thing a monstrous plot OF
Godensky's to revenge himself on a woman
who'd refused him twice. by cleverly impli-
eating her in her lovers ruin, by throwing
guilt upon her while she was. in reality. in
I hat 70
now. while his ears were open. might hold
hts love against the world. no matter what
happened.
1t was a mad idea and a wicked one, per-
hapS: but / was at my wits end and des-
perate. Though not guilty OF this one
crime which 1 would shift upon his Shout
ders II / could, as means Of escaping
from the trap he'd helped to set, Godensky
was capable of it. and guilty of others, l
sure. which had never been brought
home to him. I believed that he too, was
spy, just as l was: and far worse, be-
cause If he were one he betrayed his own
country. while l never had done that, never
would
All these thoughts rushed through my
head in a second. and l think that Raoui
could hardly have noticed the pause before
/ began to speak again. 'He-Godersky-
would do anything to part you and me- 1
said There's no plot too sly and vile for
him to conceive and carry out against
and you. No lie too base for him to tell
letter at the theater-soon after you'd left
me the first time. In it he said that I must
give him a few minutes after the play,
less Fwanted some dread fui harm to come
to you-Something concerning your career.
That frightened me- though | might have
guessed it was only a trick. Indeed. | did
guess. but / couldn't be sure 50 | him.
l didn't want you to know tell you that
frankly, Raoul. Because I'd told you not
to come home with me. l hoped you
wouldn't find out that / meant to let Count
Godensky drive part of the way back with
me and Marianne. l ran the risk and
have known would happen. AS for what
he had to tell me- it was nothing: only
vague hints of trouble from which he, as
one of an inner circle. might save you, if
would be grateful enough"
The scoundrel.' broke out Raoul con-
WINGED now his eyes blazing "Ill-"
He stopped suddenly. But l knew what
had been on his lips to say. He meant to
send challenge to Count Godensky. l
must prevent him from doing that.
No. Raoul." l said. as If he had fin
shed his sentence. you mustn't fight. For
my sake, you mustn't. Don't you see. it's
just what he'd like best? 1t would be
way of doing the most dreadful injury.
of it when you're cooler. For you l would
not fear much. for l know what a swords
man you are. and what a shot-far supe-
rior to Godensky, and with right on your
side. But l would fear for myself. Prom
Use you won't bring this trouble upon me-
II promise" he answered. oh, my
darling, what wouldn't l promise you to
atone for my brutal injustice to an angel?