Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02


turned. His wife was probably on that
| ship. He looked long and earnestly
toward IL. II he had consulted his
inclinations he would have repaired
aboard OF IL at once and asked for
giveness for all his folly and injustice
toward her. bet the cow atoms OF
life-spelled in this instance By
bonor-cOnstrained him.
lie gave a thought too. to the frig-
ate which had departed without him.
For the first time in his life he had
failed In his duty. Kephard was n
kind old man. aud weli-aIected toward
Darlington. who had been a midship-
man under him, but with the admiral
duty was always FIRST and he knew
that there would be no condoning his
| offensc. He expected an order of ar
rest before the day was out. There
after he would come before a court
martial.
To what a sorry pass he had
brought his fortunes by his own w
mistakable folly! In the bright light
OF the fresh, brisk morning. he saw
Ellen In her right relation to affairs,
q woman, brave. strong. noble true.
dollhouse cOnventionaliues of the fast
and vapid life OF the crew whom he
had gathered at Darlington. In
| stead of being ashamed of her. he
should have rejoiced from tho bottom
OF his soul that she was so frank and
| fresh and free What q splendid wom-
an she was, Whatever she did. how
well IL was done, no veteran OF a
| thousand exciting nights over the gam
ing table could have played with more
| COolness and daring than she did in
| that famous duel ut cards with Strath-
| gate. And. although the minuet was
outside of her Accomplishments. how
swiftly had twinkled her flying feet
when she danced the sailors horn
pipe. III carried him back 10 slant
| ing decks and fresh breezes and
| bright skies. Would they ever re-
turn? Would ne himself return UNI
| scathed from this adventure Il was
| by no means certain. for Strathgate
was man of proven courage: he had
| demonstrated that. and his reputation
as a sword player was deservedly
high.
His thoughts plunged him into a
gloomy melancholy which Parkman. at
length pcrceiving. did his best 90 dis
pei by gentle raillery and pleasant
| conversation. Darlington pulled him
self together realizing that il he gave
way 90 his depression he would be in
no condition 20 meet Strathgate.
These gentle thoughts of his wife
| did not in any way abate his enmity
| toward the man whom be felt had so
wronged and insulted him He was
| as determined as ever that the ap-
preaching duel should be no slight az
| fair. bat that IL he could no would
kill Srathgate. and eliminate his pos
sibilities OF evil forever from this
world.
And Stratheate had exactly the
Same Thought for Darlington. BY a
curious mode of reasoning Strathsate
| chcs, CD visit ulou Darlington his
own I'll success with Lady Ellen. He
came 90 the conclusion that II Car
rington had not interfercd. all would
have gone well with his love affair.
| or course, In measure Darlington
was responsible for Strathgate's lack
| or success with Lady Ellen. for Ellen
deyotedly and pasriouatoly loved her
sband, loved him stil: loved him
| perhaps never moro than when with
| Jealous anguish she saw him in Lady
Cecllys arms. But ~ Darlington had
never crossed Ellen's course. Strath-
gate was not the kind OF man THAI
would have appealed 10 her. Ellen
was zoo true. TOO simple. toe direct in
her thoughts OF life TO tolerate long the
Alterations. the sentlmontalities and
| impurities OF "a man like Strathgate
30 soon as her eyes were opened. she.
would nave Hbomiuated him: and her
eyes unfortunately Tor Strathgate. had
been opened the minute he turned to
the west when she would have east
ward gone. But, OF course. Strathgate
did not know th.s: that saving conceit
which keeps some men from despair
was his, and be blamed al his misfor-
tunes upon Carrington.
He too. Was early abroad. and
when the carriage drove through the
park gates and was directed by one,
OF Lord Blythedale's men TO a shaded
coppice by little brook half a mile
from the gate. Strathgate and Lord
Blythedale with surgeon. one from
the meet named Ncy,nson. who was
known slightly 70 both men. were al
ready waiting on the ground.
Lord Biythedale was a man who
had gone tie Ia-c since he succeeded
TO the ute and fortune. The for
tune was not commemorate with the
title, and his sat and the mark
surrounding IL. AID the wall. like
wise. were in a state OF wretched
disrepair. The place that he ana
Strathgate had selected for the en-
counter was level bit OF sward
which Blythedale had caused 20 be-
moved and rolled the afternoon be-
fore. II was shaded from the morn
] Ing sun b. hish 'rees. Neither com
bataat could be ancuvered into any
position to set the Sunlight into his
eyes. On one side Of the smooth bit
OF turf ran little brook, on the other
the spaces between the trees were
filled by Il thick almost impenetrasIe
growth OF underbrush. Although il