Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-02
CHAPTER xxi.
The White Queen.

Wessex after awhile was ready enough
to dismiss the unpleasant subject. Per-
haps he had no right to be censorious or
to resent the Spaniards somewhat un-
usual attitude. In England. undoubtedly.
a gentleman would never-except under
very special circumstances-a1lude to any
passing liaison he might have with a
lady of his own rank. That was.R strict
code of honor which had existed from
time immemorial. even in the days o.
King Harry's youth. when the virtue of
high-born women had been but little
thought of.
Abroad, perhaps 1t was different Span
iards, just then. were noted for the light
way in which thew regarded the favors
of the fair sex, and Don MigueTs code of
honor had evidently prompted him to con-
suit Wessex's wishes In the matter of
his own intrigue. Loyalty to their own
sex Is perhaps on the whole more gen.
eral in man than is their chivalry toward
wouio have revolted at the thought of
seeing a lady of such light virtue in the
position of Duchess Of Wessex.
Be that as 1t may. his grace had no
wish to probe the matter further; with
shrug of the shoulders he dismissed it
from his thoughts. while registering a
VOW to chastise the young blackguard if
his impertinence showed signs Of recur-
renee.
He was on the point Of yielding to his
faithful Harry's canine appeals by al
lowing him to lead the way toward his
own distant lodgings when his ear sud
denly caught the sound o. silk dress
rustling somewhere. not far from where
he stood.
At the end of the room, closest to him,
a few steps led up to a gallery. which
ran along the wall. finally AUDITING at
door. which gave access to the Duchess
of Lincoln'S and othe- ladies' lodgings
The rustic of the silk skirt seemed to
come from there.
Perhaps Wessex would not have taken
notice of ii, except that his every thought
| was filled with strange excitement since
the rencontre of the afternoon. At times
now he felt as II his very senses ached
| with the longing to see once more that
enhancing girlish figure, dressed all in
white and crowned with the halo of her
| exquisite golden hair, to hea- once more
the sound of that fresh young voice.
that merry. childlike laugh. through
| which there vibrated the thrill Of q new
| lyawakened passion
Since he had met her he was conscious
| of wonderful change in himself. He
did not even analyze his feelings: he
knew that he loved her now. that, in a
| sense. he had always loved her. eor his
| poetic and romantic temperament had
ever been I'm search of that poetic type of
womanhood. which she seemed so COM
| pl"tely to embody in herself.
| He had only spoken to her for about
half an hour. then had sat opposite to
her in boat among the reeds, in the
cool of the afternoon. with the lazy river
gently rocking the light skiff and the
water-birds for soc witnesses Of his hap
p;ness. They had hardly exchanged a
word then. for he had enjoyed the de-
| light = dear to every man who loves - of
watching the bushes come and go upon
her cheek In response to his ardent gaze.
What did words matter? The music in
their souls supplied all that they wished
| to say
| And he-who had been deemed SO tickle
who had made of love a pastime taking
what joys women would give him. with a
grateful yet transient smile. his grace Of
Wessex. in fact, who had loved so often
yet 50 Observation-Disclosures now that the
stern little god. who will not for long
brook defiance of his laws. had wounded
| him for life or death at last.
! And even now. when he heard the rustic
of kirtle. he paused instinctively. vague
ly. madly hoping that chance and the
great, wild longing which was in him
had indeed drawn her footsteps hither.
The door above, at the and Of the gal