Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23
CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Last Farewell.

The Last Farewell.
She saw in a moment how much older
he looked and quantity wondered whether
the black doublet and cloak caused him
to seem so. Harry Plantagenet-happies
| of dogs now that his master roamed
| about with him once more-walked with
a proud step beside him.
She looked such dainty picture, franz
| ed in the rich embrasure of the great
window. her graceful figure. with its
crown of gold, looking majestic and noble
on the raised dais, ethereal and almost
ghostlike with it's rich white draperies.
Just for one moment as WeSSeX entered
the room the events of the last fortnight
suddenly vanished from his memory. she
was there before him, in that same soft
gown of white, she had stood that
| day with sheaf of roses In her arms
| or were they marguerites? and once more
as he had done then-he vaguely Won
/ dered what color were her eyes. On his
| lips he seemed to feel again the SAVIOR or
| her passionate. kiss, and once again to
smell the perfume of her golden hair as
for that one brief, heavenly minute she
had lain next to his heart
| But reality-wanton, crude and cruel
chased this brief, happy vision away with
one cut of her swishing lash, and then
! brought before his eyes that same face
and form, but with wild. restless eyes.
bare neck and bosom, and with the Span
iards hand resting masterfully on her
shoulder. And Ursula, who had watched
| him keenly. saw the cOld contemptuouS
| look in his eyes. the shudder which shook
| his powerful frame as he approached her.
and she even seemed actually to be
touching that stony barrier of wllful SELF
| control, which he interposed between
| himself and her.
| But the obeisance which he made to
her was profound and full of cold re-
| spect.'
You desired to speak with me. lady?,
| he said. My life which you have delgned
to save is entirely at your service
She had stepped down from the dais
as he approached. calling upon every
| fiber within her, upon every power grant
ed to a woman who loves to touch the
| heart of the loved one. Though she knew
| that forever after he and she would
| henceforth be parted her heart had SO
yearned for him, that vaguely she had
begun to delude herself with the hope
| that. after all. only a great misunder-
standing existed between him and her.
| and that before they spoke the last words
| of farewell their hands would meet just
once again-only as friends-only as COM
rades, perhaps-but closely, trust1ully 1or
all that.
1t was solely in this hope that she had
| begged for an interview.
His GOODNESS chilled her. Now that he
was near her again, she once more be-
came conscious of that bitter feeling Of
| awful jealousy which had caused her
| the most eXcruciating heartache which
human being could be called upon to en-
dure. Memory brought back to her the
vision of another woman-an unknown
creature whom he loved to the destruc-
ton Of his own soul and honor.
And with the advent Of this memory
the tender appeal died upon her lips, and
she only said in a hard, callous voice:
lis that all that your grace would say
| to me-"
Nay, indeed he replied. with the
same icy calm, "there is much 1 ought
to say. is there not? I should tell how
grateful 1 am for my life which owe to
you. And yet l cannot even find it in
my heart to say thank you for so
worthless gift.
Does life. then, seem so bitter. now
that the woman you love has proved a
WantOn and coWard?" she retorted vehe-
Ismently.
He looked at her, little puzzled by her
| tone. then said quietly:
"Nay!-the woman I loved has proved
neither a wanton nor coward-only an
illusion, sweet dream of youth and in
nocence.c which ], poor fool, mistook for
reality"
There was such an infinity of sadness, of
deception and of life-enduring sorrow in
instinct, never far absent from a true
woman's heart. was aroused in her heart
in an instant She forgot her bitterness In
the intensity of her desire to comfort him,
You loved her very dearly. them"
81 worshiped my dream, but tits gone
"Already?" she asked-not understand
ing.
And he-not comprehending-replie
Nothing. flies SO quickly as an illusion
when it is on the wing
! Then he added more lightly:
But, / pray you, do not think of that.
l am grateful to you, very grateful. Your
ladyship hath deigned to send for me.
What HpSira n nac Nv
protection are now at your service. and
am ready-whe never you wish ito full
fill the promise our fathers made on our
behalf
She drew back as if a poisoned adder
had stung her. At first she had not real
lied what he meant to say; then the in
tention dawned upon her and the insult
nearly knocked her down like blow. She
| to choke her. her rich. young blood few to
her pallid cheeks and dyed them with the
crimson hue of shame.
You would" she murmured family:
you thought that /? OH" she gasped
| in the infinity of her pain.
But like the wounded beast when first it
| sees its own hurt. so did this man now
gentle, artistic, fastidious though he was
suddenly feel every cruel instinct of the
primitive savage rise within him at the
| thought of the great wrong which he be-
| lieved this woman had done him. All the
latent tenderness in his heart was crushed
Manlike-he only longed now to make her
suffer one 1.-THE of the agony which he had
endured because Of her <treachery. He
thought that she had played with him
and fooled him. in sheer wantonaess. and
| he wished to crush her pride. her youth
| her gayety, as she had broken his life and
| his honor
| He despised her for what she had done
and longed to let her see the full measure
of his contempt: glad that he had sue
ceeded in hurting her. he tried to turn
| the blade within the wound
Nay, you need have no fear, lady" he
| said; 1.-The wars in France will soon claim
my presence and the world will be quite
ready to forgive to the Duchess of Wessex
the sins of Lady Ursula Glynde, especially
after chance French arrow had made
her free again."
But it was the very magnitude of the
insult which restored to Ursula her self
possession. nor would she let him see how
deeply she was wounded. With her self
control her dignity also returned to her
and she said with GOODNESS at least
equal to his own:
1.-The world has naught to forgive me,