Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
BY
BARONESS ORGY,
Authof Of
"BEAU BROCADE."

the duke coldly. Has MS eninehce 81
to his apartments? Can I do auent ior
may, I thank your grace-I thought
you, too, had retired" stammered the
young man. now in visible embarrass-
ment. Il must confess 1 did not think to
see you here"
Whom did you expect to see. ther?'
queried Wessex curtly.
Nay! methought your grace had said
that questions could not be indiscreet.
"Marry!-your question this time my
WAS indiscreet?'
'Oh!' said the Spaniard deprecatingly:
HAS your grace any objection to that?'
aueried Don Miguel. with thinly yelled
sarcasm.
None at ALL replied Wessex. who felt
from him bit by bit. II am not your guar
dian. yet, methinks. it i'll becomes a
guest Of your rank to indulge in low
amours beneath the roof of the Queen OF
England"
why should you call them low" re-
piled the marquis whose manner became
more and more calm and bland as Wes-
sex seemed to wax more violent You.
Of all men. my lord. should know that We.
most likely to find IT.
"Aye-and in finding the pleasure oft
lose our honor
your grace is severe.
II my words offend you, sir. am at
your service
is this a Quarrel?'
LAS you please.
Your grace
Pardon, my lord marquis interrupted
Wessex haughtily. and in tones of wither-
Ing contempt, II did not know that there
were any towards among the grandees of
SPAIN
by our Lady. your grace is going too
- tod hn oyrl
And with quick gesture he uasheathed
his sword
wessex's eyes lighted up with the fire
Of a satisfied desire. He knew now that
this Is what he had longed FOR, ever since
the young mans ansolent laugh had first
grated unpleasantly on his ear. For the
moment all that was tender and poetic
and noble in him was relegated to the
very background of his soul. He was
only human creature who suffered and
wished to be revenged, an animal who
was wounded and seeking to kill. He
would have blushed to own that what he
longed for now, above everything on
earth. was the sight Of that mans blood.
NAY, my lord" he said quietly, ARE
we children to give one another PIN
prick or SOP"
And having drawn his sword. he I'M
sheathed his long Italian dagger, and
holding 1t In his left hand he quickly
wrapped his cloak around that arm.
1ou arc lnAd, proteeteu Don MiSuei
with frown. for a sword-and-dagger
fight meant death to one man at least,
and mortal combat with one 30 des-
perate as Wessex had not formed part OF
the program so carefully arranged by the
Cardinal de Moreno.
"By the mass, man." was the dukes
calm answer, art waiting to feel my
glove on thy cheek?'
LAS you will. them retorted Don
Miguel. reluctantly drawing his own dag
ger. but l swear that this quarrel is
none of my making"
"No!-tis Of mine!-en garde!'
Don Miguel was pale to the lips. Not
that he was a coward; he had fought
more than one serious duel before now,
and risked his life often enough for mere
weird glitter in the eyes of this man.
whom he and his chief had 80 wantonly
wronged for the sake Of their own politi-
cal advancement, such q cold determine
ton to kill. that. much against his will
the Spaniard felt an icy shiver running
down his spine.
The room, too, half in darkness, with
only the strange. almost unreal brilliancy
OF the moon shedding a pallid light over
one portion OF the floor. that portion
where one man was to die!
The Marquis de Suarez had been pro-
voked; his was therefore the right Of Sc
lecting his own position for the combat.
In the case OF such peculiar illumtna-
ZION, tni8 was great aullldi advantage.
The Spapiard with his back toward the
great, open bays, had his antagonist be-
fore him In full light, while his own fig
ure appeared only as a dark silhouette.
elusive and intensely deceptive. Wessex,
however seemed totally unconscious OF
the disadvantage of his own position. He
was still dressed In the rich white satin
doubiet, In which he had appeared at the
banquet a few hours ago. The broad rib
bon Of the Garter, the delicate lace at the
throat. the Jewels which he wore. all
would help. In the brilliant light. to guide
his enemy's dagger toward his breast.
But he seemed only impatient to begin;
the issue, one way or the other. mattered
to him not at all. The Spaniards death
or his own was all that he desired-per-
haps his own now, for choice. He felt
less bitter, less Inundated, since he held
his sword In his hand, and only vaguely
recollected that Spaniards made a boast
these days Of carrying poisoned daggers
in their belts.