The Irish standard., 1909-11-13

AA1 oAiPpcu 1ulO Iuo 1SCSsS
where the farmhouse Joined the engine
skylight. She stood still, and he in.
stantly ranged himself beside her.
They were quite out of sight of the
others, and of the bridge, and even IL
1t had been daylight they could not
have been seen except by some one
coming from aft.
I want to speak to you," she said,
in low, steady voice. please listen
quite quietly, for some of them may
begin to walk again"
Kralinsky bent his head twice, and
then inclined it towards her, to hear
better what she was going to say. III
1T has pleased you to keep up this
comedy for "a hours" she began.
He made slight movement, which
was natural under the circumstances.
Il do not understand" he said, in
his oily voice. What comedy? | real
ly have no"
Don't go on" she answered, inter.
rupting him sharply Listen to what
l am going to tell You. ant then de-
eide what you will do. I don't think
your decision will make very much
difference to me, but it will make .
difference to the world and to your
self. saw you from a window when
you brought Mr. Van Torp to the
hotel in Bayreuth, and I recognized
you at once. Since this afternoon
have no doubt left"
Il never saw you till last night"
said Kralinsky. with some little sur.
prise in his tone. and with perfect as.
surance.
do you really think you can de.
ceive me any longer?" she asked. r
told you this afternoon that II YOU
could come back from the dead, and
know the truth, we should probably
forgive each other, though we had
many differences. Shall we?" She
paused a moment, and by his quick
change Of position she saw that ha
was much moved. II don't mean that
we should over go back to the old life,
for we were not suited to each
other from the first, you and I,
You wanted to marry me became I
was pretty and smart, and mafcied
yor aeoa~se I wanted to be. married.
and you were better looking than
most men, and seemed to have what
l thought WAS necessary>-fortune and
a decent position. No, don't interrupt
me. We soon found out that we did
not care for each other. You went
your way, and I went mine. I don't
mean to reproach you, for when I
ho0}nr}r~ 70 ~
me ! did nothing to keep you. my
self was tired of it already. But what
ever you may have thought, 1 was
a faithful wife. Mr.. Van Torp had
given me great deal of money for
my charity, and does still. l can &C.
count for it. I never used penny of
1t for myself. and never shall: and
he never was, and never will be, any
more than trusted friend. l don't
know why you chose to disappear
when the man who had your pocket
book was killed and you were said to
be dead. It's not my business, and IL
you choose to go on living under an
other name, now that you are rich
again, shall not betray you, and few
people will recognize you, at least in
England, so long as you wear that
beard. But you had 1t when we were
married, and knew you at once, and
when l heard you were to be of the
party here, l made up my mind at
once that I would accept the invita-
ton and come too, and speak to you
as I'm speaking now. When l be-
lieved you were dead I forgave you
everything, though l was glad you
were gone: frankly, did not wish
you alive again. but since you are,
God forbid that should wish you
dead. You owe me two things in ex.
change for my forgiveness: First,
yours. If I treated you ungenerously
or unkindly; and. secondly, you ought
to take back every word you ever said
to mo about Mr.. Van Torp, for there
was not n shadow of truth in what
you thought. Will you do that?
ask nothing else"
Indeed will, my dear Maud" said
Count Kralinsky, in voice full Of
emotion.
Lady Maud drew long breath, that
trembled little as It left her heated
lips again. She had done what she
believed most firmly to be right, and
1t had not been easy. She had not
been surprised by his patient silence
while she had been talking; for she
had felt that 1t was hers to speak and
his to listen.
THANK you," she said now. II shall
never 60 back TO what I have said.
and neither OF US need ever allude tn
old times again during this trip. II
will not last long, for shall probably
go home by land from the first port
we touch. and it Is not likely that WEI
shall ever meet again. If We do,
shall behave as IL you were Count
Kralinsky, whom have met abroad.
neither more nor less. suppose you
will have conscience enough not to
marry. Perhaps, If I thought another
woman's happiness depended on It,
would consent to divorce you. but you
shall never divorce me-"
mo power could make me wish to-"
Kralinsky answered. still deeDlY