Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17

as she meant to do from the moment she
heard of YOU And it was quite easy, since
you never suspected that she was not the
fraulein you knew and 1oved-heiHs She her
self too had borne the burden so long, and
toied and schemed and suffered for the cause.
while this sister had always been shielded,
knew nothing, cared nothing, for the cause
though indirectly she had suffered somewhat
through that mistake on the part of Sellnsk1s
accomplices. Therefore this sister should give
her lover to the cause; that was the thought
in her mind, / am sure She wrong;
but we must not judge her too harshly my
friend!'
"God Forbid" said huskily.
Al that was over a year ago, and now,
= my task done, sit at my writing table by
a western window and watch the sun, clear
red ball sink into the Atlantic. We are at
Pencarrow; for Anthony Pendennis has at
last returned to his own house. He is my
father in law now for Anne and were married
in the spring and returned after a long honey
moon to Pencarrow. We found Mishka
settled on farm near, much at home there
if he had lived in England all his life. He
speaks English quite creditably, with Cornish
accent, and l hear that it won't be long before
the farm has mistress, plump, bright eyed
widow who is going to change her present
name of Stiddyford for Pavloff.
We are quite family party just now; for
Jim and Mary Cayley and the baby-a smart
ltuc Chap, Ill Ills SCiiiS
down to spend Easter, and Mr. and Mrs. IRE
herne will drive over from Moorwin vicarage,
for Mary's matchmaking in that direction
worked out exactly as she wished
All is well with us, pleasant and peaceful and
homelike-and yet
/ look at a miniature that lies on the table
before me and my mind drifts back to the
unforgetabe past | am far away from Pen
carrow-when some one comes behind my
chair; pair of soft hands are laid over my
eyes.
Dreaming or working, which,"
| take the hands in mine and draw her down
till she has her chin on my shoulder, her soft
cheek against my face. The dusk is falling;
but through it she sees the CLINT of the diamonds
on the table and pulls her hands away.
"You have been thinking of those dreadful
days in Russia again!" she says reproachfully,
with queer little catch in her voice. Why
don't YOU forget them altogether, Maurice.
Let me put this in the drawer. | hate to look
at it. to see you looking at it," She picks
UP the miniature gently enough, slips it into a
drawer. and turns the key.
IL know it's horrid of me, darling; but
can't help it," she whispers, kneeling beside
me, her fair face upturned, face crowned
once more with wealth of bright hair, which
she dresses in different way now-and m
glad of that 1t makes her look less like her
dead sister.
81 know how she suffere and I'm
bitter against her, really" she continues rap
idly: but when I think of all we had to
suffer because of her, IL can't quite forgive
her. or-or forget that you loved her once;
though you thought you were Loving me all
the time,"
81 did love YOU all the time sweetheart" I
assured her, and that is true: but it is true
also that still love that dead woman as /
loved her in life: not as love Anne. my wife.
but as the page loved the Queen.
shall never tell that to Anne, though. She
would not understand.
THE END