Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-05-18

~ A9A@ NSt SA s4S
ard! Look at me! Covet met Take
mel"
Apparently he half rose, shuf1ed
toward her and stopped with a stifed
sound, half q sob, half a growl.
dared no picture to myself what
he must have seen as she stood front
ing him, her hands, as I imagined, at
her bosom, tearing back her robes.
Again I heard her voice go on, chal-
longing him. Strip me now. Sir
Richard, If you can! Take now what
you bought, If you find it here. You
cannot? You do not? All, then tell
me that miracle has been done! She
who, was Helena Won Ritz, as you
knew her, or as 0 thought you knew
her, is not here!"
Now fell long silence. I could hear
the breathing Of them both, where I
stood in the farther corner Of my
room. I had dropped both the der
ringers back in my pockets now, be-
cause I knew there would be no need
for them. Her voice was softer as
she went on.
Tell me, Sir Richard, has not that
miracle been done?" she demanded.
Might not in great stress that thief
upon the ross, have been a woman?
Tell me, Sir Richard, am l not clean?"
He flung his body into a seat, his
arm across the table. l heard his
groan.
God! Woman! What are your"
he exclaimed. "Clean? BY God, yes,
as a lily! l wish l were half as white
Myself"
"sir Richard, did you aver love .
woman"
"One other, beside yourself, long
ago."
MAY not we two ask that other
miracle of yourself?"
How do you mean? You have beat
en- me already"
why. then, this! If l could keep
my promise, l would. If I could give
you myself, I would. Failing that, I
may give you gratitude. Sir Richard,
1 would give you gratitude, did you
restore this treaty as it was, for that
new consideration. Come, now, these
savages here are the same avage
who once took that little island for
you yonder. Twice they have defeat
ed you. Do you wish a third war?
You say England wishes slavery abol-
ished. As you know. Texas is wholly
lost to England. The armies Of
America have swept Texas from your
reach forever. wen at this hour. But
ii you give a new state in the north
to these same savages. you go SO far
against oppression, against slavery
you do that much for the doctrine of
England and her altruism in the
world. Sir Richard. never did I be-
lieve in hard bargains and never did
any great soul believe II" such.
own to you that when I asked you
here this aft rnoon l intended to
wheedle from !, ou all of Oregon to 81
degrees, 40 minutes. l find in you
done some such miracle as in myself
Neither of US is SO bad as the world
has thought. as we ourselves have
thought. Do, then, that other miracle
for me. Let us compose u quarrel
and SO part friends"
How do o mean, MADAME"
Let us divide our dispute and stand
I on this treaty as you wrote it ye.Ner
day. Sir Richard, you are minister viii
extraordinary powers. Your govern
ment ratifes your acts without ques
ton. Your signature Is binding-ant
there it is, writ already on the scroll
See, there are waters there on tn,
table before you. Take them. Patel
together this treaty for me. That will
J be u miracle, Sir Richard, an,
twill be the mending of our quarrel
Sir, l offered you my body and 20,
would not take it. l offer you M,
q hand. Will you have that. my lord
l ask this Of a gentleman of England.
q It was not my right to hear tn
- sounds Of a mans shame and humilis
- tionS or of his rising resolve, of hi
n reformed manhood; but 7 Gid hear
- all. I think that he took her han
and kissed it.. Presently / heard som
sort of shutting and crfnkling of ps
~ per on the table. I heard him sigl
: as though he stood and looked at hi
). work. His heavy footballs crossed tn
room as though he sought hat an
stick. Her lighter feet, as I heart
followed him. as though she held OF
-, both her hands to him. There was
pause, and yet another; and so, wit
a growing half sob, at last he passe
out. of the door; and he closed it sof
~ after him.
When I entered, she was standin,
her arms spread out across the doc
her face pale, her eyes large and darl
- her attire still disarrayed. On Ii
:. table, as l saw, lay a parchment men
ed with waters.
: Slowly she came and put her tw
arms across my shoulders. MO
" sieur!" she said, Monsieur"
w. (TO BE CONTINUED.)
b,
ho Large Equipment Needed.
as Little Robert, aged five. had ofte
s. watched his mother, who was a mill