Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-30
CHAPTER IX.-Continued.

worthy OF both. I tried to make myself
worthy. I did what I could. told you
the TRUTH threw away the only thing
that mattered to me. 1 could not hold
your love any longer by a lie-I loved you
too much!"
For that moment the passionate energy
Of her words. the sincerity and eloquence
Of her glance. swept back every thought
OF suspicion. He stood stupefied, almost
overwhelmed. Mechanically his lips
formed themselves to a few broken SEN
fences.
"You cannot know what you are say
ing. You are beside yourself. Once, In
my ignorance. / believed 1t possible. but
now know that 1t could never be- Your
race despises mine"
II do not care what you are nor to
whom you belong." she broke in. exult-
ing. "You are the man who taught me
to believe that there is something In this
world that is good that is worthy OF ven
Grafton; who awoke In me what little
good have. I love you. II I could win
you back
II would follow you to the worlds
end"
LAS my wife,
LAS your wife,
He held out his arms toward her. Inn
did above the mists OF distrust. 1t was
an instant's forgetfulness. which passed
as rapidly as II had come. His arms sank
heavily to his side.
Have you thought what that means?
II you go with me, you must leave your
people forever
II would follow you gladly"
He shook his head.
You do not understand. You must
leave them now-now when go against
them
Nor she broke in. roughly. You
can't Nehal you can't. You have the
right to be bitter and angry: you have
not the right to commit q crime. And 1t
would be a crime. You are plung1ng
thousands into bIoodshed and ruin
He lifted his hand, and the expression In
his eyes checked her.
$50 it is. after all. bargain that you
offer mel" he said. You are trying to
save them. You offer q high price. bu,
I am not a merchant / cannot buy you,
Beatrice"
1T is not a bargain For the FRS,
time she faltered. taken aback by the
pitiless logic Of his words Cant you
see that? Can't you see that. however
much 1 loved you, I could not act other
wise than implore you to turn back from
step that means destruction for those
bound to me by blood and country:
Could do less?''
NO" he said. slowly.
She held out her hands to him.
''Oh, Nehal. turn back while there is
yet time! For my sake. for yours. for us
all. turn back from a bloody. cruel re-
venge. The power is yours. Be gener-
GUS. II we have wronged you, We have
suffered and are ready to atone. l am
ready to atone. l can atone. because !
love you. l have spoken the truth to you.
I have laid my soul bare to you as have
done to no other being. Won't you trust
me?"
His eyes met hers with a somber, hope
less significance which cut her to the
heart.
II can't" he said. Il can't. That is
what you have taught me-to distrust
you-and every one"
She stood silent now, paralyzed by the
finality Of his words and gesture. 1t was
as though the shadow of her heartless
folly had risen before her and become
an iron wall of unrelenting, measured
retribution, against which she beat her.
self in vain. He lifted his head higher.
seeming to gather together his shaken
powers Of self-control.
Il cannot trust you," he said again.
nor can l turn back. But there is one
thing from the past which cannot be
changed. I love you. 1t seems that must
remain through all my life. And be-
cause of that love l must save you from
the death that awaits your countrymen.' .
He smiled in faint self-cOntempt 1T is
not for your sake that l shall save you:
1t is because l am too great a coward.
and cannot face the thought that any
thing so horrible should come near you.
He turned to two native soldiers behind
him and gave an order. When he faced
Beatrice again he saw that she held a re-
volver in her hand.
You do not understand" she said.
You say you mean to save me. but that
is not in your power. 1t is in your power
to save us all. but not one alone. l know
what my people have resolved to do.
There are weak. frightened women
among them, but not one Of them will fall
into your hands alive. Whatever hap
pens, / shall share their fate"
Though her tone was quiet and free
from all bravado. he knew that she was
not Boosting. He knew, too that she was
desperate.
You cannot force me to kill you." he
said Sternly.
IL think it possible" she answered. She
was breathing quickly. and her eyes were
bright with q reckless, feverish excite
ment. But the hand that held the re-
volver pointed at the men behind him
was steady-steadier than his own.
Nehal Singh motioned back the two ma
tives, who had advanced at his order
you play q dangerous game" he said.
land. as before, your strength lies in my
weakness-in my folly. But this time you
cannot win. My word is given-to my
people
II shall not plead with YOU" she re-
turned. steadily. land you may be sure l
shall not waver. / am not afraid to die.
I had hoped to atone for all the wrong
that has been done you with my love for
you. Nehal. / had hoped that then you
would turn away from this madness and
become once more our friend. To this
end I have not hesitated to trample on
my dignity and pride. have not spared
myself. But you will not listen. you are
determined to go on, and T'-she caught
her breath sharply-"surely you can un-
derstand? I love you. and you have
made yourself the enemy Of my country.
Death is the easiest. the kindest solution
to 1t ALL"
Nehal Singh's brows knitted themselves
in the anguish OF q man who finds him
self thwarted by his own nature. He
tried not to believe her, and, indeed, in all
her words. though they had rung like
music, his ear. tuned to suspicion. had
heard the hooking undercurrent of laugh
ter. She had laughed at him secretly
through all those months when he had
offered up to her the incense Of an abso-
lutte faith, an unshared devotion. Even
now she might be laughing at him, play
ing on that in him which nothing could
destroy or conceal-his love for her. And
yet! Behind him he heard the un-
easy stir of impatient feet. the hushed
clash of arms. He stood between her
and a certain. terrible death. One word
from him and 1t would be over-his path
clear But he could not speak that word.
Treacherous and cruel as she had been,
the halo of her first glory still hung
about her. He saw her as he had first
seen her-the golden image of pure wom-
strange, unreasoning contra
dictfon of the human heart, beneath the
ashes of his old faith q new fire had
kindled and with every moment burned
more brightly. Unquenchable trust fought