Middletown transcript., 1912-08-03
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"For his sake!"
"And your own!"
"Mine?" He made a careless gesture.
"I should not presume! For myself
1 should exact or expect, from your
Ladyship no promise. Tonight shall
be far away. But this good fellow
remains behind; should be allowed to
continue his peaceful, lowly occupa-
ton. l would not have anything hap
pen to him on my account.
"And if l refuse to promise?" she
asked haughtily. "To enter into any
covenant with-you!"
"But you will mott" he said stead
lily. "Your Ladyship, for her own
sake, should not force the alterna-
tive"
Alternative"
"Why speak Of it,"
"What is the alternatiVe?" she de-
manded.
"If your Ladyship refuses to prom
Ise, it will be necessary for the man
to return alone"
"You mean," in spite of herself, she
gave a start, "you would make me-a
prisoner?"
at should not be necessary"
"But you would not dare!" tndig-
nantly.
mot dare! Your Ladyship forgets-"
"True!" with a scornful glance. Aft
ter a pause: But suppose l did prom
Use? Are you not reposing good deal
of confidence in me?"
mot too much!"
"T presume" disdainfully, 'I should
feel fattered in being trusted by"
She did not finish the sentence.
But the young man apparently had
not heard. "Ill take the chance on
your own words" he added unexpect-
edly.
''My words?"
"That you are no telltale."
The girl started. "Telltale?" she re-
peated.
you once told me you were not!"
"I-told you!" She stared at him.
'Told me you were no telltale," he
repeated. "And-when Beppo lied,
you told the truth-about a ragged
vagabond of a boy"
"Beppo!" The look in her eyes
deepened; cleared. 81 remember now"
she said slowly. You were the boy
with the fish, who said he lived in the
woods. 1 met you while riding, and
, again that night, as a child, leaving
for Paris; but did not know, then,
you would become"
The young mans face changed. "An
outlaw!" he said coolly.
"Yes; an outlaw" she repeated firm
ly. Angered by his unfinching gaze,
she went on: "Who dares not fly the
flag of his king! Who dares not come
openly into any honest port!"
She ended, her brown eyes flashing.
His own darkened; but he only re-
marked coldly: my Lady, at any rate,
dares much!"
"Oh, I've no doubt you don't care
to hear"
From you'll" He looked at her odd
ly, from the golden hair to the small,
dainty foot. From your Ladyship!"
he repeated, as if amused. An instant
he regarded her silently, intently; but
his voice when at length he again
spoke was cool and slightly mocking:
"My Lady speaks, Of course, from the
standpoint of her own world-a very
pretty world! A park Of plaisance,
wherein, l can vouch for it, my Lady
dances very prettily."
She started; a flush Of resentment
glowed and faded on her cheek; a
question his words suggested trembled
on her lips.
why did you come to the beach
that night of the dance? How dared
! you, knowing that if"
"Why?" His eyes lost their ironical
light. "Why?" he repeated; then
laughed with sudden recklessness. Il
wished to see your Ladyship."
"Me?" She shrank back.
you! he repeated, his gaze fas-
tened on the startled, proud face.
Though I looked not forward to a
dance-with your Ladyship!" The
black eyes glowed. "Pardi! 1t was
worth the risk" A moment he wait
ed; then his manner changed. Il will
leave your Ladyship now," he said
quietly. you will have opportunity
to consider" did not answer
whether you will give me your prom
ise, or not" he added, and, wheeling
abruptly, walked away.
Some time later, in the fast-gather-
ing darkness, from the cove a small
boat put out, with Sanchez, gloomy
and sullen, in the stern; at the bow,
the Governors daughter. AS the isle
receded and the point Of land loomed
bigger before them, the girl gazed
straight ahead; but the man looked
back; to the sands Of the little cove, a
pale simitar in the dragon-like mouth
Of the rock; toward the tower, near
which he fancied he could see a fig
ure, turned from them-seaward-
where, far out, ship might just be
discerned, dim outline on the hori
zon.