The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1912-05-02
cHAPTER IN.

cisely just what O'Rourke thought to
discover, when after a punctilious re-
turn Of Captain Won Einem's salute, he
reopened his door and, closing Il quick.
ly as he entered. turned the key IN ne
lock.
His mood was exalted. his magma
ton excited; the swift succession Of
events which had made memorable the
night, eliminating with his open in
vitation to a challenge from the most
desperate duelist in Europe. had in
spired e. volatile vivacity such as not
even the excitement Of the Casino had
been potent to create in him. OF all
mad cOnjectures imaginable the mad
dest was TOO weird for him to credit In
his humor OF that hour. Eliminating
all else that had happened, In the
course Of that short evening, his heart
had been stirred, his emotions played
upon by a recrudesence OF a passion
which he had striven. with all his
strength to put behind him for a time;
he had first heard the voice Of the one
woman to whom his love and faith and
nUnQA WGLG AAGNAA NANAy HNeAbNA nv
had then seen her Tor another who re-
markably resembled herr for the scaut-
lest of instants; and finally he had
m~ysteriously received a letter which
could, he believed, have been convey
ed to him by no other hand but hers.
And now he was persuaded beyond q
doubt that the person Of the alcove,
the e-avesdropper for whose fair repute
he had chosen to risk his life, was no
body in the world but that same ne
woman.
But nore than all else, perhaps, he
expected and feared to find the room
deserted; for the balcony outside the
windows afforded a means of escape
too facile to be neglected by one who
wished not to be discovered.
His first dehuite impression was Of
CONSERVATION and despair; for the
lights had been shut OFF in his alb
sence. Then quickly he ~discerned.
with yes dazed by the change from
the lighted hallway to the lightless
chamber, the shadowy shape OF a wom-
an, motionless between him and the
windows, waiting.
An electric switch was at his ell
bow. With a single motion he could
have drencBed the place with light
For an instant tempted, some strange
scruple Of delicacy, sbetted 1t may be
by his native love Of romantic mystery,
stayed his hand.
Madame" said he, 'or mademoi.
selle. whichever ye may be-the win
dows are open, meself's not OBTAINING
ye. If ye choose, ye may go; but
ye'd favor me by going quickly.
1 give ye," he continued, seeing that
she neither moved nor replied, this
one chance. In thirty seconds l turn
on the lights"
The woman did not stir; but he
thought he could detect in the still
her quickened breathing.
"What we've TAKEN" he amended.
I'D thank We to leave as ye go@if ye
came to steal. 'Tis little l have to
:"
There was no answer.
He touched the switch with an Inn
hand, stepped forward a single
pace, caught himself up and stopped
short, now pale and trembling who had
a moment gone been flushed with
calm.
"Beatrixl" he cried thickly.
Dumbly his wife lifted her arms and
offered herself to him, u~nutterably
lovely. unspeakably radiant.
It were worse than a waste Of time
to attempt a portrait OF her as she
seemed to him. Seen through her hus-
bands eyes, her beauty was incompar-
able, Immaculate, too rare and fine, too
delicate a thing to be bodied forth in
words, dependent upon the perfection
Of no single feature. Not in her hair,
fair as sunlight on the sea, not in her
eyes Of autumnal brown, not in the
wonderful hneness Of her skin or In
the daintiness of her features, not in
the g%raciousness Of her body, did he
ind the beauty Of her that surpassed
expression, but In the love she bore
him. in the sweetness of her inviolate
soul, in the s-teadfastness Of her Inn
Dregnable heart.
But it's doubtful If ever he had an
his passion for her so minute
Mostly, l think. at that moment OF
her abrupt disclosure to him, he long
I'd unutterably for her lips and the
)ronered wreath round his neck OF her
slim, round. white arms.
Yet he would not. Trembling though
10 was. with every instinct and every
iber Of his being straining toward her,
With the hunger for her a keen pain In
lis heart. he held himself back; or his
conception Of honor held him back
That which he had voluntarily forfeit
ID and put away from him for his hon
'r's sake. he would not take back
II were offered freely to him.
$50" he said, after a bit. shahdly;
hen pulled himself together, and
controlling his voice-"So twas your
elf, after an, Beatrixl Me heart told
no no other woman could have sung
has song az ye did,
The oma dropped her arms. 'Your
ieart, Terence?" she asked a little bio.
erly.