Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07
BARONESS ORGY

Only a feeble breath escaped Lord Rad
clyffe's parted lips; there was no distortion
in the face, and the hands lay still, WaXen
white, against the quilt. Louisa looked
down on the sick man without, at first,
attempting to speak. She looked down
OH this the last cord of hopes broken lutte,
the frail thread on which hung Luke, S
one chance of Safety-thiS feeble life al
most ended, this weak breath which alone
could convey words of hope. For the
moment Louisa'S heart almost misgaVe
her, when she thought Of what she meant
to dO-to bring, namely, this wandering
spirit back to earth, in order TO make 1t
conscious of such misery as no heart of
man could endure and not break. 1t
seemed like purpoSelesS, inhuman cruelty.
Even if she could call that enfeebled
mind back to the hideous realities of to-
day, what chance was there that the few
words which this dying man could utter
would be those that could save Luke from
the galloWS?
Was it not better to let the broken
heart sink TO rest in peace, the weakened
mind go back to the land of shadows I'M
conscious of further sorrow?
Uncertain now and vaguely fearful she
looked up at the portrait of Luke. The
eyes in the magnifcently painted portrait
seemed endowed with amazing vitality.
To the loving, heart-broken woman 1t
seemed as If they made direct appeal to
her. Yet. what appeal did they make?
peace, ignorant of the awful fate which
must inevitably befall the man whom he
loved with such strange. such enduring
affection?
Or did those eyes ask for help there,
where no other human being could lend
assistance now?
Lord Radclyffe.''
The words escaped her suddenly, almost
frightening her. though all along she knew
that she had meant to speak.
M nd Do alH ffap
she said again: sit is Louisa Harris
No reply The great eyes with the
shadow of death over them We're gazing
on the face on which they had always
loved to dwell.
Lord Radcliffe" she reiterated, and
the deep notes of her contralto voice quiv-
cred with the poignancy of her emotion,
Luke is In very great danger, the gray
est possible danger that can hefall any
man. Do you understand me?"
Again no reply. But the great eyes
sunken and SATISFACTORILY fell from the
picture to her face.
Luke" she repeated, dwelling on the
word, II must speak to you about Luke. :
And the lips. stiff and cold, opened
slightly and from between them escaped
the word. feebly. like the breath OF a
dying man:
'Iuke.
HE is in grave danger. Lord Rad
clyffe," she said, slowly, lin danger OF
DEATH
And this time the faded lips framed the
words distinctly:
"Luke-in danger Of DEATH!
The hands which had lain on the quilt
up to now, still and waxen as those Of a
lifeless image, began to tremble visibly,
and the eyes-those great. hollow eyes
had a searching, anxious expression in
them now.
Phillip de Mountford has been MUIR
dered," said Louisa. You knew that,
did you not?"
The sick man nodded. Life and con-
seriousness were slowly returning, and
with them understanding and the capacity
for suffering.
And Luke is accused Of having muir
dered him.
The trembling Of the hands ceased
With quick, jerly movement they were
drawn back against the figure, then used
AS q leverage With a sudden accession