Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-03
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Which Speaks Only of Farewells.

The door had scarcely closed, and al
ready she was near him.
Luke" she whispered, and her voice
was hoarse now and choked, "the police!"
That's about it, he said. Il thought
that they meant to let me get away
80 father understood from Sir Thomas
Ryder What will you do, Luke?"
Il can't do anything. I am afraid. l
wanted to get away
"And 1 have kept you-and now it is
too late
A very little while ago she had hated
the idea of his going. Luke-a fugitive
from justice-was a picture on which it
was intolerabIe to look. But now the
womanly instinct rose up in revolt at the
very thought that he should be arrested,
tried and condemned! What mattered III
he were a fugitive. il he were ostracized
and despised? what mattered anything so
long as he lived and she could be near
himo A very little while ago she would
have done anything to keep him from go
ing; she almost longed for his arrest and
the publicity OF the trial. She was so
sure that truth would surely come out.
that his innocence would of necessity be
proved.
But now womanike, she only lOpged
for his safety. and forgetting all the ira
dition of her past life, all the old lessons
OF SelI-feSIfdlHt, forgetting everything GA
cept his immediate danger. she chung to
him with all the true passion in her,
which she no longer tried to keep in
check.
mo, Luke" she murmured, in quick,
ierky tones lit is not too late-not at all
too late. You stay in here quietly and
I'll ask father to go and speak to them.
He'll tell them that you haven't come
home vet and that he is waiting here for
YOU himself. Father is well known: they
hi nf Two q nd
in the meanwhile you can slip out easily;
we'll send your luggage on. You can
write and let us know where you are-it is
quite easy-and not too late
While she spoke she was gradually edg-
ing toward the door. Her voice had sunk
| to a hoarse whisper. for maddening ter
ror almost deprived her of speech. With
insistent strength she would not allow
him to detain her, and he while trying
to hold her back, was afraid of hurting
her. But at the last. when she had al
| most reached the door, he contrived to
forestan her. and before she could guess
his purpose he had pressed a finger on
the button of the electric bell.
She heard the distant tinkle of the bell
| and this made her pause.
What is it. Luke?' she asked. why
did you ring?'
For your father, dear" he replied.
simply.
Then YOU will do what want you top
| He gave no immediate answer. for al
| ready the maids footstep was heard along
the passage. The next moment she was
knocking at the door. Luke went up to
it, gently forcing Louisa back into the
shadow behind him.
Mary" he said, with his hand on the
| latch of the door. holding it slightly ajar.
lust ask Col. Harris to come here, will
your
Yes, SIR
The girl was heard turning away and
walking back briskly along the passage.
Then Luke faced Louisa once again.
He went up to her and without a word
took her in his arms. 1t was a supreme
farewell and she knew it. She felt 1t in
the culver of agony which went right
through him as he pressed her SO close
SO close that her breath nearly left her
body and her heart seemed to stand still.
She felt it in the sweet. sad pain of the
burning kisses with which he covered her
face. her eyes, her hair, her mouth. 1t
was the final passionate embrace, the ir-
| revocable linking Of soul and heart and
mind, the parting Of earthly bodies, the
union of immortal souls. 1t was the end
of all things earthly, the beginning Of
things eternal.
She understood and her resistance van
ished. All that had been dark to her be-
came suddenly TRANSPORTED and illumined.
With the merging of earthly passion into
that love which is Gods breath. she-the
pure and selfless woman, Gods most per-