Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-06-21
CHAPTER ~.

1t would be difficult to designate pre-
cisely just what O'Rourke thought to
discover, when after punctilious re-
turn of Captain Won Einem's salute, he
reopened his door and closing it quick
ly as he entered, turned the key in the
lock.
His mood was eZalted, his imagina-
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 volatile vivacity such as not
even the excitement of the Casino had
been potent to create In him. Of all
ad 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 ths
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 MS
strength to put behind him for time;
he had first heard the voice of the one
woman to whom his love and faith and
honor were irretrievably pledge-. he
had then seen her (or another who re-
markably resembled herr for the scant-
lest OF instants; and finally he had
mysteriously 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 a
doubt that the person of the alcove.
the eavesdropper for whose fair repute
he had chosen to risk his life, was no
.ody In the world but that same one
woman.
But llore 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 definite impression was Of
CONSERVATION and despair; for the
lights had been shut off in his a5-
sence. Then quickly he discerned.
with eyes dazed by the change from
the lighted hallway to the lightless
chamber, the shadowy shape OF wom-
an. motionless between him and the
windows. waiting.
An electric switch was at his ell
bow. With a single motion he could
nave drenched the place with Night
For an instant tempted, some strange
scruple OF delicacy, abetted 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, meselfs not OBTAINING
ye. If ye choose. ye may go; but
ye'd favor me by going quickly. {.
give ye, he continued. seeing that
she neither moved nor replied, this
one chance. In thirty seconds turn
on the lights"
The woman did not stir: but he
thought he could detect in the still
ness her quickened breathing.
What we've TAKEN" he amended,
I'D thank ye to leave as ye go-if ye
came to steal 'Tis little | have to
lose.
There was no answer.
patient hand, stepped forward a single
pace, caught himself up and stopped
short, now pale and trembling who had
moment gone oeen flushed with
calm.
"Beatrix!" he cried thickly
Dumbly his wife lifted her arms and
offered herself to him. unutterably
lovely, unspeakably radiant
1t were worse than waste of time
to attempt 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 fneness of her skin or in
the daintiness of her features. not in
the graciousness of her body, did he
find the beauty of her that surpassed
expression. but in the love she bore
him. in the sweetness of her inviolate
soul, in the steadfastness Of her i'm
pregnable heart.
But it's doubtful II ever he had an
alyzed his passion for her SO minute
ly Mostly. think. at that moment of
her abrupt disclosure to him. he long
ed unutterably for her lips and the
proffered wreath round his neck of her
slim, round. white arms.
Yet he would not. Trembling though
he was, with every instinct and every
fiber of his being straining toward her.
with the hunger for her keen pain in
his heart, he held himself back: or his
conception of honor held him back.
That which he had voluntarily forfeit
ed and put away from him for his hon
ors sake. he would not take back
though 1t were offered freely to him
So" he said, after a bit, shakily: