The Elbert County tribune., 1912-03-01
CHAPTER ".


cisely just what O'Rourke thought to
discover. when after a punctilious re
turn of Captain Won Einems salute. he
reopened his door and. closing It quick
ly as he entered. turned the key In the
lock.
His mood was sxalted. his imagina.
tion 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. or 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 or a passion
which he had striven with all his
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 pledgec. he
had then seen her Cor another who re-
markably resembled her) for the scant'
lest of instants; and finally he had
mysteriousIy received letter which
could. he believed. have been convey
ed to him by no other hand but hers.
And now he was persuaded beyond
| doubt that the person of the alcoye.
the eavesdropper for whose fair repute
he had chosen to risk his life. was no
uody In the world but that same one
woman.
But ilore than ell else. perhaps. he
expected and feared to find the room
deserted; for the balcony outside the
windows afforded 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 alb
.sence. Then quickly he discerned.
with eyes dazed by the change from
the lighted hallway to the lightless
chamber the shadowy shape of WON
an. motionless between him and the
windows. waiting.
An electric switch was at his ell
nave drenched the place with light
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. meself's 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 ye've taken" he amended
I'D thank ye to leave as ye go-if ye
came to steal. 'Tis little have ic
lose.
There was no answer.
He touched the switch with an i'm
patient hand. stepped forward single
pace, caught himself up and stopped
short. now pale and trembling who had
moment gone been 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 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. toe
delicate 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 hei
eyes of autumnal brown, not in the
wonderful fineness 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 oi
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
or's sake. he would not take back
though 1t we're offered freely to him
80" he said. after bft. shakily;
then pulled himself together. and
.ax,.rn.IIiranr hia uoica--.ss1. ..x.....