Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-25

D'Ormonde rose also He said to the
woman. in simple wonder, what is in your
mind9 You are trembling My story has
terrified YOU. | humbly crave your pardon.
Won't YOU even look at me? What is it you
see that blanches your cheekso For Gods
sake, answer. Is it that l have frightened
youo | cannot tell why | spoke; for have
guarded my secret with infinite caution lest
| should be thought mad. But | assure
you that am perfectly sane. There, | have
gone SO far that as value eternity must go
a step beyond! Listen-in mercy listen! |
swear to YOU that the moment | saw your
face my soul went out to you in wave of
longing irresistible as a storm-driven sea.
Every instinct revealed to me the supreme
fact that YOU are she for whom my heart has
been ycarning. | love you! | want you
more than all else in life! All! it is not posi-
BILE that this illumination from above should
have descended on me alonei You must feel
it also. It's glory must be turning you to me,
as all nv desires reach out to YOU for affec-
ton, pity
The sentence persisted on his lips. For all
at once he perceived in the womans recoiling
figure, in her wide-dilated eyes, something
more intense than fear, which resembled
horror He took a step toward her.
"Don't-don't!" she moaned.
The novelist found no reply, and over his
face crept gray hue. He stiffened through
all his frame, as if discernment had frozen
his blood. For he knew-nowl Whom else
could he love? To what other woman was
it possible for destiny to lead him? He had
no need Of speech from her, though he heard
her painted words, Il am the wife of Prince
Dragomroff.'
They continued to look upon each other
-, nd cf1a yrac
expression in their eyes as if they strove to
wake from some unheard-of dream, some
brain-rocking fantasy Suddenly the woman
uttered cry and flung out her arms to him.
He 1eaped toward her, and then
A Y appalling crash made the house shud-
= der. A sheet of yellow fame splashed
upon the bosom of the night and vanished
in the instant of its birth.
The author swung completely round, took
three quick steps, fell spraying upon the
table, and rolled from it to the floor.
The explosion of the shell was echoed by
fierce shout from Dagobert. The francs
tireurs sprang to their feet, wild eyed, con-
fused. The shivered window glass was all
over the floor, and there was a horribly
nauseous smoke. Dagobert rushed toward
the woman.t She did not answer his repeated
inquiry II slo was iui 7, out Poiiilei ~ lily
figure OF the author, which lay on its back
on the polished boards, in a red pool. She
fought for Speech but only the chattering
of her teeth was heard.
Laporte rose from the body, wiping his
knees, swearing softly. There is another
of us gone my Captain. A splinter played
the devil with breastbone and spine.
"Come away.r ordered Dagobert harsh1y,
gripping the wonan's left wrist, stepping be-
tween her and the shattered wreck at which
she continued to point, muttering to herself
unintelligible things. Come with me!
You, who are daughter of France, be
brave!'
But she did not hear word of it, and only
gazed round with frantic eyes, with the
piteous eyes of delirium, fevered, dreadfully
astonished, which seem to look beyond life.