The Washington times., 1922-07-07

oeoAt OotAy'- wv ~ So
down." he said gently. but 1t was
an order in spite Of the gentle,
ness Of his voice.
She shrank back trembling,
with piteous. stricken face and
eyes filled with a great despair.
She knew him and she knew II
was the end. Nothing would
break his resolution. She looked
at him with quivering lips through
a mist OF tears. looked at him
with a desperate fixedness that
sought to memorize indelibly 1is
beloved image In her heart. The
dear head so proudly poised on the
broad shoulders. the long strong
limbs. the slender. graceful body.
He was all good to lJok upon. A
man Of men. Monseigneur! Mon.
seigneur! Mon maitre ct seigneur.
No! II would never be that
any more. A rush Of tears blinded
her and she stepped back uncer'
tainly and stumbled against the
little writing table. She caught
at 1t behind her to steady herself,
and her fingers touched the re-
volver he had laid down. The
contact of the cold metal sent a
chill that seemed to strike her
heart. She stood rigid. with
startled eyes fixed on the motion
less figure in the doorway-one
hand gripping the weapon tightly
and the other clutching the silken
wrap across her breast. Her
mind ri. ed forward feverishly.
there were only a few hours left
before the morning. before the bitter
moment when she must leave be-
hind her for ever the surround
ings that had become SO dear. that
had been her home as the old cas-
tie in England had never been.
She thought Of the long Journey
northward. the agonized protrac-
ton Of her misery riding beside
him. the nightly camps when she
would lie alone in the little trav-
cling tent. and then the final part.
ing at the wayside station, when
she would have to watch him
wheel at the head Of his men and
ride out Of her life. and she would
strain her eyes through the dust
and sand to catch the last glimpse
OF the upright figure on the
spirited black horse. 1t would
be The Hawk. she thought sud.
denly. He had ridden Shaitan to-
day. and he always used one or
other of the two for long jour
neys. 1t was The Hawk he had
ridden the day she had made her
bid for freedom and who had car
ried the double burden on the re.
turn journey when she had found
her happiness. The contrast be-
tween that ride. when she had
lain in content in the curve of his
strong arm. and the ride that she
would take the next day was
poignant. She closed her teeth
on her trembling lip. her fingers
frightened on the stock OF the re-
.volver. and a wild light came into
her sad eyes. She could never 60
through with II. To what end
would be the hideous torture?
What was life without him7-
Nothing and less than nothing.
She could never give herself to
another man. She was necessary
to no one. Aubrey had no real
need OF her: his selfishness wrap.
ped him around with a compla.
cencv that abundantly satisfied
him. One day, for the sake Of the
family. he would marry-perhaps
was alreadv married II he had
been able to find a woman in
America who would accept his
egoism along with his old name
and possessions. Her life was
her own to deal with. Nobody
would be injured by its termina-
tion. Aubrey. indeed. would hene-
fit considerably. And he? His
figure was blurred through the
tears that filled her eyes.
Slowly she lifted the weapon
clear OF the table with steady fin
gers and brought her hand
-stealthily from behind her. She
looked at II for a moment dis
passionately. She was not afraid.
She was conscious only OF an over
whelming weariness. a longing for
rest that should still the gnawing
pain in her breast and the ;hrob.
bing in her head. - A flash and
II would be over, and all her
sorrow would melt away.
But would 1t? A doubling fear
of the hereafter rushed over her.