Evening star., 1924-01-25

from that false kiss.
Silent. straining. desperate. the two
Went mere and there. each striving
for the others throat, their feet Slip
ping on the damp flags. their muscles
cracking in the fury of the struggle.
They were evenly matched and
haie fair to wear each other out.
Back and forth they went-now
down upon the floor, again pressing
each other against the wall. but
neither giving sign of surrender.
Presently :he girl, watching her
chance. came deftly in and wound
her arms about the soldiers neck,
hanging herself. deadening weight
gallant. gallant effort Of ali that
was in him--a pathetic storm of
struggle against the double. Odds
ana he went down upon the stones.
with Patience Conwell's brilliant
eyes turned up to Patrick Henry
Go she cried. Go quickly--and
cod be with you. Sir Buck skins.
III hold him here--or choke him to
death with loving
But Patrick Henry hcsitated.
The door yonder leads to the garden
and the sentry there is nodden with
sack-sent and doctored with heavy
liquor by my mistress own hands"
Il cannot leave you-and him
thus" said Henry. thinking swiftly.
1T would mean his death--and dis
much. I'll bind him fast and break
the lock of the outer door. You
can spread the tale that my friends
overpowered the outside man. and,
binding this man thus. did liberate
me"
1t took but scant time to tie the
windoI soldier. though he fought
again. The girls comely face grew
red with the effort OF helping hold
him, and Patrick Henry, stopping a
moment to press her hand, ran'up the
stairs to the outer door, broke its
lock with a maui that lay near.
pushed aside the drunken sentry,
picked up his gun and plunged into
the mist. He kept close to the log
wall. reached the corner looked
around it into the dark garden
listened a moment. then crept like
cat to that side entrance of which
the girl had spoken. In the deeper
shadow of tn" hooded stoop he
fancicd he deserted a figure. With
infinite caution he waited. Nothing
with some SHIFT OF the faint Wet wind
knowledge of his presence was car
rled swiftly to one waiting also
Roanic safe hid beneath hanging
leafiess vine-aIrl with the un-
fathoflcd faithfulmess "f the dumb
llung UP his head and whnnicd
softly.
Patrick Henry SpranS toward him,
and the dim figure in the Stoop came
out. Two figures there were, for a
woman followed the man. Lord
Letter spoke guardedly.
We wish YOU Godspccd, friend,
he said.
Tile patriot turned and cIasped his
hand, wringing' it hard.
Il have no words" he said simply.
"In such a moment they are not
needed.
TO the girl beside the noblemau he
Dear lad he whispered "oncc I
did kiss your hand in courtesy be
fore "a multitude. May | kiss it now
in passionate gratitude and humble
Affection
He held out his hand and Mistress
Penelope laid her small cold fingers
in il. At the touch Of the mans lips.
warm and firm and tremuluuS. she
raised her other hand and covered
her face. for tears were on her
laShes and the sweet mouth was
shaking piteously.
In another moment the lean figure
had vaulted into the saddle. Lord
Lester had opened the outer gate.
there was ratarlan of hoofs upon
the road-and Patrick Henry. twenty
hours late. was gone upon his mis-
sion. riding desperately to his
Cuuntry's call.
The Lighter of Flames was loose in
the night.
In the shadow of the stoop Lord
Lester reached out tender arms. and
Penelope, .her hands still covering
her face, went into them and leaned
against his breast.
Dear heart" said the young man.
gently, the bitter waters of unre-
rad tn
bo,b. Perhaps, all We swim to-
gether, we may win out to peaceful
shores. Mayhap we may thank the
fate that throws Us together now in
understanding. Will you come with
me. Penelope. that we may help each
other to forget? Life is long before
VI. Let us travel it together to-
ward d better day
And for answer the weeping girl
reached up a timid hand and laid it on
his cheek.
An hour later Patience Conwell
came 10y a roundabout way to her
mistIe. $ room. She had waited and
Crcpt. that none might observe her.
for she had good reason that none
should suspect her of being away
from that quiet realm that night.
She stood against the door once she
had entered. and looked at Penelope
with deeply lighted eyes.
ii am happy, mistress" she said in
a. lifting Voice. ''Oh. am nappS. l
have paid my debt to the man who
gave me to you. God remembered
me and Let me work it out. And you
do you not rejoice also?"
yes" said Penelope. 'yes-I do
ojoicc-for--he will never forget
and-T. too. VIII have memory"
Then Patience, whispering. did re-
count all that happened in the pas
s&Ge. The two young heads were
bent together. They sat with hands
entwined like friends. and they had
forgotten that they We're mis- tress
End maid-of such great potency is
love.
But ! did regret the betrayal of
the soldier. said Patience at the
end. for his eyes beguiled me, ana
my mouth is still sweet with the
honey of his kiss. He could have
his glance. and yet. when | sat me
uown be ide him where he lay trus
sed like d chicken for the spit, and
told him all. his blue glance softened
and he said. 'Egad. Mistress, | had
not known that there were such gal
lant women living. An ! came through
this with my mead I'll have you
for mine or wish your Buck skins had
done for me in truth He is to tell
the story we made for him; and
tmau danger he will deviate a hairs
breadth, for his excelency, your
father, would make short work of
soldier that could be bought by a
womall's Fiss Conc. m: mistress.
let II rp'.t :..d fer bed 10, ycI are
all bus failing with fatigue"
tTo Be Concluded Tomorr0w)