Evening star., 1924-05-03
CONTINUED from Yesterdays starr

That was his cue. You hope it?"
he cried. arresting his step, turning,
and imprisoning her left hand in his
right You hope it? All, if you hope
less ] know that you will have some
welcome for me such as | desire
from you, I think :" his voice
quivered cleverly. II think, perhaps,
bodings were not as groundIess as
you say they are. Tell me, Ruth :"
But she interrupted him. 1t was
high time. she thought. Her face he
saw was flushed, her eyes had hard
cned somewhat. Calmly she olsen
gagged her hand.
What is't you mean?" she asked,
Speak, Sir Rowland, speak plainly,
that / may give you a plain answer"
1t was a challenge in which another
man had seen how hopeless was his
case, and, accepting defeat, had made
as orderly a retreat as still was pos
Sible. But Sir Rowland, stricken in
his vanity, went headlong on to utter
rout.
Since you ask me in such terms /
Will viii be- plain, indeed" he answered s1Enst
quailed before the look that met him
from her intrepid eyes. DO you not
see my meaning, Ruth?"
That which / see," said she, 81 do
not believe, and as l would not wrong
X y Ss
would have you plain with me-"
Yet the egregious fool went on.
And why should you not believe your
senSes?" He asked her, between anger
and entreaty. rs it wonderful that l
should love you? Is it .
stop" She drew back a pace from
him. There was moments silence,
during which it seemed she gathered
her forces to destroy him, and, in
spirit. he bowed his head before the
coming storm. Then, with a sudden
relaxing of the stiffness her lissom
figure had assumed, Il think you had
better leave me. Sir Rowland" she
advised him. She half turned and
moved a step away; he followed with
lowering glance, his upper lip lifting
and laying bare his powerful teeth.
In a stride he was beside her.
DO you hate me, Ruth?' he asked
her hoarSely.
why should I hate you?" she
counter-questioned, sadly. II do not
even dislike YOU" she continued in a
more friendly tone, adding, as If by
You are my brothers friend. But !
am disappointed in you, Sir Rowland.
You had, 1 know, no intention OF
offering me disrespect; and yet it is
what you have done"
LAS how?" he asked
Knowing me another's wife
He broke in tempestuously. "A
mock marriage! If it is but that
ScrupJe STANDS between us
Il think there is more" she an
swered him. You compel me to hurt
you: l do so as the surgeon does
that l may heal you.'
) why thanks for nothing" he made
answer. unable to repress a sneer.
Then, checking himself, and resuming &
the hero martyr posture. II go. mis-
tress," he told her sadly. "aad if 1
lose my life tonight, or tomorrow, in
this affair
abe had found him out at last. per-
ceived the nature of the bow he
sought to draw across her heart
strings, and, having perceived 1t, con-
tempt awoke in her. He had attempt
ed to move her by unfair, insidious
means
He fell back, crimson from chin to
brow. He stified the wrath that
welled up, threatening to choke him.
He was a Short-necked man, OF the
sort-as Trenchard had once reminded
him-that falls a prey to apoplexy.
and surely he was never nearer il
than at that moment. He made her
profound bow, bending himself al
most in two before her in a very
irony of Difference; then, drawing
himself up again, he turned and left
her.
The plot which with some pride he
had hatched and the reward he looked
to Gull from it were now to his soul
as ashes to his lips What could it
profit him to destroy Monmouth so
that Anthony Wilding lived? For
whether she loved Wildng or not, she
was Wilding's wife. Wilding, nomi-
nally at least, was master of that
which Sir Rowland coveted; not her
heart, indeed, but her ample fortune.
Wilding had been a stumbling block
to him since he had come to Bridg-
water; but for Wilding he might have
run d smooth course; he was still fool
enough to hug that dear illusion to
his soul. Somewhere in England-if
not dead already-this Wilding lurked,
down at sight. Sir Rowland swore he
would not rest until he knew that
Anthony Wilding numbered the earth
no more-leastways, not the surface
of it.
He went forth to seek Newlington.
The merchant had sent his message
TO the rebel king, and had word in
answer that his majesty would be
graciously pleased to sup at Mr..
Newlingtons at o'clock on the fol-
gentlemen of his immediate following.
Sir Rowland received the news with
satisfaction, and sighed to think that
Mr.. Wilding-still absent, heaven
knew Where-would not be of the
party. 1t was reported that on the
Monday Monmouth was to march to
Gloucester. hoping there to be Joined
by his Cheshire friends, SO that it
seemed SlT fIOWldnu ndu not
his plan day too soon. He got to
horse, and contriving to win out of
Bridgwater, rode off to Somerton to
concert with Lord Feversham con-
cerning the men he would need for
his undertaking.
That night Richard made free talk
of the undertaking to Diana and to
Ruth, loving, as does the pusillani-
nous, to show himself engaged in
daring enterprises. Emulating his
friend Sir Rowland, he held forth
with prolixity upon the great service
he was to do the state, and Ruth,
listening to him, was proud of his
zeal, the sincerity of which it never
entered her mind to doubt.
Diana listened, too, but without
illusions concerning Master Richard,
and she kept her conclusions to her
self.
During the afternoon of the NOR
row, which was Sunday, Sir Rowland
returned to Bridgwater, his mission to
Feversahm entirely successful, and all
preparations made. He completed his
arrangements, and toward o'clock
that night the twenty men sent by
Fever$ham-they had slipped singly
into the town-began to muster in
the orchard at the back of Mr.. New
1ington's house.
1t was just about that same hour