Evening star., 1924-04-20
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star,

'It is a Judgment upon you," said
do you exuItr' she asked indig-
nantly.
No; but / cannot repress my admi-
ration for the ways OF divine justice.
II you are come to me Tor advice,
can but suggest that you should fol-
low your brothers captors to Taunton
and inform the lieutenants Of how
the letter came into your power.
She looked at him Ia anger almost
at what seemed a oallousness. would
he believe me. think your"
"Beiike he would not" said Mr.
Wilding. You can but try"
IF 1 told them il was addressed to
you." she said, eyeins him sternly,
does II not occur to you that they
and that II they did SO, as you are a
gentleman you could not lie away my
brothers life?''
why, yes" said he quite calmly.
lit does occur to me. But does IL mot
| occur to you that By the time they
came here they would find me gonez"
He laughed at her dismay. II thank
you. madam, for this warning" he
added. "I think I'll bid them saddle
for me Without delay. Too long al
And must Richard hang?" she
asked him fercely.
Mr. Wilding produced a snufbox Of
tortoise she'll and gold. He opened it
nit that he will hang on the gallows
that he has built himself-although
intended for another. rfaith. He's not
the first BOBBY to be caught in his
own spring: There Is In this meas
ure of poetic justice. Poetry and JUS
tice! Do you know, Ruth. they are
two things 1 have ever foved-" And
he took a pinch Of choice Rsrgamot
VIII you be sertous-" she de-
.Tersncb.rd u,ontd tet1 vop that 4,
were to make an exception from the
rule of my life" he assured her, smil-
ing. Yet even that might L do At
your bidding"
But this is serious matter she
'0!I For n," Ricsar9,;' aos; he acknowledged.
closing his snuffbox with a snap.
Tell me what would you have me
do?"
Since he asked her thus, she an
swered him in two words. Save
| him"
"At the cost of my own neek?"
auoih he he @ price is thisi hash ,hss s
| Richard is quite worth itT'
| And are you to save yourself at
| the cost of his?" she counter -ques-
| toned. Are you capable OF such a
baseness?"
He looked at her thoughtfully a
moment. You have not reflected"
said he slowly, that in this affair is
involved more than mine or Richard s
| life. There is a great cause weighing
| In the balance against all personal
considerations. II I accounted Rich
| ard of more value to Monmouth than
am myself, i should not hesitate in
riding to set him free by taking his
place. AS it is. however, ! think l am
Of the greatest conceivable impor-
tance to his grace, whilst IL twenty
Richards perished, frankly, their loss
| would be something Of gain, for
Richard has played traitors part
already. That is with me the first OF
all considerations"
Am I of no consideration to you"
| she asked him. And in an agony OF
terror for her brother, she now sp-
preached him, and, obeying sudden
| before him. Listen" she cried
| Not thus" said he, a frown be-
! tween his eyes. He took her by the
elbows and gently but very nrmiy
| not ftting you should kneei save at
your prayers"
She was standing now, and very
| close to him, his hands still held her
light that she scarce felt il. To re-
lease them was easy, and the next
| second her hands were on his sacul-
ders, her brave eyes raised TO him.
MI Wiiding," she implored him
you'll not let Richard be destroyed
He looked down at her with kim
ding glance. his arms slipped round
| her lissom waist. 1T is hard to deny
you, Ruth" said he Yet not my
! love of my own life compeis me. bat
my duty, my loyalty TO the cause to
which am pledged were q traitor
| were / now to place myself in peril
| She pressed against him, her face
! so close to his that her breath fanne cd
| in quick response. Despite herself al
most, instinctive1y, unconsciousiy, she
| exerted the weapons of her sex to
bend him to her will.
You say you love me-" she whis-
pered. prove it me now, and viii
believe you"
| "Ah" ne sighed. And believing
me, what them
He had himself grimly in hand. yet
feared he should not prove strong
enough to hold himself for long.
! "You-shalI find me your-dutiful
wife," she faltered, crimsoning.
l His arms frightened about her; he
crushed her to him; he bent his head
| to hers and his lips burnt the lips
she yielded to him as though they
| had been living fire.
Anon, she was to weep in shane-ir
| shame and in astonishment--at thai
instant of surrender. but for the mo
ment she had no thought save for
her brother. Exu1tation filled her
! She accounted that she had conquered
and she gioried in the power heI
beauty gave her, power that had suf-
4 feed to melt to water the hard-frozen
purposes OF this self-willed man. The
next instant, however, she was cold
again with dismay and newborn
terror. He unclasped her arms. he
drew back. shaking of the hands she
| white face-the flush had faded from
it again-smiled a thought disdain-
fully.
You bargain with me- be said
But have some knowledge Of your
ways of trading. They are over
shrevd for an honest gentleman"
You mean" she gasped, her hand
pressed to her heart, her face 2
deathly white, you mean that you'll
not save himT'
"I mean," said he, that I win have
no further bargains with you"
| There was such hard finality in his
tone that she recoiled. beaten and
without power to return to the as
sault She had played and lost. She
had yielded her lips to his kisses,
| and-husband though he might be in
name-Shame was her only sueroon-
One look she gave him from out OF
4 with q shudder turned from him and
| fed his presence. He sprang after
\ her as the door closed, then checked
and stood in thought very grim for
one who professed to bestow no Sc
riousness on the affairs of life Then
he returned slowly to his writing
table and rummaged there among the
papers with which il was encum-
bered- seeking something of which he
now had need. Through the open
window he heard the retreating beat
of her horses hoofs. He sighed and
sat down heavily, to take hts long
square chin in his hand and stare be-
fore him at the sunlight on the lawn
| outside.
And whilst he sat thus, Ruth made
all haste back to Lupton House to
tell of the failure that had attended
fher. There was nothing left her now
but to embark upon the forlorn hope
of following Richard to Taunton, 10
offer her evidence of how the in
terminating letter had some to be