The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-05-15

we were when you came to Plumage
and l told you about the gold. We
can go farther back: perhaps we have.
But I'd like to stop there, II you can.
l mean, one can always be friends"
81 can stop there" 1 said thickly.
'That's right" said Helena gently.
II thought you could"
For q moment she looked at the
palms of her little hands, as though
to consult those pretty pages before
proceeding with a discourse that was
making my heart feel cold.
Then
"When l say friends, / mean It, I'll
always have feeling that can de-
pend upon you. shant attempt to, you
know. But / shall be glad of the feel
ing. You know. When things go wrong,
1t makes a world Of difference n you
can say to yourself If So-and-so were
here, they would understand
"You can count on me-" l said. "You
let me come to know you as-as I'll
never know anyone else"
evil it help you, John?"
II don't know. I'll write and tell you."
"That's right. And I'll always an
swer. You see, my dear, we must never
meet again. We've looked at glory to-
gether-and turned away. It wasn't our
fault, you know. We rather =. rushed
our fences. But down in that valley
of shadow we gave each other judg-
ment and the judgments were
good"
could not speak. sat as though
turned to stone. My heart in my breast
was ice. The blow which had fallen
already, had fallen again. had moth
ing to lose, and had lost 1t. From him
that hath not shall be taken away even
that which he hath"
Ell don't know that mine was" I
said desperately.
"I'm afraid it was" said Helena. II
put my love above honor-and you
mustn't do that. And In any event mine
was. You took my love and you put 1t
back in its place. 1 don't say you
weren't right to do 1t, because you
were. But there are some flowers, my
dear, that you can't transplant. /
mean-if you move them, they die"
Blow upon blow. Couldn't she see
that the thing she was striking was
dead? Everything and everyone was
dead. Young Florin and Pharaoh and
Dewdrop and Bugle and Rush, and
now her love. And I had killed them
not Bugle, of course, nor young Flor
In. But everything else.
"Thats all right" heard myself
saying. I'm glad It's dead"
There was long. long silence. By
the time it was over had myself in
hand
At length
"Poor Bugle," said Helena slowly.
"He did me very good turn"
by dropping the torch?" said /
81 suppose he dropped It," she said.
"But Rush was bullying me, and some
times l think that Bugle was going
| to stop him. / don't know, Of course.
When 1t fell, l just flew for the door.
And in any event he waited to set me
free"
"a twinge Of conscience" said L
Helena shrugged her shoulders.
HE needn't have done it." she said.
And then again. "Poor Bugle. I'll al
ways remember him kindly. think he
| was the best of the lot"
II think you're right" said L II
had a weakness for Bugle, to tell you
the truth. OF course Rush showed him
off," .t
II know, know. But he had a spark
Of feeling. More than spark, I think.
Very few men, placed as he was, would
have troubled to let me out"
"What will you do" said, "about
the loss of your master keyT
.Change the locks. I suppose. It's
a hideous waste of money: but IL Blu
giles tempted, you know, there are
plenty Of crooks who'd pay a long
price for that key"
| l dared not pursue the matter: to
do 80 would be to sail too close to
the wind. I decided that Bugle must
show another spark of feeling by re.
turning her master key. would post
| 1t to her.
There was another silence.
| With her eyes ON young Florin'S
grave, Helena spoke again.
"That wasn't thesonly reason why I
wanted to see you before you went. I
want your help in a matter. =.
"Your cousin is painting my picture
he's nearly done. 1t is the most love
| ly portrait. And as he won't hear
of fee, l want to make him a pres
ent
swell, I've got a cup at Yorick, an
old, gold cup, with curious history.
Years ago, In the sixteenth century,
the Yorick of that day was painted. A
young painter came from Vienna, a
man called Latz. Had he lived, he
would have been famous, for the pic
ture is terribly good. Yoyr cousin
picked 1t out in an instant as being
the best Of the lot. Well when the
painter had finished, the count was so
pleased with his work that he called
for wine and drank the young mans
health. and when he had drained the
cup he called for gold. I suppose his
treasurer brought 1t. Then he filed
kho ouD with GOLD nincps and vQva