Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1905-07-15 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

XXVIII.  • Perilous Meeting.  for for when to the view, Forth from ite raven fringe, the full glance flies, Ne'er with such force the swiftest arrow flew • 'Tie ea the snake uncurled who pours htenlenige, once And hurls at his venom and his strength." —Don Juan.  At the instant when, hall-blinded with excitement, Prince Gerstein held his deadly weapon pointed straight against the gloriously beautiful woman whom he loved with a passion equal in intensity to his anger, all her courage returned. At that supreme moment it seemed as though she had bean transformed from a living creature to a statue, full of grace and such sublime loveliness that the fell purpose in his heart lost ite grim hold hold on him.  "Kill me," she cried, suddenly losing her marvellous composure, and extending her arms apart. "Kill me, if you still doubt my love for you," and her manner changed again with a gesture of ineffable tenderness, her yearning eyes fixed on him, and the prince's hand grasping the revolver, with nerveless fingers now, fell to his side. "It was beet for me to go away," she cried. "Best, because I Wined you too well, Rudolph— dear Rudolph—to let you know the dangers that •surrounded me. And I've been praying that you and I should meet again—don't be angry with me. Think of the happy days we've passed together." It was incoherent, excited, half-inarticulate entreaty; but her life depended on his listening to her, and as her warm words thrilled _ him,  passionate adoration for the woman returned. A horror seized him that he had come to ila.y her. To see her weltering in blood at his feet, her fair form disfigured, and the pallor of death spread over that lovelT face appalled him with the sickening thought. Like living fire the consciousness that he had meant to kill seemed burning into his very heart, robbing him of strength and will, and a sudden revulsion of feeling came. She had conquered him; driven away the fieroe desire in his heart for vengeance; won that awful battle with death; and as she realised that her life was preserved, the nervous tension in voice and action relaxed, and her sobbing cry for mercy and forgiveness sank away. Then, as he bent over her, a harsh voice disturbed the silence, for, with lips oomprewed and brow dark as night, Devereux had stepped forward, and Mrs Conyers stood face to face with her husband.  "Tell this man who and what I am," he said, sternly, meeting her looks of deadly hate and horrified surprise unmoved. "Let him hear from your own lips what he chose to doubt when I spoke," and he stretched his hand towards Prince Gerstein.  "You hateful thing," she hissed out. "You who made my life wretched until I escaped from you— why have you followed me—why have you dared to speak to me, now that you are here?" And all her bitter fury and dread at his unexpect,wi appearance wore concentrated in the venomou.s words and looks she cast at him. "I came here to save you," he replied. "1 folowed you to save your life—to do what any man would do to help a defenceless woman. Only that. I might have left you to your fate—the thought came, but I resisted it. Now do as I bid you. Let Prince Garstein hear what you are." During his rapid interchange of words, Prince Garstein had stepped aside; but as Devereux spoke thus, he came between him and Mrs Conyers. 'There was a cold, glittering look in the Russian's eyes that fixed itself meaningly upon the intruder, and his voice had regained its chilling insolence. "You disconcert madam too greatly by your greeting, monsieur," he said, sarcastically. "Permit me to remind you that you are violent. It is not requited that madam should speak—you and 1 can easily understand each other, if you have the courage to explain your intrusion. You remark, I observe, that you would preserve her life. Ido not understand. "1 think you meant to kill her," retorted Devereux, with unintentional bluntness. "I read murder in your face when I told you that the vt woman you Intended to marry (" Whom I love," interrupted the other, and Devereux laughed scornfully but without allowing the remark to be noticed)— "Is Lady Devereux," he continued. "I have no more to say," and he turned away me if to quit  .1;11  . 1