An Unpardonable Liar

ances after twelve years, in which no lines of their lives had ever crossed. But he saw, almost unconsciously, that she had dropped his rose. He stooped, picked it up and ga

e wheeled slowly and faced these two there was in it nothing but what was strong, refined and even noble. His eyes, dark and full, were set deep under well

d her, and Mark Telford to be standing in its shining hot surf tall and grand. But, on the instant, there came into this lens the picture she had seen in George Hagar's studio that morning. At that moment Mildred

ned for an inst

wn, he said that he would think no more of her; but, stooping to drink, he saw her face in the water, as in the hill spring at Tellavie, and he could not forget. When he rode swiftly through the long prairie grass, each pulse afire, a keen, joyful wind playing on him as he tracked the buffalo, he said he had forgotten, but he felt her riding beside him as she had done on the wide savannas of the south, and he knew that he could not forget. When he sat before some lodge in a pleasant village and was waited on by soft voiced Indian maidens and saw around him the solitar

cal beauty. Hagar saw it and was struck by it. If he had known Jack Gladney and how he worshiped this man, he would have understood the cause of the inspiration. It was all the matter of a momen

bowed

an enigmatical tone, "One is usually glad

id, "and it is fa

r as it was yest

Mrs. Detlor wished to be left alone with Telford. As if divining his thoughts, she looked up

enough: "Old friends should have much to

a tone: "But you will not desert me? I shall be h

ford's face-saw it followed by a steellike fierceness in the eye. He replied to both in like fashi

he two figures disappear down the long vista of groined arches. "I wish to heaven I co

, they made their way up the bank and the hillside to the top of a pretty terrace, where was a rustic seat among the tre

ppose you do wish to say somet

t her almos

say to me, after all these

to say now mo

if you have no impu

what blood we are, we sout

ht not to have said that, for

you do not understand? Or did you ceas

" He smiled ironically. "

rate now. Her nerve had all come back. There had been one swift wave of the feeling that once flooded her girl's heart. It had passed and left her with the remembrance of her wrongs and the thought of unhappy years-throu

e answered quietly, "and I

d, opening her red parasol and stepping sli

than he had thought were possible to any woman. "Wait," he said angr

What do you wish me to say? What I did not finish-t

nothing can wipe it out-no repentance and no remorse? You never gave me a chance for a word of explanation or e

y difference, I will

d. He thought she wa

id heavily. "But I will speak. It is

sh to, but I

The child was born. Time went on. I loved you. I told her. She agreed to go away to England: I gave her money. The day you found us together was

ed you-or her-had I been anything more than a chil

o speak she showed a little excitement, b

he said again. "The man who is

said, looking at him more in

however, his eyes half closed as with a sudden thought he did not return her gaze, but looked do

d not only a selfish brute, but a coward and a would be assassin as well. He had only heard rumors of her life since he had last seen her, twelve years before, but he knew enough to be sure that she was aware of Fairfax Detlor's true character. She had known less still of his life, for since her marriage she had never set foot in Louisiana, and her mother, while she lived, never mentioned his name or told her more th

not know that my husband is dea

r an instant. "It is an unfortuna

t ulterior meaning crept into the words. He loved, and he could detect love, as he thought. He knew by the look that she swept from Hagar to

she said keenly, "but not your being c

. "When was I cowardly?" He was composed

and

eyes, "and that was when I hid from a young girl a miserable sin of mine. To have spok

ed hand as she passed it over her eyes wearily, he saw the ring he had given her twelve years before. He stepped forward quickly w

elford, I do not care for you. I have worn this ring as a

s was the bitterest moment in his life. He was only to know one more bitter, and it would

it? You kept the faith, and I didn't fight the good fight, eh? Well, let it stand so. Will you permit me to keep this ring? The saint needed it t

s merged at last into a stran

he girl was walking there between old Mr. Margrave and Baron. She had once hated both the woman and the child. She knew that to be true to her blood she ought to hate them always, but there crept into her heart now a strange feeling of pity for both. Perhaps the new

ep the ring

his finger, looking down at it with an enigma

k the torn pieces of envelope from her pocket an

I do not see their value. One could almost t

at is he to yo

helped me out of battle, murder and sudden death more than

per, not daring to look at him lest s

hospital i

e no f

t as nothi

thers-no wif

is all I know. They have been parted through

o not kn

me, for at his request I am tryi

and slowly. "You need search no longer

m glad of that. How did you c

him resolutely, he saw a flush

vaguely. "But I know that she

her da

spot where Mildred Margrave stoo

Why has she a

rself known to the daughter till you see her mother. B

led fear. "You asked me to forgive you," she said. "Good-bye. Mark Telford, I do forgive y

t here and meet no

hment," he said as

sible in this world," she

he replied. "Good-bye til

n her. When he had disappeared in the trees, she sat down on the bench. "It is dreadful," she whispered, awe

ed not think freely. The night before she had sat in her room thinking of the man who was giving her what she had lost many years past, and, as she thought, she f

im as ungenerous, unmanly, but there is a maggot which gets into men's brains at times, and it works its will in spite of them. He reasoned with himself. He recalled the look of perfect confidence and honesty with which she regarded him before they parted just now. He talked gayly to Baron and Mildred Margrave, told them to what different periods of architecture the ruins belonged, and by sheer force of will drove away a suspicion-a fear-as unreasonable as it was foolish. Yet, as he talked, the remembrance of the news he had to tel

her lap upon her parasol, her features held in control, save that in her eyes was a bright, hot flame which so many have desired to see in

speaking. "He is gon

face, you would think I had been seeing d

e nothing more than a kind of s

ed solemnly. "Do not

ish to hear them. What drea

now everything," she said, "at

ed that she should be as their own and a companion to their own child; that their own child had died, and Mildred still remained with them. All this she knew from one who was a

you understand all

ot know wh

t she is the daughter of Mrs. Gladney,

nature. What

What can he do?

sorry for

ave women pity to keep men from becoming demons. You can pity

d you quite, but al

erstand it or me.

od knows, a bette

ulsively. Indirect as they were, she caug

. Say it quickly. Let me know it now. On

rn you, dear," he said, "that it will make a

she had called him that-"nothing

was now on his way to England-perhaps in England itself. She took it with an unnatural quietness. She grew distressingly pale, but

ot adamant. You are very good-so good to me that no unhappiness can be

ish I shall

ut what you and I o

say it to another woman, as I never said it before. Say to me once here, be

hat infinite flame in her own which burns all

y went down the quiet path to the river and on toward the gates of

he could watch the two together without anger, almost without bitterness. He had lost in the game, and he was so much the true gamester that he could take his defeat when he knew it was defeat quietly. Yet the new defeat was even harder

tood looking at them. "The kin

ount. He did not stir, but smoked on. The driver waited for some time, and when he did not come drove away without him, to

Detlor that day, then took the path up the hillside to the place where they had stood. He took from his pocket the ri

spirit of a woman living at the north pole. Well, I

but he did it reverently; nor did it appear in the least as weakness, for hi

sat down to write some letters. Presently he got up, went down to the office and asked the porter if Mrs. John Gladney had arrived from London. The porter said she had. He then felt in his pocket for a card, but changed his mind, saying to himself that his name would have no meaning for her. He took a piece of letter paper and wrot

s she had brought. She read the note hurriedly and clinched it in her hand

to show him into the room. She was a woman of instant determination. She drew the curtains closer, so that the room would be almost dark to one entering from the sunli

husband," he said. "M

ow," she i

d curiously at her. "Ida-Ida Royal!" he ex

my hu

mself firmly. "I could not have wished this for my worst enemy

urn for

n make me feel worse than I do? I tell you we have lain under

essage you bri

d on you for your lifetime he will settle on your child. Until this past few da

ot willing to

as no co

the circumstances

for a reason, and when he wished to return you would not

s a go

a goo

learned, no matter how, that I had

m to speak. He said nothing, but

an who had played an evil part in my life; that I bel

's sake, you

. I learned to hate the memory of the other man. But he came back too soon. I said things

my soul!" said Telford,

d him if I could, and to that end I intended to ask a man who had proved himself a friend

is th

eorge

a fortunate man," he said. Then dreamily: "You have

re when I wrote and tol

k that I cared

scorn. "I have seen her in London. I am glad-glad that she hates you. I know she does," s

ve voice. "You are right. I think she hates me.

her?" She eye

tograph of her daughter. He glanced at it keenly. A look of s

lined h

ed up the photograph and

n," was the repl

e picture to the woman. "She

hy should it make any difference now?

now"-His head move

ed for by people who are better, infinitely better, than her father and m

enly over the photograph. "You will tel

marry another woman and told me that we must part? Your child has no father. You shall not tell her. You will go

s knees. He did not speak. She could see his shoulder sh

r child. "Had you not better go?" she said a

all, and I have lost it all," he said.

Where are

raph, moved his hand over it softly as though he were caressing the girl herself, l

to a solicitor in London. There was another unsealed. This he put in his pocket. He took the other letters up, went downstairs and posted them. Then he asked the hall porter to order a horse for riding-the best mount in the stables-to be ready at the door in an hour. He again went to his room, put on a riding suit, came down and walked out across the esplanade and into the street where Hagar's rooms were. They were lighted. He we

t two candles, brought them and set them on a stand between the easels. Then he sat down and studied the paintings attentively. He lau

to where he sat. The artist was astonished, and for the instant embarrassed. Telford

is hand toward the pictures. "

re necessary? You are a lucky man, and you have the ability to take advantage of it. Yes,

. A melancholy smile played on his lip

You have injured me, have insulted me, and yet I do not resent it,

cted. "How have I injured

up a candle and held it to the sketch of the discovery. "This is perfect in its art and chivalry. It glorifies the girl. That is right." He held the candle above the second sketch. "This," he said, "is admirable as art and fict

the inju

quickly took off his coat, waistcoat and colla

man tried to play the assassin. Here is the scar. He posed as the avenger, the her

arm and held it. The clasp was emotional and friendly. "Wil

d the heat of inspiration. But I think you can paint me better than you have done, in these sketches. Come, I will give you a sitting

rn, strong, and with those watchful eyes sunk deep under the powerful brows. The artist in him became greater than the m

iven you a sitting. There is no reason why you should paint the truth to the world. But I ask you this: When you know that her husband is dead and she becomes your wife, tell her the truth about tha

ce, an indescribable melancholy so affecting that Hagar g

rig

e door Hagar said to him

the morning

ce. People looked at him curiously, it was peculiar to see a man riding at night for pleasure,

n into the groom's hand. "Sit up

have. Been a

nd started. He rode down toward the gate.

friend of my stepfather, Mr. Gladney. That's nice, for I like you ever so much, you know." She raised her warm, intelligent eyes

emember you

he moonlight. I mean mamma and I and you.

hand. "Good-night" Her hand was swallowed in his firm clasp for a moment

one," the girl said to herself.

eived a telegram from the docto

njured in a channel collision

hen she was starting, sent it over to his rooms. When he received it, he caught up a time table, saw that a train would leave in a few minutes, ran ou

ing rush of wind on his face as he rode was the keenest of delights. He was enjoying the ride with an iron kind of humor, for there was in his thoughts a picture. "The sequel's sequel for Hagar's brush to-morrow," he said as

It would be too damned rough on the horse, af

came over the highest point of the hill at full speed. Its blood was up, like its master's. The hill below this point suddenly ended in a quarry. N

athing painfully and groaning beside him. With his unbrok

he hand out toward the horse's head

e, but paused. "No, it wasn't to be," he s

p light on his eyes, though he could not see He half raised

his horse out of misery. The story went about so quickly, and so much interest was excited because the Hudson Bay company sent an officer down to bury him, and the new formed Aurora company was represented by two or three ti

end. The girl did not understand why this was, but supposed it was because he was a friend of John Gladney, her stepfather, and perhaps (but this she never said)

aring a silk sash under his waistcoat, and Ba

and was clinched so that it could not be opened. Two years afterward, when he had won his fame through two pictures called "The Discovery" and "T

gar understood Mark Telford better than the wo