Theo: A Sprightly Love Story

, was the sight of the white, woe-stricken young face, turned up to his when Theodora North followe

agonized whisper. "He will die now; I saw i

told the exact truth in the face of these beautiful, agonize

ionately, feeling in secret great apprehe

y, I shall give way too. You must help me-we must help each other, as we have been doing. It is you only who can save him-it is you he calls for. You must hope with me until some day when he awakes to

o be comforted, as he

ay that to him. If he is ever well enough to know me, I

looked at her over h

romance-monsieur, the doctor. It was une grande passion, was it, and this tractable, beautiful young creature was going to

hall see, mademoiselle, we s

es. Yet, somehow, she felt herself as a stranger, without the right to watch with them. It was so terrible a thing to stand near the woman she had innocently injured, and listen with her to the impassioned adjurations of the lover who had been false, in spite of himself. It seemed his mind was always upon the one theme, and in his delirium

en he was raving thus, when he suddenly paused for a

t was-only seven months, and then to have lost you. Good God, my darling!" and his

ire, motionless, but the fixed face was so white that it forced a low cry from her. She could not bear it a second longer. She s

you think I ought. He knows that you are better than I am. I will go away, and you will make him happy. Oh! I know

ep reverie. But the passionate voice stirred her. She looked dow

ly. "You have done no wrong to me.

oice that Theo obeyed her. Wonderingly, sadly and humbly she r

e what I say to

ered Theo,

you. You have not sacrifi

she did not say anything more. The subje

night, in that small chamber of the wayside inn at St. Quentin; and it

length, and conquered, only by a hair's breadth. The fierce fire of the brain wearing itself out, left him as weak

was in the room but Priscilla Gower; and so it was upo

he found strength to speak. But at las

spered weakly. "Is

calm face, but she did

try your strength too mu

eyes searched he

ispered again. "Is no on

he answered, quietly. "The rest are up-stairs

tion, for his eyes were closing again

But half an hour later, when Pamela came up to her

?" she asked. "I

r with a sort of pity for the almost haggard

said he would be, and he is. Theo, he has

d still-all white, it seemed

e said. "I m

?" sai

turned toward

ne. "I don't know-somewhere, though. To Paris again-or to Downport," with a faint shudder

nd let me die. I have no right here, and I had better

singularly light touch. The tears welled up into her faded eyes. Just at the moment she could think of nothing but the day, so far awa

e said to her, "

ed sobs only came the f

that it is all over. I loved him, and he loved me, too; he loved me always from the first, though we both tried so hard, so hard; yes, we d

f away into a strained quiet, and she lay at length in silence, Pamela

of the night, in her feverish hurry to make her slight preparations for the journey. She could go to Paris and wait till Lady Throckmorton came bac

the morning, with a new arrival-an arrival no less than Lady Th

request, her ladyship had accompanied her. The blunder of an awkward servant had prevented her receiv

indiscretion, she felt a touch of admiration, at

two years old and looks forty; but you, Theodora-you to run away from Paris, with no one but a maid; to run away to nurse a m

state of mind when she discovered that Denis h

began to comprehend at last, and it was Priscilla

s preparing to take his departure, Priscilla Gower addressed him suddenl

atient improves r

answer. "Men like him

r head in a

," she said. "Do you think he is

, mademoiselle? Of g

ur," she answer

aid the doctor, "

er erect h

's presence ever so slightly while she spoke,

said. "Miss Gower's ill-health renders any further absence a neglect.

ggested Lady

" was the

her, in one long, steady look; Lady Throckmorton's profoundly searching, w

Throckmo

said, "and she sh

ad. "I am going now to speak to Mr. Oglethorpe. When I o

swered he

three people can tell, and those three people are Denis Oglethorpe, his wife, and the woman who, in spite of her coldness, was truer to him than he dared be to himself. There was no sound of raised

s her command.

-she scarcely cared. She merely went because she was told. But when she looked up at Pris

had time to utter a word, she was drawn

s, she saw, in one instant, that something had happened,

ld, and came to him when he was at the world's mercy. I have told him, too, that five years ago he made a great mistake which I shared with hi

eart surged into her face, in a gre

t me go. Only forgive him, and let him begin again. He mus

d her, smiling,

Theodora. You were not made to miss it. I have not been blind all these months. How could I be? I only wanted to wait and make sure that thi

as she went out, and Theodora North understood cl

less pause, and then Denis

" he said. "

remulous, with glowing cheeks and tear-wet

ore noble; but she can never love you better, or be more faithfu

n to the routine of their old lives, there was a quiet wedding celebrated

so quiet, indeed, that the people who made the young English beauty's romanc

r read the announcement in the paper

dge, at least, to a certain lack of enthusiasm. I can be faithful, but I cannot be impassioned. It is impossible for me to suffer as yo

, drew them toward each other; at any rate, they were faithful; and even when, three years later, Priscilla Gower ma

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