Part 50 (1/2)
In the gloom he found himself confronted by Rosamund's white face between the two dusky countenances of his Nubians She drew back before hi his news to her, followed her within the poop-house, and bade Abiad bring lights
When these had been kindled they faced each other, and he perceived her profound agitation and guessed the cause of it Suddenly she broke into speech
”You beast! You devil!” she panted ”God will punish you! I shall spendHim to punish you as you deserve Youyour false words I was believing you sincere in your repentance of the wrong you have done me But now you have shown me”
”How have I hurt you in what I have done to Lionel?” he cut in, a little amazed by so rew cold and calain with very scorn ”I thank God it is beyond your power to hurtmy foolish misconception of you, my belief in your pitiful pretence that it was your aim to save me I would not accept salvation at your h, indeed, I shall not be put to it Rather,” she pursued, a little wildly now in her deep mortification, ”are you like to sacrifice me to your own vile ends, whatever theye for that” And with a shudderingthere before him
He looked on with a faint, bitter s herhi you the assurance that he has got safely away, and to tell you upon whatin his voice, the easy assurance hich he spoke, drew her to stare at hiain
”Iglance ”That scene between us--the blow and the swoon and the rest of it--was all e to Marzak was a ruse to gain ti until Lionel's head should have become so dimly visible in the dusk that none could say whether it was still there or not My shaft ide of hie to Sir John Killigrew He was a strong swioal That is what I ca spell she continued to stare at hi the truth?” she asked at last, in a sed ”You will have a difficulty in perceiving the object I ht serve by falsehood”
She sat down suddenly upon the divan; it was alth; and as suddenly she fell to weeping softly
”And and I believed that you that you”
”Just so,” he grimly interrupted ”You always did believe the best of me”
And on that he turned and went out abruptly
CHAPTER XXI MORITURUS
He departed fro a profound contrition in her own The sense of this her last injustice to hie by which shehe had suffered at her hands Perhaps her overwroughtit until it see and evil hich this chronicle has been concerned were the direct fruits of her own sin of unfaith
Since all sincere contritionforth an ardent desire to atone, so was it noith her Had he but refrained froht have had her on her knees to hihts had done hi her own utter unworthiness and baseness But since his righteous resentment had driven him from her presence she could but sit and brood upon it all, considering the words in which to fraiveness when next he should return
But the hours sped, and there was no sign of hiht that ere long perhaps Sir John Killigrew's shi+p would be upon theht state of ency Now that it occurred to her all her concern was for the result of it to Sir Oliver Would there be fighting, and would he perhaps perish in that conflict at the hands either of the English or of the corsairs who her confession of penitence, without speaking those words of forgiveness of which her soul stood in such thirsty need?
It would be towards er to bear the suspense of it, she rose and softly made her way to the entrance Very quietly she lifted the curtain, and in the act of stepping forth almost stumbled over a body that lay across the threshold She drew back with a startled gasp; then stooped to look, and by the faint rays of the lanterns on nized Sir Oliver, and saw that he slept
She never heeded the two Nubians iuard
She continued to bend over hiradually and very softly sank down on her knees beside hi froratitude at so much fidelity She did not know that he had slept thus last night But it was enough for her to find him here now It moved her oddly, profoundly, that this ed should even when he slept reater security and protection
A sob escaped her, and at the sound, so lightly and vigilantly did he take his rest, he ca attitude; and so they looked into each other's eyes, his swarthy, bearded hawk face on a level with her white glea countenance
”What is it?” he whispered
She drew back instantly, taken with sudden panic at that question Then recovering, and seeking wo she was co it was afforded her--”Do you think,” she faltered, ”that Lionel will have reached Sir John's shi+p?”