Lady Evelyn — page 57: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Peso ee hae Promises, vi -cerely that we have both been deceived, and that Rory has come forth from the ordeal by fire unsinged. At the same . time—let me bid you good-by.” “Good-by! And why, senor?” “Because a scene, a qtarrel, are so very unpleasant. and I foresee both in prospective. With the best of mo- tives, I have led you into error; as you say, we have | piaved the spy, and my lordly cousin is a little of a fire- eater when aroused. Rory and I have never had a quar- rel as yet—l am absurdly fond of the lad. I will shirk a quarrel. now if I+can.” The dark, disdainful eyes of the donna flashed scorn- fully upon him in the moonlight. “You take a strange way of showing your fondness, senor. Kest easy; there shall be no scene—no quarrel. ft confess my own faults;“I tell no tales of:others. Mvy lord shall never know from me that the friend he trusts, the kinsman he loves, strove to betray him.” “Donna Inez!” “Enough, Senor Gerald. We will waste no words on this subject. I think, after to-night, I shall understand you thoroughly.” She waved him down with the imperious grace of an insulted empress, and sped on so fleetly that it was all he could do, with his long, man’s strides, to keep up with her. Not another word was exchanged. Gerald Des- mond ground his teeth in “curses, not loud, but deep.” As the best gamesters must, occasionally, he had staked and—lost. | Rory stood alone in the low, long, old-fashioned draw- _ ing-room with a very mystified face. Lady Inez was not in her room, not in the house—neither was Gerald. Where had they gone? She swept in as he stood there alone in dense perplex- ity, her dark, Castilian loveliness all aglow, the Spanish eyes brilliant as stars, the rich, black hair falling loose and long. She flung off her mantilla and crossed over to where he stood, clasped both hands round his arm, and looked up in his face with wondrous shining eyes of splendor. My lord! my love! can you ever forgive me?” 4 “Mh, 1 no kisses, no caresses, until you e" ¢omiebooks