Adventure Magazine Cover — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

684. come as a servant in your Palace, sooner than live away from you in luxury!” Her spirited words put fresh heart into her bridegroom, and from that moment he shook off his rising depression and warmed to the task before him. Loti felt impressed by the businesslike manner in which the preparations for de- parture were made. Maldio’s methods were those of speed and despatch. ‘The very smallest detail in regard to giving up Red Tower he personally supervised, while all financial arrangements for her comfort and the support of her father were put into the hands of an able lawyer of irre- proachable reputation. “Of course I shall go back to Cambridge and do what I can to cheer my father,”’ she said. “I suppose I had better tell him who Mr. Kingsley really is. It will be a great shock, of course, but I could not stand the strain of parrying questions and keeping up the fiction that my husband was some stranger unknown to him. Of course the world will soon ring with the wonderful story of your return, and father must know first. With his horror of mor- ganatic marriages, I fear I shall have a dif- ficult task in trying to reconcile him to the inevitable.” To make it easier for Loti, Maldio went straight to his desk, and wrote a long affectionate letter to the Professor, in which he swore to remain true to his Eng- lish bride until the hour of death. He begged forgiveness for the deception played upon one who, as a parent, had every right to share their confidence, fully explaining the very exceptional circumstances. He begged Loti’s father to regard this strange situation as sufficient excuse, and warned the old man that his daughter’s return was but temporary, as he should make arrange- ments for her to live in Lambasa, directly he was sure of his crown. The good-by in a London station seemed to the bride like some weird dream. Her brain could hardly grasp the fact that Mal- dio was returning to his high position. To her he was just the love of her youth, the simple, light-hearted, boyish companion of a blissful honeymoon. Those days at Yew- ton now appeared strangely distant and vision-like—with one dark blot, the awful night of a cruel bogus arrest. Despite her inward agony, she determined to show a smiling face to the last. Maldio should Adventure remember her as_ never stanch, brave, unfaltering. As he took her in his arms in the reserved compartment and pressed a last long kiss upon lips which quivered against her will, he whispered words of courage and the sure hope of future reunion. Loti clung to him, her face pale, her heart steadfast in its resolve not to break down. “Shall I come with you as far as the boat?” she whispered, a wild longing to put off the evil hour of parting prompting this sudden desire. He shook his head. “No, darling, I could not endure the thought of your trav- eling back alone—it would make it harder forme. You have good time now to catch your train to Cambridge. You will feel happier in familiar surroundings; the old home will help you to bear up.” The doors of the train were already being closed, and Maldio watched the trembling figure alight. Wonderfully handsome he looked as he leaned through the open win- dow for a last clasp of the dear hand, a last word, a last passionate meeting of lan- guishing eyes. ‘““Good-by, my heart, my wife, my queen!’’ he murmured, as the engine’s shrill whistle sounded the dread moment of departure. Loti tried to answer, but she could not speak for the choking sensation in her throat. As Maldio vanished from view, Loti moved away, blinded by a rush of long-checked tears. She felt glad his last words were—“‘ my queen.” They filled her with momentary comfort, holding some vague significance, for deep down in her heart lay the ever-un- spoken dread, and haunting specter—of a future queen. anything but (aff MARTHA’S excitement knew no bounds as she prepared for Mrs. - Kingsley. Ample funds enabled her greatly to increase the comfort of College View. Inwardly the Professor asked himself what this return meant, fearfully contem- plating the early absence of the bridegroom. The mystery still held for him the taint of something underhand. Surely all these secret dealings must spell the future ruin of Loti’s happiness! Had she possibly been tricked into some marriage which was no matriage at all? Was she the tool of some COMICLOOCKS.ECO S|