The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

BY RIGHT OF SWORD. 105 ‘“There’s a woman in most things,’’ I answered equivocally. ‘Yes, I suppose so.’’ She turned away and looked down, and asked: ‘Were you very fond of her, Alexis? ’’ "' Judging by the little ripple that remains on the surface, now that she’s gone out of my life, no; judging by the splash the stone made at first, yes. But she’s gone.”’ : ~ Yet the waters of the pool may be left permanently clouded. I am sorry for you, Alexis; and if you were really my brother, I would try and help you two to mend the breach.”’ ‘“That’s not altogether a very proper thing to say.’’ I spoke lightly, and she looked up to question me. ‘‘ Her husband might not thank you, I mean ; though I’m not quite sure about that ;’’ and then having told her so much, I told her the story of my last meeting with Sir Philip Cargill and Edith. But she did not take it as I wished. ‘“ You must have loved her if you meant to kill her,’’ she said. ‘‘ And. ceased then, if I left her to live a miserable life.’’ ‘I should like to see the woman you have ceased to love,’’ she said, womanlike in curiosity-—and something else. “You may do that yet, if only Alexis Petrovitch can make a safe way for his sister out of Russia ;’’ and then I added, pausing and looking at her with a meaning in my eyes which I wished her to understand, though I dared not put it in plain words: ‘‘ But we shall not be brother and sister then.” She glanced up hurriedly, her face aglow with a sudden rush of thought— pleasurable thought, too—and then looked down again and smiled. ‘‘ In that case how should we two be together ?’’ she asked. ‘“ Do you mean that such a time as that will be likely to render us ready to part ?”’ To that her only answer was another glance and a deeper blush. ‘Then I made an effort and recovered myself on the very verge. ‘But while we are here, we are brother and sister, Olga ;’’ and feeling that if I wished to keep other things unsaid, I had better go away, I left her. CHAPTER XV.—TuE KEY To THE MYSTERY. THE more I contemplated the position the less I liked it, and the more ‘urgent appeared the reasons for hurrying Olga out of the country. All my care was for her. Before this new feeling of mine for her had forced itself upon me, the situation had been really a game of wits, with my life as the stake; but now Olga’s life, or at least her liberty, were also at stake. It was there the crisis pinched me till I winced and writhed under it. Fear had got hold of me at last, and I tugged restlessly at the chain. That night and the next day, the day of Christian Tueski’s funeral, were occupied with heavy duties, because the authorities, both military and civil, persisted in believing there was danger of an emeute. I could have coun- seled them differently if I had dared to open my lips. At least I thought I could; although I did not them hold the key to the mystery. I got it from Paula ‘Tueski. Eomichook (<@)