The Argosy — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

Princess Eleanor. 125 Walter's letters to Geoffrey ! Some good angel must have suggested to "you the idea of sending them as a sort of evidence to Ernest—you have become my best and truest friend through those delightful pages. And yet I envied you, during a moment, for having known the depths of Walter's heart, our wonderful meeting, his great love, long before I dreamed of what was going op. But tears soon washed away every trace of envy, and now I am waiting impatiently for the hour when I can stretch my hands out to you, and let their pressure tell you what a friend you are to us both. How happy we are! You will see it in our eyes—which by that time will leave off becoming moist—as soon as they meet. We have had to buy our happiness so dearly that it is almost natural that the tears, which did not flow during darkness, should now take their course, when the sun is shining so brightly on our lives. How much we have to tell you! But our history contains some dark pages besides the bright ones. Perhaps we shall not like to think of them when we meet in Rome. Therefore a name: “Werdan”; and the country which receives the unhappy man: “Russia.” I know very little more myself. I must close this letter, and, before I do so, make a confession, which will induce you to believe how very unwillingly I put down my pen. Twilight has succeeded day, and that is the hour which Walter considers the happiest in all the twenty-four. We sit together on the divan, under my picture, between ferns and palms, hand clasped in hand, and speak of— everything that interests us! The days that are coming, the ambitious plans of my artist. But more than that, of the past, which still hides treasures wherewith to make each other happy. Walter has threatened to ring for lights if I do not put down my pen—and if he does so, we lose our twilight hour. Geoffrey, all lovers are selfish. With a doleful look towards this letter, I yet turn to Walter, and in a few more seconds even the friend in the Holy City will be forgotten. In a month we shall be more reasonable ! For the last time, ELEANOR OF WALDEMBERG. (THE END.) comicbooks.com