CHAPTER XIII
THE GAME OF BLUFF
Roger Broom had seen the boat coming from afar. Already the lighters werealongside, and the process of coaling was about to begin. This would begot through as soon as possible, and necessary provisions bought from theboats plying from the town with fresh milk, butter, eggs, meat, fowls,and green vegetables. But Roger knew well that, expedite their businessas they might, the _Bella Cuba_ would not steam out of the harbourwithout a challenge from the law. The only shock of surprise heexperienced at sight of the official-looking little craft, makingstraight for the yacht, was in recognizing the Marchese Loria, the lastman he had expected to see.
As he stood on deck beside the quartermaster near the rail, Loria hailedhim by name, while the boat came alongside, and the four rowers shippedtheir dripping oars.
"Ah, Sir Roger, you are surprised to see me!" the Marchese cried. "But,by our old friendship, I hope you will let me come on board. Thesegentlemen in the boat with me are the United States Consul, Mr. Chandler;the French Consul, Monsieur de Letz; and Herr Dr. Sauber, the medicalofficer for the health of the port."
"Speaking for Miss Beverly as well as myself, we shall be very pleased tosee you," said Roger. "Herr Dr. Sauber's business with us it is easy toguess, and he is prompt in carrying it out. Mr. Chandler and Monsieur deLetz are, no doubt, your friends, Marchese, who have come with you to payus a friendly visit. We shall be delighted to entertain them on board aswell as we can during the dreary process of coaling."
"I can't let you receive us on false pretenses, sir," replied the UnitedStates Consul. "My business and that of Monsieur de Letz is not whollyfriendly, unfortunately, although we are both particularly anxious itshould be carried out in a friendly spirit. It is in this hope thatcertain formalities have been waived. It is, as you know, your duty toreceive Dr. Sauber on board, and as you fly the American colours it isyour duty to receive me as the representative of the authority of theUnited States."
"Charmed, I'm sure, to see you in any capacity," said Roger, his toneunchanged. "Though what the authority of the United States should have todo in procuring us the pleasure, I----"
"The authority of the United States supports France, as it is bound todo, in accordance with the extradition treaty, in demanding that you giveup the fugitive convict, 1280, who came on board your yacht at NewCaledonia."
"We have no convict with us," retorted Roger.
"In that case you cannot object to search being made," said Monsieur deLetz.
"We do most certainly object to being insulted," Roger replied. "Mr.Chandler, the owner of this yacht is an American lady, Miss Beverly. Icall upon you as her Consul to protect her interests, not to sacrificethem."
"Sir Roger," Loria broke in, before Chandler could answer, "I beg oncemore that you will let me come on board with the doctor as a friend. Iwill explain why, when we can talk together. Though I am with thesegentlemen, their errand is not mine."
"The doctor I feel bound to receive," said Roger. "But Miss Beverly, itseems to me, has as much right to choose who her guests shall be on boardher own yacht as in her own house. If she were here to speak forherself----"
"She is here to speak for herself," said Virginia, at his shoulder."Marchese Loria, I invite you to come on board. I invite also the UnitedStates Consul, whose protection I claim. But I do not choose to haveother guests."
"The health officer has a right to board us, you know, Virginia," saidRoger in a loud tone; then close to her ear: "Hang it all! we are more orless at their mercy. We can't get away without coaling, and they know it.Our poor little cannon are of no use to us here. We can't afford to defyany of the powers interested; they've got too many gunboats in theharbour. Bluff is our game, and we've got to play it for all it's worth.But you're perfectly right about the Consul. Only, if you don't wantLoria, you needn't----"
"I do want him," Virginia hastily whispered--"for a special reason. And Iwant to talk to him alone. But for heaven's sake keep the Frenchman off!Who knows what _coup_ he may be planning?"
As if in answer, though he could not possibly have heard, De Letzannounced from the boat that he did not wish to insist upon boarding theyacht. He would trust his business in Mr. Chandler's hands, since thelady preferred it. This easy-going courtesy alarmed Virginia. She feltinstinctively that the enemy had a strong trump with which to confoundher unexpectedly. Still, if she did not quite see the enemy's game, atleast they could not see hers.
The gangway was let down. Loria, Chandler, and the medical officer of theport came on board. Then the gangway was drawn up, though the FrenchConsul and the four oarsmen sat placidly in the boat.
The purser, who was busy receiving stores, was sent for, to beinterviewed by the doctor. Roger, standing by, gave half his attention tothe conversation between these two, and half to the United States Consul,who plunged at once into the subject of the escaped convict.
Monsieur de Letz had informed him, he announced, that if the fugitivewere not given up to justice by the American yacht, it would be regardedby France as a direct and deliberate affront. Meanwhile, the medicalofficer bombarded the unfortunate purser with questions. What ports hadbeen visited? Where had the passengers been taken on? None sinceAlexandria? Humph! Alexandria was considered an infected port at present.Any one ill on board? No? Where, then, were the remaining members of theparty? In their cabins? The doctor must ask, as a mere matter of form, tosee them.
Roger Broom's lips were suddenly compressed. So this was the game. He sawit all now. The doctor was in the plot. He meant to detain the yacht inquarantine. If he succeeded in doing this, Maxime Dalahaide was lost.Everything else they had thought of, but not this.
"May I speak with you alone, Miss Beverly?" Loria had begun to plead, theinstant he had set foot on deck. "Believe me, it is partly for your ownsake, partly for the sake of others whose welfare is dear to you, that Iask it."
It was the thing for which Virginia had been wishing. "Come down with meinto the saloon," she said.
"Could we not speak here, at a little distance from the others?" urgedLoria, who knew that the doctor intended to visit the cabins.
"It is better below," the girl answered. She was determined to be alreadyin the saloon before the others came down. "Come quickly, and we can talkwithout being disturbed."
There was nothing for Loria to do but to obey.
They went down the companionway; and George Trent, on guard with his booknear the Countess de Mattos's cabin door, jumped up at sight of Loria.
"What, you here, Marchese?" he began. But Virginia cut him short with alook and gesture both imploring and imperative.
"Leave us, George, I beg," she said. "Later, there will be time forexplanations."
Without a word, the young man bowed and walked away. But he did not gofarther than his cabin. He wished to be at hand if he were needed, as hemight be, by and by.
On the other side of the stateroom door stood the Countess, halfcrouching, like a splendid tigress ready to spring.
"Marchese," George Trent had said. Who was this Marchese? Could it bepossible that it was the one man of all others for whom her heart hadcried out? Had his soul, in some mysterious, supernatural way, heard hersoul calling to him across the world? Had he heard, and come to her here,to save her from her enemies? In another moment she must hear the voiceof the newcomer whom George had addressed as "Marchese," and then shewould know.
Even as she told herself this, schooling her impatience, the voicespoke. "Miss Beverly--Virginia," it said brokenly, imploringly, "for thelove of heaven don't misjudge me. I came with those men to-day, not tohelp them, but to help you--if I can. You must know I would give my lifeto serve you. My life, do I say? I would give my soul. It was inignorance of what would happen that I visited Samoa. The French Consul isan old school friend. He told me everything--I mean, the news from NewCaledonia. He has photographs of Maxime. I tried to get them away,without his knowledge, but I didn't succeed. You must not be embroiledfurther in this terrible affair.
The best thing is for you to give thepoor fellow up, and I swear to you that, for your sake, and for his--eventhough I believe him guilty--I will find some means of saving him. Thedoctor has been promised all sorts of favours if he will state that thereis a suspicious case of illness on board; a stateroom door locked againsthim will be enough to raise suspicions that you are hiding a case ofplague. You can do nothing. Unless you give Maxime up, and it is seenthat you have a clean bill of health, you will be detained indefinitelyin quarantine. Further advices will arrive from New Caledonia,representations will be made to the authorities here, it will become aninternational question, and you will be forced to surrender the escapedprisoner. Maxime will then be lost, for I should be unable to help him,if things had gone so far--the hue and cry would be too furious. De Letzis determined to thwart you, but he doesn't know that I am a secret allyof your plans. Trust to me. Give Maxime up while there is time, and youwill never repent it."
"You make brave promises, Marchese," returned Virginia. "But you do notname your price. I suppose, like other men, you have a price for what yousay you can do?"
"I make no conditions," answered Loria. "It hurts me that you could thinkof it. All I want is a little gratitude from you--ah, no, I cannot saythat is all I _want_. Only, it is all I ask. What I want more thananything on earth, more than anything which even Heaven could give, isthe treasure of your love. For that, I could fight my way, and MaximeDalahaide's way, through the place of lost spirits, and laugh at thetortures of Hades. I dare not ask for that treasure now. Give me what youcan, that is all, and my life's blood is yours, for I worship you,Virginia. I dream of you night and day. If I cannot have you for my wife,I shall go to my grave unmarried, and the sooner the better. There'snothing but you in the world; no other woman but you; there never hasbeen for me, and never will be."
"It's false!" cried the voice of a woman, husky with passion; andthrowing open the door of her cabin, the Countess de Mattos stood on thethreshold, not six feet distant from the two in the saloon.
Carried away on the tide of his very real love for Virginia Beverly,whose pale, spiritualized beauty had gone to his head like wine, thehot-blooded Italian was at a disadvantage. Strength had gone out of himin his appeal. Physically and mentally he was spent.
The passionate voice, the flaming eyes of the woman suddenly seen in thedoorway, struck him like a double blow aimed at a drowning man. "Liane!"he cried, before he could regain the self-mastery which meant all thedifference between life and death.
"Yes," she flung at him in French, "I _am_ Liane--Liane Devereux. Come,every one, and hear what I have to say. This man is a traitor--traitorousfriend and treacherous lover!" She stopped for an instant, and threw aglance round the saloon. Loria and Virginia Beverly were no longer alonethere. George Trent, Sir Roger Broom, Kate Gardiner, and two men who werestrangers had suddenly appeared as if by a conjuring trick. The womanstood with her head held high, like some magnificent wild creature of theforest at bay, fearing nothing save loss of vengeance. She was glad thatall these people had come. The more there were to hear the tale she meantto tell, the more sure the stroke of her revenge. Yes, she was glad,glad! And though she died for it, under the knife of the guillotine, shewould ruin the man who had deceived her.
"He pretended to love me," she went on. "But now I know that he neverdid, for when he vowed love and devotion his voice did not once sound asI have heard it now, speaking to that white-faced girl when he did notdream I was near.
"I am Liane Devereux, not a Portuguese woman, not the Countess de Mattos,therefore Maxime Dalahaide is not a murderer, since I live. It was theMarchese Loria who arranged everything--even my name, and credentials,and proofs of my identity as Manuela de Mattos, in case they were everneeded. Oh, there was nothing neglected. But now I know that it was notfor my sake, as I thought, but to serve his own ends, and I am willing todie to hold him back from success.
"I will tell you the whole story from the beginning. Five years ago I wasan actress in Paris. I made two or three failures. A powerful dramaticcritic had vowed to drive me off the stage. He had begun his work; and atthis perilous time in my career, just as I had quarrelled with mymanager, Maxime Dalahaide fell in love with me. I thought he was rich.It occurred to me that if I became his wife I could leave the stage in ablaze of glory. Besides, he was brilliant and handsome. I was flatteredby his admiration, and felt that it would be easy to love him. I did allI could to win an offer of marriage from him. When it came I accepted.But soon after our engagement his father lost a great deal of money. Irealized that Maxime would not be as good a match as I had counted uponmaking. Still, I did not throw him over; for by that time I cared for hishandsome face, and I was of far too jealous a nature to risk throwing himinto the arms of another woman. If we parted, I thought I knew to whatwoman he would turn. There was an English girl singing at the OperaComique, whose name at one time had been coupled with Maxime Dalahaide's.She had a good voice and a pretty enough face, but she would not havesucceeded in Paris, people whispered, if Maxime had not helped her. I hadspoken to him of this girl, and he had denied caring for her. She was avery ordinary, uninteresting creature, apart from her beauty, he said;but she had been friendless and in hard luck, and as he was half Englishhimself, he had done what he could to aid a lonely and deserving youngcountrywoman, that was all. Still, I was never sure that he was notdeceiving me. Altogether, in those days, I was unhappy. The MarcheseLoria, Maxime's best friend--as I thought--was very sympathetic. He cameoften to see me, both with Maxime and alone. One day they quarrelled inmy house. It was Loria who began it. He accused Maxime of prejudicing hissister Madeleine against him, and Maxime admitted that, though he lovedLoria, he did not think he would made a good husband, and did not wishhim to marry Madeleine. With a look of jealous hatred in his eyes, whichI have never forgotten, Loria cried out that Maxime had always taken awayfrom him everything he wanted most--love of friends and women,popularity, all that a man values in life. Then, almost before Maximecould answer to vow that never, consciously, had he been Loria's rival orinjured him in any way, Loria begged forgiveness, said he had spoken inanger--that in his heart he did not mean a word. So the quarrel--ifquarrel you could call it--was made up. But I guessed then that Loria hadnever really loved Maxime.
"It was only a few days after this that I found myself in great troublewith my creditors. Maxime had had too many losses to help me much, thoughhe lent me two or three thousand francs. I asked him to pawn my jewels,which were worth a good deal, and to do it in his own name. It was Loriawho put this idea into my head. He said that by this means I shouldprevent the pawn-tickets from being seized by other creditors. Late thatvery afternoon, when, against his will, Maxime had taken my jewels, theEnglish girl, Olive Sinclair, came to my flat, saying that she must talkto me of an affair of great importance to us both. I was curious, and myjealousy was up in arms. She was admitted by my maid, who was just goingout for the whole evening, by my permission.
"Olive Sinclair came in. We were alone together in the flat. She began bysaying that she was going to England by the late boat that night, andthat Maxime Dalahaide was going with her. As soon as possible, the girlwent on, they would be married at a registrar's office, and the marriagekept secret from his family until she came of age the next year, when shewould inherit a fortune, which she should be only too glad to share withher beloved Maxime. She had heard, she said, that I went about boastingeverywhere of my engagement to Maxime Dalahaide, and that she could bearit no longer, so she had come to tell me the real truth, and humble mypride. Perhaps I would not have believed her if I had not known thatMaxime _did_ intend to go to England that night. He had told me that hewanted to see an uncle there on business. At once his story seemedimprobable. I believed that the girl was telling me the truth. I havealways had a hot temper, which often escapes beyond control. A wave ofrage rushed up to my head, and made a red flame leap before my eyes. Asthe girl talked on, smiling insolently, I struck her in my passion. Shestaggered, and fell on the floor, her
head pressed up against the fenderin a curious way. Dear heaven, I can see her now, lying there, her eyesstaring wide open, seeming to look at me, her lips apart! She did not cryout or move; and as I stood watching her, frightened at what I had done,a few drops of blood began to ooze from her mouth.
"I went down on my knees, and shook her by the shoulder, calling hername; but her head fell on one side, as if she had been a horrid dummymade of rags; and still her eyes were staring and her blood-stained lipssmiling that foolish, awful smile. It was at this moment that I heard aknocking at the door.
"At first I kept quite still, dazed, not knowing what I should do. Butthen I thought it might be Maxime, who had changed his mind about sellingthe jewels, and come back soon to tell me. I was in the mood to see himat whatever cost. I called through the door to know who was there.Loria's voice answered. I let him in, explained confusedly what hadhappened, and begged him to bring the girl back to consciousness. Fiveminutes later he told me that she was dead. In falling, and strikingagainst the fender, she had broken her neck.
"'What is to become of me?' I asked. 'I did not mean to kill her, andyet--I am a murderess. Will they send me to the guillotine for this?'
"'No, because I will save you,' Loria answered. Then, quickly, he made meunderstand the scheme that had come into his mind. So cunning, sowonderfully thought out it was, that I asked myself if he had somehowplanned all that had happened; if he had sent the girl to me, and toldher to say what she had said, counting on my hot blood for some suchsequel as really followed. But I could not see any motive for suchplotting, and in a moment I forgot my strange suspicions, in gratitudefor his offer to save me. Sometimes I had fancied that, in spite of hiswish to marry Madeleine Dalahaide, he loved me; now he swore to me thetruth of this, and I was scarcely surprised. He would give everything hehad in the world to save me, he said. What a fool I was to believe him!All I had to do in return was to promise that I would obey implicitly.Gladly I promised, and I did not falter even when the full horror of hisplan was revealed. It was that or a disgraceful, terrible death for me.Oh, I would have done anything then to escape the guillotine!
"First of all he made me write a letter to Maxime, telling him that Ihated him and never wished to see him again; that I loved another manbetter. I did this gladly. That was nothing. And Loria let me go out andsend the letter, while he began the awful work which had to come next. Ithanked him for that. I had not nerve enough left to help much after whatI had gone through.
"When I came back to the flat after sending off the letter, Loriaunlocked the door for me. Already the worst was over.
"His idea was for me to escape and let it seem that _I_ had beenmurdered. This could be done, because Olive Sinclair would not be missed.She had given up her rooms to leave for England that night. In a baghanging from her belt were her tickets for train and boat. We were ofmuch the same figure. Loria, in speaking to me of her before, hadmentioned this slight resemblance. Her hair was brown, while mine wasred-gold. Hers would have to be bleached, now that she lay dead. Butthere was no great difficulty in that, for I had the stuff in the house,as I used it in very small quantities to give extra brightness to mine.
"While I had been gone Loria had fired shot after shot into the poor deadface, from a revolver, which he did not show me. Afterward, when I wasfar away, I heard that the weapon was Maxime's; but, honestly, I did notthink at the time that Maxime would be implicated in this affair. I washalf mad. I thought only of myself, and of Loria's self-sacrifice.Already I could have worshipped him for what he was doing to save me.
"He shot the hands, too, that they might be shattered, for OliveSinclair's hands were not like mine; but before he did that, he hadslipped two or three of my rings, which he had found on mydressing-table, upon the dead fingers.
"All this was finished when I dragged myself home. But together webleached the dark hair till it was the colour of mine, and together wedressed the body in my clothes, Loria having removed the gown before heused the revolver. Oh, the horror of that scene! It is part of mypunishment that I live it over often at night. At last we arranged theshattered hands to look as if the girl had flung them up to protect herface from the murderer.
"I put on her travelling dress, and her hat, with a thick veil of my own.Meanwhile, a knock had come at the door. I feared that the shots had beenheard, and that we would be arrested. But Loria quieted me. He said therevolver was small, and had made scarcely any sound; that, as no onelived in the flat above or just underneath, it was quite safe. We did notanswer the knock, though it came again and again. But afterward, in theletter-box on the door, there was a packet containing the money whichMaxime had got from the pawnbroker for my jewels. That I took with me,and Loria gave me more. Whether Maxime himself brought the money, or sentit by messenger, I did not know; but, afterward, the _concierge_ borewitness that he had passed into the house before the murder must havetaken place, and gone out long afterward. And dimly I remembered, inthinking of Loria as he had looked in that dreadful hour, that he hadworn a coat and hat like Maxime's. How can I tell what were the detailsof his scheme? But when Maxime was accused of the murder, and Loria madeno effort to exonerate him, it took all my faith in the Marchese as alover to believe that he was sacrificing his friend wholly for my sake.As for me--why should I give myself up to the guillotine for a man whowould have betrayed me for an Olive Sinclair--especially when he was notcondemned to death, but only to imprisonment?
"I went to England in Olive Sinclair's place. Fortunately for me, she hadno relatives. No one asked questions, no one cared what had become ofher. She was not a celebrity, in spite of the way in which MaximeDalahaide had worked to help her. After a while I left England forPortugal. Meanwhile I had dyed my hair, and stained my complexion with awonderful clear olive stain which does not hurt the skin, and shows thecolour through. Here are the things I use, in this bag. I keep it alwayslocked and ready to my hand.
"Loria bought me a little land and an old ruined house near Lisbon,belonging to an ancient family, of whom the last member had died. Thetitle went with the land. It was supposed that I was a distant cousin,with money, and a sentiment of love for the old place. But really I hatedit. It was dull--deadly dull. I travelled as much as possible, and Loriahad promised that at the end of the five years he would marry me, sayingalways that he loved me well; that if he had sinned it was for love ofme, and to save me. When the world had forgotten the affair of MaximeDalahaide we would be married, and live in countries where no one hadheard the story, and nothing would remind us of the past. I forcedmyself to believe him, for he was my all--all that was left to me inexile. But now I know him for what he is. I would swear that he plannedeverything from the beginning to ruin Maxime Dalahaide. He here to helphis old enemy! No, it is he who must have set the bloodhounds on histrack. I fight under Loria's banner no longer. He loves Virginia Beverly.Now that she knows him as he is, and what he has done for hatred, let herput her hand in his if she will."
The woman's voice fell from a shrill height into silence. Herolive-stained face was ash-gray with exhaustion. No one had interrupted,or tried to check the fierce flood of the confession, not even Loria. Allhad stood listening, breathless; and Virginia had known that, behind thedoor of his locked cabin, Maxime Dalahaide must hear every clear-cadencedword of fine, Parisian French.
Loria had stood listening with the rest, a sneer on his lips, though hiseyes burned with a deep fire. If he had taken a step, hands would havebeen thrust out to stop him. But he did not move except, in the midst ofLiane Devereux's story, to play nervously with an old-fashioned ring oftwisted, jewel-headed serpents on the third finger of his left hand.
Suddenly, as the woman finished, he raised the hand to his lips andseemed to bite the finger with the ring. Then he dropped his hand andlooked at his accomplice with a strained smile. But the smile froze; thelips quivered into a slight grimace. His eyes, glittering with agony,turned to Virginia.
"I loved you," he said, and fell forward on his face.
 
; "He has taken poison!" exclaimed Chandler, the United States Consul. "Itmust have been in that queer ring."
He and Roger Broom and George Trent and the German doctor pressed roundthe prostrate figure, but the woman who had denounced him was before themall. With a cry she rushed to the fallen man, and, flinging herself down,caught up the hand with the ring. They saw what she meant to do, andwould have snatched her away, but already her lips had touched the spotwhere his had been, and found the same death.
* * * * *
The whole situation was changed by the unexpected developments on boardthe _Bella Cuba_. Dr. Sauber had relinquished, indeed, almost forgotten,the clever plan by which the yacht was to be detained. The French Consul,Loria's host, was hurriedly brought on board, to be dumbfounded by arecital of what had happened. With Loria dead, and guilty, the fugitiveconcealed on the _Bella Cuba_ innocent, De Letz's personal motive fordetaining the prisoner disappeared. His chivalry was fired by Virginia'sbeauty and the brave part she had played. In the end, instead of makingdifficulties for the party, he consented to take charge of his friend'sbody and that of Liane Devereux, which latter duty was his by right, asconsul to the country from which she came. The dead man and dead womanwould be carried ashore in the boat which had brought the four men outto the yacht; and De Letz would, acting on the statement of those who hadheard the confession, make such representations to France as wouldeventually obtain for Maxime Dalahaide a free pardon with permission toreturn to his own land. Meanwhile he (De Letz) reiterated that it was asmuch his duty as before to bring about the arrest of the escaped convict,who had no more right to break his prison bonds if innocent than if hewere guilty. To bring it about if possible! But--_was_ it possible? Andthe Frenchman shrugged his shoulders, half smiling at Virginia. Mr.Chandler advised him that, in the present circumstances, it would beunwise to make the attempt. De Letz was inclined to agree, and, as Dr.Sauber had apparently found a clean bill of health, the _Bella Cuba_ musttake her own sweet way, rebel though she was.
So when the yacht had finished coaling she steamed out of the harbour ofSamoa with Convict 1280 still on board.
Virginia's desire was to make for America, and to send for Madeleine,who had been living all this time with her aunt in an old Surreymanor-house belonging to Roger Broom. The brother and sister should stayat her house in Virginia until Maxime was free to return to France, andhe would grow strong and well, and everybody concerned would be happy. Itwould be madness, she urged, for Maxime to put himself in the power ofFrench law until such time as his innocence was officially acknowledged.
But Maxime thought otherwise. His innocence had been declared, and wouldsooner or later be acknowledged. The manly and honourable thing to do wasto trust to the generosity of his adopted land. To France he would go,and boldly throw himself upon her mercy.
"He is right, Virginia," said Roger, fearing the while that secretjealousy influenced his decision.
"He is right," echoed George Trent, with no hidden thoughts at all.
Virginia held her peace, though her heart was full; and the ultimatedestination of the _Bella Cuba_ was France.
* * * * *
France did not disappoint Maxime's trust, but months passed before he wasa free man. Meantime hope had given him new life. His sister was nearhim. Virginia Beverly was in Paris with an elderly relative of RogerBroom's as her chaperon-companion, instead of Kate Gardiner. Though hewas virtually a prisoner, since the eye of the law was upon him, and thevoice of the law pronounced that he should go so far and no farther,still he was happy, so happy that he often awoke from prison dreams, notdaring to believe the present reality.
Then at last the day came when he was free. Madeleine was staying withVirginia. He would see them together. There was heaven in the thought.George Trent was there, but not Roger Broom. Roger had been called toEngland on business, but he was returning that evening.
Never had there been such a dinner as that which celebrated Maxime'srelease from the old bonds. Virginia had taken a beautiful house whichhad been to let furnished, near the Bois de Boulogne.
After the dinner the two girls with their brothers went out into thegarden, the old aunt, exhausted with over-much joy, remaining indoors.
Virginia knew what would come next, and drew Madeleine away from the twoyoung men that George might have the chance of asking Maxime for hissister. Five minutes later Maxime was squeezing Madeleine's hand, andtelling her that no news could have made him so happy. Then, somehow, thelovers disappeared, and Virginia Beverly and Maxime Dalahaide were alonetogether.
"Everything good comes to us from you," he said, his voice unsteady."What can I do to show you how I--how we worship you for all you havedone, all you have been?"
"There is one thing you can do," Virginia answered softly. "A favour tome. There is a little gift I want to make to you, on this day of allothers. I have been planning it, thinking of it for a long time. Here isthis paper. Take it and read. You will see then what I mean, and why Iwant it so much."
It was a long, folded document of legal aspect which she thrust into hishand, and in the blue evening light he opened it. At sight of the firstwords the blood leaped to his dark face, marble no longer, but a man'sface, young, handsome, and virile. He looked from the paper to Virginia.
"Why, it is a deed of gift!" he exclaimed. "The chateau--no, MissBeverly, you are more than generous, but this cannot be. The chateau isyours--I would rather it belonged to you than to any one on earth, evenmyself--and yours it must remain."
"I bought it for you. It will break my heart if you refuse," saidVirginia, with tears in her voice.
The sound of her pain smote him with anguish. He lost his head and forgotthe barrier between them--that he was poor, with a dark past and anuncertain future, that she was a great heiress.
"Break your heart!" he repeated. "My darling, my angel, I would give allthe blood in mine for one smile from you. I never meant to say this. Ioughtn't to say it now, but--it said itself. You must have known before.You are the very soul of me, though I'm not worthy to touch your dearhand. I couldn't take the old home from you--don't you understand? Icouldn't live there again with this love of you in my heart, for it wouldmake it so much the harder. I can't forget you; I would rather die thanforget you. This love is too sweet to live without, but I know very wellthat we can never be anything to each other, and my plans are all made.As soon as Madeleine is married I shall go out to Africa and try for luckas other men have tried--and found it. It is better for me to be far awayfrom you----"
"No, no, I love you!" cried Virginia. Then putting him from her with aquick gesture: "But it will be I who go far away from you. I have no rightto care. My cousin, Roger Broom, will take me to England--anywhere--itdoesn't matter. I promised long ago to marry him. In the winterperhaps----"
"In the winter you and Max here will be spending your honeymoon at theChateau de la Roche," said Roger's voice, with a hard cheerfulness. "Thatold promise--why, I never meant to hold you to it, dear. I don't takebribes, and--I saw this coming long ago. I'm quite content it should beso. You'll forgive me for overhearing, won't you, girlie? I didn't meanto give you such a surprise, but I'm not sorry now. Give me your hand,Max, old man, and you, Virginia. There! I'm glad it should be the oldcousin-guardian who joins them together."
"You mean it, Roger?" panted Virginia.
"Of course I mean it."
The two hands joined under his. And the man and the girl were too happyto read anything save kindness in its nervous pressure.
THE END
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