Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Islands -- Fiction; Love stories; Nobility -- Fiction
As he turned into the tree-lined avenue near the gate, a slender young
woman in a green and white gown arose from a seat in the shade and
stepped a pace forward, opening her parasol quite leisurely as he
quickened his steps. His eyes gleamed with the sudden rush of joy that
filled his whole being. She stood there, waiting for him, under the
trees. There was an expression in her face that he had never seen there
before. She was smiling, it is true, but there was something like
defiance--yes, it was the set, strained smile of resolution that greeted
his eager exclamation. Her eyes gleamed brightly and she was breathing
as one who has run swiftly.
"You are determined to go down there among those men?" she demanded, the
smile suddenly giving way to a look of disapproval. She ignored his
hand.
"Certainly," he said, after the moment of bewilderment. "Why not? I--I
thought you had made up your mind to let me go without a--a word for
good luck." She found great difficulty in meeting the wistful look in
his eyes. "You are good to come down here to say good-bye--and howdy do,
for that matter. We're almost strangers again."
"I did not come down to say good-bye," she said, her lips trembling ever
so slightly.
"I don't understand," he said.
"I am going with you into the town--as a witness," she said, and her
face went pale at the thought of it. He drew back in amazement, staring
at her as though he had not heard aright.
"Genevra," he cried, "you--you would do _that_?"
"Why not, Mr. Chase?" She tried to speak calmly, but she was trembling.
After all, she was a slender, helpless girl--not an Amazon! "I saw and
heard everything. They won't believe you unsupported. They won't harm
me. They will treat me as they treat you. I have as much right to be
heard against him as you. If I swear to them that what you say is true
they----"
Her hand was on his arm now, trembling, eager, yet charged with fear at
the prospect ahead of her. He clasped the little hand in his and quickly
lifted it to his lips.
"I'm happy again," he cried. "It's all right with me now." She withdrew
her hand on the instant.
"No, no! It isn't that," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Don't
misinterpret my coming here to say that I will go. It isn't because--no,
it isn't that!"
He hesitated an instant, looking deep into the bewildered eyes that met
his with all the honesty that dwelt in her soul. He saw that she trusted
him to be fair with her.
"I was unhappy because you had forsaken me," he said gently. "You are
brave--you are wonderful! But I can't take you down there. I know what
will happen if they find him guilty. Good-bye, dear one. I'll come
back--surely I'll come back. Thank you for sending me away happy."
"Won't you let me go with you?" she asked, after a long, penetrating
look into his eyes.
"I would not take you among them for all the world. You forget. Neither
of us would come back."
"Neither of us?" she said slowly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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