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270 WILD, MARGARET,
Then he sighed. He could not go on this errand of life .
or death without saying ‘‘ good-bye”’ to his wife. And-,
yet he shrank from it as he now shrank from nothing else |
connected with the affair. But it had to be done, and he |
went into her apartments and knocked at the bedroom:
‘door which Austin Ambrose had closed after him. There
came no answer, and Blair, after waiting for a minute or
two, turned away. Se
He went to the writing table, and taking out a sheet.
of the scented paper stamped with its gold coronet, wrote
a line. -
‘*Good-bye, Violet! Heaven send you every happi-
ness. ~ Buatr.’”’
This he put in an envelope and laid it on the slope where
she would see it when she entered the room; which she
would do about ten o’clock. If he came out of this affair
alive he should return long before that hour and could de-
stroy the note.
Then he put on his cloak, and as quietly as possible left
the house. The morning air struck coldly, and witha |
little shudder he turned up the collar of his coat and lita . |
cigar.
As the clocks chimed half-past five ‘he reached the
ground behind the hospital. A carriage and pair stood |
under the shelter of some trees, and near it was a group
of three men. Blair distinguished the prince by _ his
height; the second man.was the general, and the third
Blair judged to be the doctor; but Austin Ambrose was not
ere. , 7
_‘* My friend Mr. Ambrose has not arrived, J see,”’ said -
Blair cheerfully. ‘‘I’m very sorry; but I have no doubt
he will be here directly. He left word that he would be
_ here before me.”’ —
‘He will arrive in a minute or two, no doubt,” said the
general.
_Blair went. and leaned against a tree and smoked his
cigar placidly. The prince stood ata little distance with
folded arms, looking like a statue—a statue of implacability
—the other two paced up and down. _ ‘
__ A quarter of an hour passed, and the prince beckoned to
the general. .
‘What is the meaning of this delay?” he demanded
haughtily. : .
‘‘ His lordship’s second has not arrived, your highness,”
The prince’s face darkened.
‘It is a trick—a subterfuge!’ he said, with suppressed