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But if, at the last, he saw his own defeat, his death perhaps impending would he treat her kindly then? I loved Elza very deeply. A new torture came from it now. Did she love me or Tarrano? I remembered the gentleness of the man with her. His dignity, his power his undoubted genius. And who, what was I? A mere news-gatherer. A man of no force, and little personality. A nonentity.
The jungle was silent; yet, as Elza listened, beneath the crackle of the burning twigs she could hear the tiny myriad voices of insect life. Startled voices as the heat of Tarrano's beam struck them. Rustling leaves; breaking twigs; things scurrying and sliding away, unseen in the darkness. Once or twice a crashing some monster disturbed in his rest plunging away.
Bitterness that his love was scorned. Again his gaze held her, but in it now she could see nothing but a cruel inflexible purpose. "Tarrano in defeat! That is impossible, Lady Elza. You will very shortly realize that, for I am going to show you how, single-handed, I can make it impossible. Show you with your own eyes.
"Yes, yes, Miss Elza sent every thing hither by her servants, and she herself came with them. And during the first days, when you had the wound-fever, she came here at least three times a day and asked how you were, and cried and lamented, and entreated me for God's sake to admit her to your room only for a brief moment.
The ultimatum came to us in the tower as we sat listening to the announcer's measured tones. Elza exclaimed: "But why do they wait? Father's model must be here. Tarrano, the leader of all this is here. Within the hour those vessels of war could sweep in here capture Tarrano recover father's model " Georg interrupted quietly: "No one knows if the model is here.
"Elza, it was Elza!" murmured Eliza. "Why does she not come to me? why " At this moment Ulrich opened his eyes again, and fixed a look of proud hatred full upon Eliza's face, which was tenderly bent over him. "I do not love you, I detest you!" he hissed, between his firmly- compressed teeth. "He lives, thank God, he lives!" cried Eliza; "now all is well, and I am no longer afraid of anything.
The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable. And my heart sank as I watched Elza. Her gaze fell, and a flush mantled her cheeks. Tarrano added quietly: "We shall have no difficulty, you and I, Lady Elza. Each of us a place, and a duty. A destiny together...." He broke off and rose quickly to his feet. "Enough. I have been weak to say so much as this."
A constraint fell over me; I seemed afraid to say anything. I think we all three felt very much like that; and it was a relief when Elza arrived with my dainty little meal. "Any word from Mars, Elza?" her father asked. She sat down beside me, helping me to the food. "I did not look," she answered. She did not look, because she was busy preparing my meal! Dear little Elza!
It is something more than that I want from you." She would have spoken, but his gesture stopped her. "Queer that I should want it? Yes, I think perhaps it is. The little Taro was very queer, perhaps very impressionable. He knew he had nations and worlds to conquer a destiny to fulfill. Not alone because of you, little Elza. I would not make you think that. But for you to share.
Ulrich bad redeemed his promise; precisely two weeks had elapsed since his departure, and now, after these terrible days of suspense, which Eliza had passed in tears, in silence, and at the same time in mysterious activity, Ulrich had returned, and with him Elza, Eliza's dearest friend.
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