United States or Ethiopia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Yes," said Tregar sadly, "Themar was a traitor." "I told him much," said Ronador, great drops of moisture standing forth upon his forehead. "It seemed that I must, to make him understand the urgent need of silencing Granberry forever. He cabled the news to Galituria and sold it. I am ill and discouraged. There is fever in my blood, Tregar, from this climate of eternal summer a fever in my head "
"To be sure Philip is brown and handsome and sturdy and very strong, but Ronador ah! there imperial distinction and poise are blended with as true a native grace as Sho-caw's " "Humor and resource are better things." "Sho-caw's grace is not so heavy as Ronador's and not so sprightly as Philip's " "It may be." "One may tell much by the color and expression of a man's eye.
Tregar stroked his beard. "There is a doctor," he said quietly, "of whom Poynter has told me much a doctor who healed Granberry's mind as well as his body. I had thought to go to him myself to rest. I, too, am tired, Ronador. One goes to a little hamlet and an old man guides by a road to the south into the Everglades. Let us go there together." "No!" said Ronador sullenly. "Let us rather go home.
Now as Ronador smiled down into the clear, unfaltering eyes of the girl before him, he knew suddenly that he trusted her utterly, that the mad suspicion, sired by the words of Themar and mothered by jealousy, was but a dank mist that melted away in the sunlight of her presence. Only jealousy remained and a smouldering, unscrupulous hate for the persistent young organ-grinder behind him.
There were black memories struggling now within him. Tregar moved quietly to Ronador's side, an act of ready loyalty not without dignity in the eyes of Philip. "Your letter hinted something of all this," he said. "Let us be quite fair, Poynter. Ronador feared only for his little son." "Why must we talk in riddles?" cried Diane with a flash of impatience. "Why does Ronador fear for his son?
"Tregar," he said with an effort, "you told me to come when I needed you. I am here. I can not see my way " Tregar held out his hand in silence. Only he knew the sacrifice of insolent pride that had brought his guest so low. Ronador took his hand and reddened. "My father rightly counts upon your loyalty," he choked and walked away to the window. Suddenly he wheeled with blazing eyes of agony.
For Ronador, at least, in the guileful hands of a traitor who by reason of a strong maternal sympathy desired the alliance of Ronador and Princess Phaedra, there was doubt and bitter suffering. And he might not return to the music-machine. Themar's thin lips smiled but he wisely retreated.
"It is a habit of mine," hinted Mic-co, "to take what confidence a man may offer and let him withhold what he will." "There is nothing to withhold!" flashed Ronador with sudden fierceness. "Why do you speak of it?"
Unfortunately, I have urgent business with Prince Ronador. Indeed, I have waited for just such an opportunity as this." He was by far the calmest of the four. Ronador's violent temper was rapidly routing his studied composure. Diane's lovely face was flushed and indignant.
For, as the horse and music-machine had been familiar, so was the driver, who swept a broad sombrero from his head and revealed the face of Philip Poynter. With a curse Ronador abruptly brought the car to a standstill. The very irony of this masquerade fired him with terrible anger. "You!" he choked. "You!" Philip nodded. "I guess you're right," he said.
Word Of The Day