This eBook was produced by David Widger
By Gilbert Parker
Out on the prairie under the light of the stars a man had fought thefirst great battle of his life, and had emerged victorious. There are nodrawn battles in the struggles of the soul. As Orlando fought, he wastortured by the thought that none would believe the truth to-morrow whenit was told; and that there would be penalty though there was no crime.
As for Louise, she could have returned, almost blindly defiant, to herworld, hand in hand with Orlando; and yet, when morning came, and hereyes opened on the prairie at day-break, with life stirring everywhere,she was glad of the victory—though the shadow of a great trouble to comewas showing in her eyes.
She knew what she had to face at Tralee, and that she had no proof ofher perfect innocence. It was of little use for them to call upon Heavento witness what the night had been; and Joel Mazarine, who distrustedevery man and woman, would distrust her with a sternness which guiltonly could effectively defy!
Orlando's enforced gaiety as he invited her to a breakfast of a couple ofbiscuits, left from yesterday's broncho-busting, heartened her; yet bothwere conscious of the make-believe. They realized they were helpless inthe grip of harsh circumstance. It was almost enough to make them takeadvantage of calumny and the traps set for them by Fate, and join handsfor ever.
As they looked into each other's eyes, the same hopeless yet recklessthought flickered—flickered, and vanished. Yet as they looked out overthe prairie towards Tralee, to which Louise must presently return, arebellious sort of joy possessed them.
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The discord of their thoughts was like music beside what had passed atTralee. There nothing relieved the black, sullen rage of Joel Mazarine.He had returned to the house where his voice had always been able tosummon his slaves, and to know that they would come—Chinaman, half-breed, wife. Now he called, and the wife did not come. On the newchestnut she had ridden away on the prairie, so the halfbreed woman hadsaid, as hard as he could go. He had scanned the prairie till nightcame, without seeing a sign of her.
His black imagination instantly conceived the worst that Louise might do.It was not in him ever to have the decent alternative. He questioned thehalf-breed woman closely; he savagely interrogated the Chinaman; and thenhe declared that they lied to him, that they knew more than they said;and when he was unable to bear it any longer, he mounted his horse andgalloped over to Slow Down Ranch. As he went, he kept swearing tohimself that Louise had flown thither; and anger made his brainmalignant. He could scarcely frame his words intelligibly when hearrived at Slow Down Ranch.
There he was presently convinced that his worst suspicions were true, forOrlando also had not returned. He saw it all. They had agreed to meet;they had met; they had eloped and were gone! His beady eyes were thoseof serpents watching for the instant to strike, and his words burst overthe head of Orlando's mother like shrapnel.
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