The Princess Passes by Alice Muriel Williamson and Charles Norris Williamson
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Alice Muriel Williamson and Charles Norris Williamson >> The Princess Passes
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"It cut off all my arms and legs, and my head, and left me only a
trunk," I murmured.
"I couldn't think what else to do; indeed, I could hardly think at
all. But I knew Molly and Jack were going to Chambery to spend a day,
and I thought I might catch them there, if I hurried. You see, Molly
and I wrote to each other sometimes, though I never said a word about
you. I didn't dream you'd knew them, until one day you announced
things you'd said to Molly in a letter, which--which--well, things
which would need a lot of explanation, too difficult for black and
white."
"By Jove!" I exclaimed. "Now I know where I'd seen your handwriting
before. It was in a letter which Molly dropped almost on my head, from
a balcony at Martigny, and there was a photograph----"
"Oh, you didn't see it?"
"That's what Molly asked. I satisfied her that I hadn't."
"Suppose you _had_--before you met me! But never mind. I did find them
at Chambery. They'd just arrived, and I told Molly everything."
"What did she say?"
"Oh, she just lent me some of her clothes, and said they'd take me
with them in the automobile, out of danger's way until we could decide
on a plan. I bought the thing you call a 'mushroom' in a shop, and we
were starting off next morning when--you came along. Well----"
"Well?"
"Molly and Jack were in a very awkward position: for I had said to
Molly that I felt I could never face you again--_never_, anyhow, as
the Boy, and that _he_ had gone out of your life irrevocably. There I
sat in the motor car, and there were you in the street. You can't
imagine how I felt. It would have been horrid for them--your best
friends--to leave you stranded, and--_I_ didn't want that either. I
couldn't help feeling there'd be a tremendous fascination in being so
near you, with my face hidden, you not knowing, if only the strain of
it needn't last too long; and Molly just cut the Gordian knot of the
scrape, as she always does. She assured me that being in the same car
need commit me to _no_ decision as to what I would do in the end.
But--you remember how she drew you out, about your feeling for the
Boy, how you missed him, and how you were going all the way down to
Monte Carlo on the bare chance of his being there? Well, she meant me
to hear every word, and I did. After that--after that--I--_couldn't_
give you up. I don't believe I could, anyway, when I'd straightened
things out in my mind. I'd told you that you would never see the Boy
again, and you never will; but Molly said that was no reason why you
shouldn't see the Boy's sister. I wrote a note from him to you, for
myself to bring to-night, and I thought--I hoped--you might perhaps
believe----"
"You couldn't have hoped it," I broke in. "Say that you came to give
me back my Little Pal, whom you had stolen from me."
"It may be. I don't know, myself. I couldn't foresee what would
happen. As I heard you say, about motoring down steep hills, I just
hurled myself into space, and trusted to Providence."
"Now I understand all that was mysterious in myself," I said. "My
heart, not being such a fool as my head, was trying continually to
telegraph the truth about the Little Pal to my brain, which couldn't
get the message right, as there was far too much electricity flying
about in the atmosphere. Now I know why I loved the Boy so dearly,
because he was you; because he was that Other Half which every man is
always unconsciously looking for, round the world, and hardly ever
finds."
"Oh, Man, do you really care--like that? Do you love me--love 'for
sure' this time?"
"Sure for this time, and for Eternity. There never really was, there
never will be, any other woman in my life except you: for you are my
Life and my World."
"You don't hate me for my masquerade?"
"Hate you! I'll prove to you whether I----"
"Why does your face look suddenly different, Man? Why do you stop?"
"Because--I've remembered something that I'd forgotten."
"What?"
"Your horrible money."
"Don't you think I knew you'd forgotten? Oh, Man, the money would be
horrible indeed, if you should let it come between us, but you won't,
will you? We belong to each other; your following me here proves it
beyond doubt. I've known for weeks that I never truly cared for anyone
else, for I love you, and can't do without you."
"Then there's nothing on earth that shall come between us. Money or
no money, what does it matter, after all? Will you finish the journey
of Life with me, my Little Pal--my Love?"
The star-eyes answered. And at that moment Molly and Jack came in.
[Illustration]
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