Arms and the Woman

"Not at all. If you were found dead there might be a possibility of

that. But I should explain to him, and he would understand that it was

a case without diplomatic precedent."

"Well?"

"You are to leave this country at once, sir; that is, if you place any

value upon your life."

"Oh; then it is really serious?"

"Very. It is a matter of life and death--to you. Moreover, you must

never enter this country again. If you do, I will not give a pfennig

for your life."

He found my passports in good order. I permitted him to rummage

through some of my papers.

"Ach! a damned scribbler, too!" coming across some of my notes.

"Quite right, Herr General," said I. I submitted because I didn't care.

My luggage was packed off to the station, where he saw that my ticket

was for Paris.

"Good morning," he said, as I entered the carriage compartment. "The

devil will soon come to his own; ach!"

"My compliments to him when you see him!" I called back, not to be

outdone in the matter of courtesy.

"And that is all, Jack," concluded Hillars. "For all these months not

an hour has passed in which I have not cursed the folly of that moment.

Instead of healing under the balm of philosophy, the wound grows more

painful every day. She did not love me, I know, but she would have

been near me. And if the King had taken away her principality, she

would have needed me in a thousand ways. And it is not less than

possible that in time she might have learned the lesson of love. But

now--if she is the woman I believe her to be, she never could love me

after what has happened. And knowing this, I can't leave liquor alone,

and don't want to. In my cups I do not care."

"I feel sorry for you both," said I. "Has the Prince married her yet?"

"No. It has been postponed. Next Monday I am going back. I am going

in hopes of getting into trouble. I may never see her again, perhaps.

To-morrow, to-morrow! Who knows? Well, I'm off to bed. Good night."

And I was left alone with my thoughts. They weren't very good company.

To-morrow indeed, I thought. I sat and smoked till my tongue smarted.

I had troubles of my own, and wondered how they would end. Poor

Hillars! As I look back to-day, I marvel that we could not see the

end. The mystery of life seems simple to us who have lived most of it,

and can look down through the long years.