MY LADY OF THE SOUTH
could not entirely banish the memory, or look into her face, and feel content. I felt like fronting and combating this fate which so completely separated us; this love born to her life before I had ever entered into it at all. Yet the uselessness of such an endeavor was so plainly apparent, the very bitterness made me smile. She was not thinking of me at all, merely of him; but for his wound, his danger, I should be still locked helplessly in that tunnel; for my sake alone she would never have answered any plea for release.
"There is no apparent reason why he should not," I answered, not altogether pleasantly. "There is nothing particularly serious about his injuries so far as I could discover. A surgeon and a nurse could bring him around in short order. The important matter is to get back to him just as soon as possible. No, Miss Denslow," and I caught her by the arm in restraint, "you are not to venture into that passage alone. I shall be back here in a moment to accompany you."
"But why cannot I go? You say he is hurt and suffering, and yet order me not to go to him."
"I merely request you to remain here for a moment until we can guard you through the tunnel."
"Guard me?" her eyes searching the dark opening. "From what? Is there any peril there?"
"Honestly, I do not know, but it is no place for you to attempt to traverse alone. I will not permit it. See, I am going to trust you fully to wait my return. Take this revolver, and watch that opening until I come back."
She accepted it, our hands touching for an instant, be
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