Page 234 (1/1)

He raised his head and looked beyond e, faint snity which was his at times "You ht But it is scarce worth while I have taken poison"

The sunshine came into the room, and the wind fro to the north "The George is ready for sailing," he said at last "To-s of this o with her, and within a week they will bury me at sea There is a stealthy, slow, and secret poison I would not die in a land where I have lost every throw of the dice, and I would not die in England for Buckingham to come and look upon my face, and so I took that poison For the man upon the floor, there,--prison and death awaited him at home He chose to flee at once"

He ceased to speak, and sat with his head bowed upon his breast "If you are content that it should be as it is," he said at length, "perhaps you will leave ain with the letter upon the table, and his gaze was fixed beyond me "I have lost," he muttered "How I came to play my cards so badly I do not know The stake was heavy,--I have not ithal to play again"

His head sank upon his outstretched arm As for me, I stood a minute with set lips and clenched hands, and then I turned and went out of the room and down the stair and out into the street In the dust beneath thelay er I picked it up, sheathed it, and went my way

The street was very quiet All s and doors were closed and barred; not a soul was there to troublefroht fro The sea was the home of the men upon her decks, and their hearts dwelt not in this port; they could sing while the smoke went up from our hoh the sunshine and the stillness to the arden were bare, the flowers dead The door was not barred I entered the house and went into the great roo the heavy shutters wide, then stood and looked about ed; it was as we had left it that wild Noveht, had shownupon the wall Master Bucke had been seldo one, save that no fire burned upon the hearth