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"Le roi est aily

"I can't be said to have had a very peaceful reign Wish you better luck, ma'am" He let his eyes rest drolly on the invalid for a moment "And I hope when you take a prince consort to share the throne he'll meet all expectations--which I'ht-eyed flushing girl

She laughed in the ood wishes till they are needed"

"Adios, Don Manuel See you to-h excitement for one day"

"I'll let you know then whether I can accept your gift, Mr Gordon," Valencia told him

"That's all settled," he assured her as he left

It was in the evening that he saw her again Dick had stopped in the hall on the way to his rooainst the wall He had picked the weapon up when a voice above hailed hi across the balustrade of the stairway

"I want to talk with you, Mr Gordon"

"Same here," he answered promptly "I mean I want to talk with you Let's take a walk"

"No You're not up to a walk We'll drive My rig is outside"

Tenover the hard roads packed with rubble from decomposed sandstone Neither of them spoke for some time He was busy with the reins, and she was content to lean back and watch hi very attractive about the set of his well-modeled head upon the broad shoulders He had just been shaved, and the scent of the soap wafted to her a pleasant sense of intimacy with his masculinity She could see the line above which the tiny white hairs grew thick on the bronzed cheeks A strange delight stirred in her ed for closer contact

None of this reached the surface when she spoke at last

"I can't let things go the way you have arranged them, Mr Gordon It isn't fair After the way I and my people have treated you I can't be the object of such unliested by way of substitution

"No, generosity," she insisted "Why should you be forced to give way to me? What have I done any reed----"

"Agreed!" she interrupted sharply "We've taken it for granted that I had soht When I look into it I see that's silly We're living in Aht except what the law gives me"