d
by the velvet petals. He could inhale their fragrance even yet--he could
look into her eyes and breathe the incense of her hair--her whole
glorious person--that was like none other in all the world. Yes, she had
been happy--and he would remember! She would be happier yet could she
know that he had been faithful to his duty--and surely this was his duty
to his race. His Queen would have it so, he felt sure.

Rising, he bent over his mother, his eyes bright with unshed tears, and
kissed her calmly upon the brow. Then he walked quietly from the room.
His resolution was firmly fixed.

He would marry Isabella!

CHAPTER XVIII

Sir Charles Verdayne lingered for several weeks, no stronger, nor yet
perceptibly weaker. He took a sudden fancy to see his old friend,
Captain Grigsby, and the old salt was accordingly sent for. His presence
acted as a tonic upon the dying man, and the two old friends spent many
pleasant hours together, talking--as old people delight in talking--of
the days of the distant past.

"Is this widow the Isabella who once raised the devil with your Paul?"
asked Grigsby.

"Same wench!" answered Sir Charles, a twinkle in his eye.

"Hum!" said the Captain--and then said again, "Hum!" Then he added
meditatively, "Blasted unlucky kiss that! Likely wench enough,
but--never set the Thames on fire!--nor me!"

"Oh the kiss didn't count," said Sir Charles. "As I said to the boy's
mother at the time, a man isn't obliged to marry every woman he kisses!
Mighty good thing, too--eh, Grig? Besides, a kiss like that is an insult
to any flesh and blood woman!"

"An insult?"

"The worst kind! You see, Grig, no woman likes to be kissed that way.
Whether she's capable of feeling a single thrill of passion herself or
not, she likes to be sure that she can inspire it in a man. And a kiss
like that--well, it rouses all her fighting blood! Makes her feel she's
no woman at all in the man's eye--merely a doll to be kissed. D'ye see?
It's damned inconsistent, of course, but it's the woman of it!"

"The devil of it, you mean!" the old Captain chuckled in response. Then,
"Paul had a lucky escape," he said, as he looked furtively around the
room for listening ears, "mighty lucky escape! And an experience right
on the heels of it to make up for the loss of a hundred such wenches
and--say, Charles, he's got a son to be proud of! The Boy is certainly
worth all the price!"

"Any price--any price, Grig!" Then the old m