He brought it, and put it on the table beside her bedside; and Miss Brunel came into the room, and went over to Dove.
"That is the paper I must sign," said the girl. "But how can I? Will you—will you do it for me? But come closer to me and listen, for I have—a secret——"
When Annie Brunel bent down her head to listen, Dove drew the wedding-ring off her finger, kissed it tenderly, and put it on her companion's hand; and then she said, looking Annie in the face with a faint smile in the peaceful violet eyes—"It is your own name you must sign."
At the same moment she lay back exhausted, and to Mr. Anerley, who had hurriedly stepped forward to take her hand, she sighed wearily—"I am so tired; I shall rest." And presently a beautiful happy light stole over the girlish features; and he heard her murmur indistinctly—as if the words were addressed to him from the other world—the old familiar line, "Meghily, meghily shall I sleep now."
They were the last words that Dove uttered; and the cause of the last smile that was on her sweet face.
THE END.
| [1] | The extended phrase is, "Ich fordere Ihnen auf, ohne Mützen, ohne Secundanten"—"I challenge you, without either masks or seconds." Such a challenge being given (and it is only given in cases of extreme provocation), the duellists fight without cessation until one of them is put hors de combat. |
| [2] | The Haupt-platz is the point at which the deer are most likely to break cover, and therefore the best position for the sportsman. There are generally one or two of those good places, which are invariably given, as a compliment, to strangers. |
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN SILK ATTIRE ***