I
had everything, she thought--health and wealth and the world before me,
and Luke's love. She thought it unfair that I should have so much. No
wonder she wanted Luke for herself."
Again her eyes looked into mine, asking a question. Whatever she saw
satisfied her, for she went on again with dreamy tenderness--
"I see you can pity her, Bawn. Child, how do you know it if you never
loved? He came to this house when he was flying from justice, as he
thought, expecting to find me and found her instead. He gave her such
messages for me as might make any woman proud. He would release me, but
he knew I was too great-hearted to accept the release; he had killed
Jasper Tuite in the struggle when he tried to save Irene Cardew from
him. He had seen Jasper Tuite strike poor Irene when he was trying to
drag her from her carriage to ride with him on his horse. She was
screaming, poor girl, and Jasper Tuite struck her on the mouth. And what
would my Luke do save spring on to Jasper Tuite and close with him? And
Jasper Tuite would have shot him if Luke had not fired in self-defence.
No jury would have convicted Luke, for Jasper Tuite died from
heart-failure, not from the flesh-wound of Luke's pistol.
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