But if I had
only been here when he stole here under cover of the darkness I would
have made him hold his ground."
"And he saw Miss Standish instead?"
"Yes, he saw Joan. And she kept his messages all these years. There was
more than that. I was to send him a message to where he was in hiding,
waiting for a passage to America. I sent him none, but Joan sent him one
instead. She was jealous, terribly jealous, or she could not have done
it, poor girl. She sent him word that he was not to return, that Jasper
Tuite was dead of his wound. Also she sent him word from me that I
wanted no more of him. How could he have believed it? Well, the remorse
of it has gone far to kill her. If she was ever trying, it was because
she had to take benefits from the woman she had wronged. Poor unhappy
Joan! She died in great love and peace with me."
Fortunately, this time she did not look me in the eyes. Such magnanimity
was beyond me.
"It is very sweet to know," she went on dreamily, "that poor Luke came
to me in his need. He knew he could trust my love. But he ought to have
known me better than to believe I could send that message. He ought to
have known me better."
"Yes," I said, "he ought to have known you better.
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