Aline might have been completely prostrated by the news of her husband's sudden end, coming as it did as the culmination of a week of strain and horror.That she did not succumb was due, perhaps, to Ridgway's care for her.When Harley's massive gray head had dropped forward to the table, his enemy's first thought had been of her.As soon as he knew that death was sure, he hurried to the hotel.
He sent his card up, and followed it so immediately that he found her scarcely risen from the divan on which she had been lying in the receiving-room of her apartments.The sleep was not yet shaken from her lids, nor was the wrinkled flush smoothed from the soft cheek that had been next the cushion.Even in his trouble for her he found time to be glad that Virginia was not at the moment with her.It gave him the sense of another bond between them that this tragic hour.should belong to him and her alone--this hour of destiny when their lives swung round a corner beyond which lay wonderful vistas of kindly sunbeat and dewy starlight stretching to the horizon's edge of the long adventure.
She checked the rush of glad joy in her heart the sight of him always brought, and came forward slowly.One glance at his face showed that he had brought grave news.
"What is it? Why are you here?" she cried tensely."To bring you trouble, Aline.""Trouble!" Her hand went to her heart quickly."It is about--Mr.Harley."She questioned him with wide, startled eyes, words hesitating on her trembling lips and flying unvoiced.
"Child--little partner--the orders are to be brave." He came forward and took her hands in his, looking down at her with eyes she thought full of infinitely kind pity.
"Is it--have they--do you mean the verdict?""Yes, the verdict; but not the verdict of which you are thinking."She turned a quivering face to his."Tell me.I shall be brave."He told her the brutal fact as gently as he could, while he watched the blood ebb from her face.As she swayed he caught her in his arms and carried her to the divan.When, presently, her eyes fluttered open, it was to look into his pitiful ones.He was kneeling beside her, and her head was pillowed on his arm.
"Say it isn't true," she murmured."It is true, dear."She moved her head restlessly, and he took away his arm, rising to draw a chair close to the lounge.She slipped her two hands under her head, letting them lie palm to palm on the sofapillow.The violet eyes looked past him into space.Her tangled thoughts were in a chaos of disorder.Even though she had known but a few months and loved not at all the grim, gray-haired man she had called husband, the sense of wretched bereavement, the nearness of death, was strong on her.He had been kind to her in his way, and the inevitable closeness of their relationship, repugnant as it had been to her, made its claims felt.An hour ago he had been standing here, the strong and virile ruler over thousands.Now he lay stiff and cold, all his power shorn from him without a second's warning.He had kissed her good-by, solicitous for her welfare, and it had been he that had been in need of care rather than she.Two big tears hung on her lids and splashed to her cheeks.She began to sob, and half-turned on the divan, burying her face in her hands.
Ridgway let her weep without interruption for a time, knowing that it would be a relief to her surcharged heart and overwrought nerves.But when her sobs began to abate she became aware of his hand resting on her shoulder.She sat up, wiping her eyes, and turned to him a face sodden with grief.
"You are good to me," she said simply.
