MY LADY OF THE FIELD OF BLOOD
the new, strange emotion which thrilled every nerve of her being.
And she vaguely wondered whether Carl had noticed the simple
ruse she had used to show him his mistake.
It was on the following day that Carl spoke for the first time of
departure. Lola and he had strolled out into the forest, and
were returning in the gloaming, when he said, suddenly, " I am
afraid I shall have to leave you to-morrow."
" Leave! " she echoed. She had never thought of it. In the
glad companionship of the summer it had never occurred to her
that there must come a time of parting.
" Yes," he said, not seeing her agitation. " I must send my
picture to the Salon. lam expecting great results from it. Even
if it take but the third prize, I shall be happy. But I trust for
even better than that."
"I hope you will be successful," she said, "for your sake."
Then, with a sudden second thought,—" and will we never hear
whether you have won or not ? Shall we not see you again in
our little world ? "
" I shall come again, if I win," said Carl.
" You, will come again, if you lose," Lola was thinking. But
she was silent.
The bright tints of autumn had faded into the dead, dull shades
of winter. And the winter in turn had softened into. spring.
And spring was well on its journey toward the realms of summer
land. But the forest dwellers had heard no tidings of the artist.
Yet still there lived a spark of hope in the breast of one, who,
each evening - at sunset, paused a moment expectantly by the field
of blood., and then turned sadly away to the woodland path with
a sigh that was almost a prayer.
But one evening she did not wait in vain. For as she lingered,
a figure came out from the forest road toward her. And even at a
distance she knew him. But her heart was so full that when he
came quickly forward and took both her hands in his, she could
only falter, " Carl."
And he, when he saw the color come surging back into the
cheeks that had grown pale with watching, and the love-light
dancing in the eyes raised so frankly to his own, folded the
precious form closer to him, and whispered, brokenly, "My
queen, my queen."
And it was not until they had come to the cottage that she