The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-05-11
about to add 1over,' you must obey the
summons at once
CHAPTER III.


ly sables she entered the magnificent
ly-appointed carriage, with its six
thoroughbred horses champing their
bits impatiently.
They we're quickly driven to the
Winter Palace af the Gar.
Her excitement was intense, and
her eyes were lit up with unusual splen-
dor
And sudden temptation seized the
prince as he thoughts
"This treasure might be mine even
yet, and he banished to Siberia only
one word in the Cars ear and he
would never cross her path again in
life"
But the next minute the traitorous
thought was cast from his heart by
the innocent look of hope and conf.
dence that betrayed itself in every
look and gesture of the beautiful girl
who sat by his side.
A cold perspiration stood upon his
brow as he contemplated the great
temptation that had assailed him,
when she put up her little hand in his,
and looking up into his face, as an
adoring worshipper might into that of
a saints, said:
GLOW can | ever thank or repay
you for your unselfish, devoted kind
ness to me? How wish that my poor
words could convey to you, or that
my heart could reveal to you my graf
itude, my"
"Forbear, Evelyn you know not
how you torture me- he exclaimed We
hemently.
Further conversation ceased, for the
equpage had now entered one of the
courtways of the palace.
Evelyn was conscious of being hur
riedly led through gorgeous apart
ments, from ante-room to ante room,
where she was requested by the prince
to stay until he joined her.
A perfumed warmth permeated the
atmosphere, and Evelyn was Just in
the act of dipping her handkerchief
into the fountain to cool her fevered
brow, when Prince Satakof entered,
accompanied by two pages of honor,
/
imperial presence.
Summoning all her courage, she
passed on at last with firm and dig
nitied bearing into the presence of his
imperial majesty Alexander II.
Prince Saltakoff led her to dias
where the Gar sat, looking anything
but the proud aristocrat that so many
people enormously styled him.
She saw benign, intellectual, kind
featured man, with sympathetic and
fatherly expression on his noble coun
tenance, as his eyes fell upon the love
| ly girl, and he saw the look of deeI
anxiety and pain depicted on every
lineament of her face.
She would have knelt at his feet
but he would not permit her, but seat
| ed her himself on divan, saying:
Sand so you have come to plea(
for the life Of Mervyn Montrose ant
no English woman shall ask favo
at our hands in vain. Beside, it ha
come to our ears within the last hou
that he was not so implicated as w
had thought; but we must impose on
condition-that he leaves Russia with
in four and-twenty hours"
She caught the Cars hand in hers
and kissed it tenderly and fervently
saying:
81 am indeed grateful, your majesty
= and shall pray for you night and"
But her further utterance was stor
ped by her fast-falling tears.
The pent-up excitement proved to
much, and she would have fallen a
the Emperors feet, but for the stron
arm of the prince, vino led her froi
the apartment in faint and exhauste
/ condition.
They were soon back at the hote
I and Evelyn ran, rather than wake,
up the broad flights of stairs and bur
!, into the apartment of her friend CT,
t ing:
"Saved! saved! and they flew int
: each others arms and shed tears of 10
a and laughed by turns.
"And so you saw the Czar?" 81
r said little more calmly, "and |
$ didn't eat you up, or order you to Il
lowest dungeon of his palace e.
d mo. dear Olga he is what an en-
T. peror should be-a king of men and
true gentleman-but we forget Il
e prince is waiting to congratulate II
upon the escape of poor Mervyn Mo
1t trOse.
n GLOW thoughtless and remiss
am in my happiness and joy; / forg
n the one who has helped to bring
d about. Run, dearest Eva, while
bathe my face, for should not like
u be seen in such a sorry plight"
She returned to the prince, VII
.e looking at her very kindly, said
snow | trust you are happy, a
e. that you have found me the frie
that | wished to prove myself.
m 81 cannot express to you what
'e think, or how to thank YOU" she !
k gan.
"You need not; have done moi
ye ing; but you will permit me to wi
you joy before | leave you foreve
~ and his voice faltered as he continue
sh "ie must be very near and dear
you"
l "Oh nor she cried, as burni
flush sutfused her face, neck and bro
I'd "you are mistaken-he is nothil
II, never can be"
ell "Do you mean that he is not "
atfanced husband?" he said, as
-" caught her hand in his; answer
rt truly do not trife with me now"
ar "lle is not, and never has been
lover of mine, He is my friend Olg
de husband"
he 81 understand it all now," he cri
nd as he caught her in warm embra
lip and said "My Evelyn"
The glow on her cheek became de
Nv er she tried to release herself, but
held her too tightly, as he murmure,
ne "Will you be my wife, my own ct
i'm ished wife?
ws 'Do you mean you love me?"
in whispered
ell "What else should | mean, Eyel,
You have given me great pain
| ynu nof ,nola a., H.,