The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-12-16
CHAPTER xL-CoNr1NUED.

s'Ohl | am not so honest, / assure you"
''There. you confessed that you are.
Anyone else would have spoken so diff
ferently.''
''Any other woman, you mean?
"Well, yes" he assented-
"And other women, when they talk
with YOU, monsieur, are anxious to con-
vince you of their honesty"
''Well, yes"
Kathleen seemed TO muse a little,
slowly shaking her head. THAT is be-
/. cause you are you."
He made an impatient gesture. at
is so conducive to feminine deception,
then, this being /, as you put it?' and,
without waiting for her to respond, he
went on: What made me in the first
place like you so much, mademoiselle,
was YOUR charitable forgetfulness of
who really am"
81 didn't forget it in the least, how
ever / cultivated myself into seeming
as if ] did"
"Ah. you're bent on disappointment :"
"No. monsieur, only on telling you the
truth"
The truth from people never disap-
points me-"
Are Won so sure?" she murmured, a
little vaguely, not meeting his look.
He gave q Slight start. Not quite
sure, not quite sure-in your case. ..
For example. it did disappoint me
20 learn that you are unhappy"
She would not admit that she had ever
confessed this to him during their pre-
vious talks. and for a good while they
gently battled with one another con-
corning what human happiness truly
means, until Clarimond at last said,
with an accent of mild irritation:
For a man or woman of reasonable
age there is but one perfect kind of hap
piness. The heart is a mill, whose
wheel should always turn in full
stream and grind forth golden grain.
7TlS- soul, like wealthy miller, must
be buovant and gladstone at the labor
performed: the deeper he is covered
with the dust of that delicious industry
the more prosperous he rates himself,
while he looks forth on the world de-
fed by his'heart's consoling thrift"
1t is not everybody" smiled Kath-
leen, rs the speaker paused, who can
be both king and poet in one short life. I"
"Arc you now satirical, mademoiselle?"
'NC, no! But am skepticaL There
are so few hearts | like that Mine,
fear, Is an idle mill wheel above an
empty stream-bed!'
yet one whose waters have been
dried. Or, if not dried, cruelty damned
Il have not said that, monsieur
You say more, find, than you mean
TO say
And yet you do not think me de-
ceitful; you have granted as much"
His eyes. for an instant, seemed to
.carcss her face. II think YOU strangely
misera bier he affirmed. Then, lower
ing his voice a little. and leaning nearer
to hez: Il can't but wonder if you are
ineuIably So
Il am not miserable" she said, with
vistful ardor OF denial. 1T is too bad
that you should think this. You said
something of the same sort yesterday.
But You are wrong-wrong. / still
have "a great deal to live for"
Still, And you say that in the carly
glow Of your maidenhood! Still. 1t is
amazing. Or, no; it isn't amazing at
ali: it is thoroughly explainable. There
IS something you want. l wonder if 1
could get it for you"
She shook her head quickly and then
stared down at the hands which lay like
two pale curled feathers in her lap.
No, monsieur" she breathed, enshrin-
ing the words. as it We're, in a sort of
long sigh. 1T is nothing that you could
get me"
lie accepted her reply as a surrender.
She soas a sorrower, after all, and the
feints Of her assertion to the contrary
had been admittedly futile.
In the silence that now followed they
both looked forth upon the incompara-
bic valley, thanked by its mighty noun
tains. over-scattered by its ethereal vii
las, crowned, accentuated, dignified by
its romantic and imposing palace.
The king slowly lifted his hand and
pointed to that pale and beauteous edi-
flee. His voice was quite faint Though
it reached her ears very clearly indeed)
as he said:
4 have thought of offering you this
FOR home"
She did not make the slightest sign of
reply. He saw the color leave her
checks and the light greater in her
eyes. But she did not turn her look to-
wards his. Now her breath came Wis
IDLY quicker, pulsing the spray of lace
at her throat. Soon he saw her delicate
hands tlUtter a little there in her lap
like fallen flowers that a breeze blows
over and vaguely unsettles- But that
was all.
yes" he went on, 4 have thought
Of asking you to dwell there with me
Is my wife"
At once she turned and met his gaze
with great directness.
''YoE-have had this thought, mon
sieur?"
1t is my wish-my request-my en-
treaty"
Your wife?'' she repeated; and he
saw that she was deeply perturbed.
MY queen" he continued. Il want
You to share my throne and crown with
me, such as they are. / have never
asked any woman TO do this until now.
l have never asked any woman, for the
simplest of reasons. Need ! tell you
that reason?'' He reached his hand for
" GANA AA4A lOOh AGA 4AoA4N. AlALl1lE IL 10
his lips. It had grown cold-piteously
cold, and the kisses that he gave it were
somehow bestowed with the compass
ssionate tenderness which implied that
he sought to reawaken its natural
warmth.
Your queen-your queen" she said.
and withdrew her hand, not rudely, and
yet with 1irmness The color came back
to her cheeks. As he watched her face
1t seemed like a tea-rose in some delight