Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-29
ssYour duty, monsieur?,.

"Your duty, monsieur?'
| The kings eyes darted fire for a Sec
ond, there in the dusk where he and
Eric stood ST can unite them if I
choose, almost by lifting my hand. If
l do not choose, can wed Kathleen.
Which course is my duty? She will
marry me, half from ambition; half
because of her mother-that vicious,
mannish, Unsuitable mother! Which
course, 1 say, is my duty? People talk
of QuiXotismi BAIL As if / did not
know! There was never a meaner word
created than that 'Quixotismp 1t has
been the cloak for countless acts of
cowardice, and Cervantes, were he alive
to-day, would regret that his genius
ever aided in its coming"
| Eric dropped his head, and felt his
eyes fill with tears. He knew Just
what great throbs of noble nature
underlay this splendid buster, this in
comparable vehemence
| Monsieur" he replied, when able to
school his voice SO that he could speak
with sef-governance. you have been
very right in saying that you require
no counselor. 1 am Alonzo Lispenard's
friend; I know how he has suffered
| how he suffers yeti 1 am your devoted
| servitOr, and / realize the noble renun-
citation it is in your power to make.
You yourself have limited that you are
capable of this fine self-effacement.
But did not need your own admission
to that effect. l have already known
you too long not to grasp the height
and breadth of your generosity"
Clarimond turned on his heel like
flash, threw both hands behind him.
joining them there, and then moved
slowly away.
''Tve horribly deceived you," he shot
over his shoulder. 81 brought YOU
here in the hope that, although an Amer
lean, you would prove yourself good
courtier, and show me ample cause that
I should plight troth with the woman 1
love-"
Monsieur" replied Eric, following
him, 81 am far too good a courtier for
that! Sincerely as / esteem your char
acter in its entirety, there is one ele-
ment of it to which I must always paw
primal obeisance."
''You mean?" questioned the king, as
Eric now reached his side again, in the
fragrant twilight of their transient re-
treat.
''Your peerless conscience, your I'M
paralleled sense of right?'
AS the festivity progressed, this even
ing, nearly everyone conceded that
there had been nothing at all resem-
bling it in brilliance and buoyancy for
many and many month. Indeed,
some of the native guests roundly adj
mitted that Clarimond's reign had yet
Seen no grand assemblage so delight
full; for this season more foreigners
than usual had gathered at the hotels,
and among these, where position and
antecedents made it possible, the royal
invitations had been somewhat lavish
ly spread. AS pleasant result the en-
tertainment sparkled with novelty. At
midnight the doors of the banqueting-
hall were opened, and wine and viands
furnished in profuse largeness wrought
just the needed result of quiclSened
gayety and enlivened social zest. The
haughtiest Saltravian maids and
matrons unbent and became affable to
fellow-mortals of different grades or
often of different countries from their
own. Admiration for Kathleen's beau
ty waxed with the progress of the
entertainment, and after awhile many
ladies sought to know her. Mrs Ken
naird, who had managed to get herself
most prominent men present, was in
an ecstacy of self-gratulation. She had
once come face to face with Alonzo, and
had managed to make it appear as if
she had not Intentionally cut him. It
was SO hard to treat anyone unamiably
tonight!
Some little time after midnight Eric
touched Alonzo on the arm The latter
gave a kind of relieved start, and at
once said:
''I'm so glad to find you. mean to /
slip away, though of course you will not
go yet" |
''You are tired so soon?''
''Yes-of seeing her, ringed round
with her new idolators. It's getting
intolerable. I shouldn't have come at
all!''
'But, my dear Lonz, the king wishes
to speak with you. He has just sent
me to ask you if you will not join him"
Alonzo stood for a brief while irreso-
Lutte. Then he tossed his head, bit his
lip, and said in a voice almost irritable:
'Of course-of course! How absurd
of me! I'm almost forgetting that I'm
a slave.''
GA slave. Lonz! Youi AS if I'd let
you be! Come. now, take that horrible
sentiment back! You're as free as air,
and you know it!''
Alonzo slipped his hand into Eric's.
''Irn very distressed" he answered,
"and I'm fool. Forgive meI'
'It isn't for me to forgive you"
''Oh, then I'll apologize to him"
"You needn't. He'll never know
Come with NE, dear boy
They quilted the ballroom and passed
through several dim corridors. ssWhere
on earth are you taking me?" Alonzo
more than once, but Eric, as
If the question needed no reply, kept
on. Presently, when it was
for the third time repeated, he replied,
while pushing open vague door over
which was lamp shaped like droop-
ing lotus flower:
You ought to know. It's that little
chapel. You told me- when brought