The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-12-09

81
plain of tyranny. As it Is, your con-
tinucd sojoura is one of suhcrance
alone"
''SuireranceT' Easped the princess
Precisely You came here with two
motives The first was to pit yourself
against faiths and principles of mine
which are a part of my very life The
second was to try and force me into a
marriage of the merest loveless conven-
ton The weapons you have used in
either case we're the same that dealt
ray dead father the Izeencst grief, and
perhaps drove him prematurely to his
grave Yours, madam, Is a stormy and
truculent spirit. I inhCrit nothing Of
il, but possibly I inherit from YOU alone
the strength of viii which too long has
clothed itself in fOrbcarance. That
strength of viii you shall now have
chance to test. As ] said, you viii be
watched. Being the lady highest of
rank in my kingdom, 7 viii accord you
the right Of receiving my guests on
Thursday. But if the least sign of dis
courtesy is shown by you toward any
guest who crosses the threshold OF my
palace, on the morrow You shall be COR
Quoted where the turbulence and rebel
lion of your disposition may boil and
foEncnt to the discomfort of others rath-
er than nay own. There, now, ! think
It is all quite plain between us
''Cuite Plain!' muttered the princess.
eyes. scc-I see. You wish to crowd
your rooms with vulgarians-"
You need not gaze upon those vul-
| gariuns unless you 50 desire. Certainly
a number OF people whom you viii rate
as vulgariuns viii present themselves.
| Among these viii be a young lady-an
/ American, or IN Anglo-American, /
/ might more truly call her-yith whom
/ shall open the ball Her name is
Il f7afl F.1f1 Il
/ the first quadrille with her. She is the
{ most beautiful woman I have ever seen,
/ the most beautiful 1 would ever expect
| to see, though ] should live two lives in
! stead Of one. But were she a hunch-
| back ncSress, fresh from Africa in her
! bends and warpaint, it need matter
nothing either to you or those assem-
bled. I am master; I am king. For
my actions account to no one save my
| self"
He passed, with an air of unwonted
but very distant pride, down along the
/ wazcd floor of the spacious saloon. But
she, who had heard him with one or two
| convulsivc shudders, now gave a kind
of yvrathful spring, both hands hanging
| clenChed at her sides
you viii account to your cmperorI'
she called. You are not so great as
You vnunt yourself, CIarimOnd of Sal
travia! Hou-you are just mad enough
to marry this creature. ! recall now
that one OF your cousins, the king OF
SaEony's own nephew too, disgraced
himself by low marriage. No doubt
it is in your blood to do such horrible
/ things. But / VIII prevent this" Tho
princess face glistened with little beads
( of sweat and her eyes were blazing. 81
viii go to the emperor at once, / viii.
Sho rccoiled, for CIarimOnd hurried
back toward where she had stood, hal
covering in her frenzy. 1t seemed Il
the princess that perhaps he NIGH
actually mean her some personal VIC
lencc, though IL her mind had provcl
less cloUded by anger and disnay shr
would have realized that from one o
his usually gentle spirit such q course
in any circumstance, would have beer
unthinzablc.
All that the king meant to do was t.
seize the bcI-roPc which a brief Will
ago he had desisted from selling. Blu
now reaching the spot where it huui
he gave it q strong pull, and almost i'm
indefinitely two footmen, in the roya
livery, answered his summons.
''You shall go at once to the emperor,
he said, in low and very Tranquil
voice. Il will give these men order
for carriages and viii see that a spccia
] train Is prepared for You the instant 20
reach-'
! princess, 'Seud them away! II di
not mean what 1 sajd.' In q tricc sh
had grown piteously humble. q
was more than half in joke, my deB
Clarimond;' and a little pathetic jet C
laughter broke from her lips, like a
efIcte spirit from ruined fountain.
The ising looked at her with Grea
stcadiness for a second or two. ''As yo
WISH" he then said, and gave a sign c
dismissal to the two servants, VIII
: promptly vanished.
4 The princess had indeed pulled i
sail Her son had seemed to her, dul
Z ing the few past minutes like q roc
= against which she would only vast
Il her strength in vain. Besides, she wa
! immeasurably proud OF his kingshil
II and would have suffered untold rcgrS
i If the emperor had presumed to HttemT
his deposition. 1t was all quite clea
TO her mind in this brief interval; sh
had gone too far She might hay
known that the lion in him would su,
3 denly turn on her like this. He vvOul
7 keep the very letter of his menace, to,
3 unless her tactics were changed fortl
8 with. Revolving in their democrac
II though she held his views to be, her
after she must conform to them or leay
these lovely Saltravian hills. And sur
" she was CHARTERED here in q mo
magnificent way. Her two or thr,
LLstAAttn palaces were nOLllnT TO this
which SO lordly a suite of chambers hi
been allowed her. And then this q
. chanting valley, so radiantiy improv,
= in spite of all her Grumblings to the co
y traryl And the waters, toos she had ]
idea Of the wondrous good they yvou
do her rhcumatisu- 1t might all &
stupid in the winter, but the whit
was still Il good distance OF Tn
g enough to slip OF to Rome or Napl
again by the end of November. A.
then there was Blanca d'Estc. T
z girls love for her son was now almost
. madness For that most seemly
! unions there was vet hope Yes
hope-vhy not? school voursei
darted through the princess mind, O.
q sclf-effaceGucnt difRcult vet not 4
1 possible. In the end he my yield q
marry her. Then your turn viii col
in real earnest, Cor If once there i
queen, Il once there are little prinl
= and princesses, he win grow more Ct
:. scrvative. Men always N That pos
- ble horror of his marrying the Am
lean girl God knows there's nothi
rash he would H0t do, just novv) M
3 be met by subtlety, since highland
measures have become mere blows