The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-12-23

I
awfully. Either she had to pull down
her flag and fold it discreetly away,
| just as she's doing now, or leave the
country inside of twenty-four hours"
But is it true" asked the lady, that
this American girl was once betrothed
to NJ. Lispenard?''
"You know what happened there on
the palace grounds" was the reply.
He saw her and ran off in an agony of
embarrassment, followed by his friend. :"
Perhaps they had been married and
then divorced" said the lady. 81 have
it on the best of authority that people
in America marry there in one province
| Qet us say Venezuela) this year and are
divorced with perfect ease the next
year in some other province Get US say
California;"
Really? I'm not surprised. Ameri-
cans are such curious creatures. But
she's wonderfully handsome, that girl.
Don't you think SOP
''Ohl of course" granted the lady,
saying no more, and saying even this
much as though it were forced from her.
But don't like the affected simplicity
with which she has gowned herself
/ Do you?"
Il hadn't thought bit about her at
tire" said the gentleman. Where is
she now? Do you know?"
Talking to a score or so of our best
men, returned the lady, little harsh
", lover yOnder near the door that
leads to the picture galleries. Take me
in hot 7 -,
have a better look at her. I may be
wrong, but it struck me there was
crookedness in one of her eyebrows
Meanwhile. as the princess OF Brin-
/ dist, subdued into humility that she had
never before dreamed of as possible to
her proud spirit. was sayiag suave if
rather void things to Alonzo. the king
slipped his arm within that of Eric
ThaXter and murnlured to him:
Come with me, my frienS. into the
conservatory. have something must
say to you at once"
Clarimond and his companion were
presently in the understanding dusk
of n spacious glass pavilion. where you
heard the sounds of falling water and
caught its flashes, now and then.
through coverts of shadowing leaves
and blooms They found the place
quite vacant; as yet, no flushed and IA
tigued dancers had sought it. Their
feet struck with little hollow clangs on
the marble pavements of the odorous
avenues. and thus accumulated. IS it
were, the exceeding stiffness. 1t was
stiffness that Eric waited for his master
to break. and at length he did so, in
these words:
Il suppose that Lispenard told you
just what passed between him and my
self"
Yes, monsieur. he told me-"
Well" said the king. musingly.
then You, Eric, who knew me 50 well,
must have seen that I-betrayed my
self
Betrayed yourself, monsieur. Howe"
oh that I showed him | love the
woman he loves. Did he not tell you
that? No. do not reply. l viii not per
NIT you to tell me. even if SO inclined.
Il would be unfair. almost dishonora-
bic. for NE TO insist on any such dis
closure
An injustice from you, monsieur.
would be As impossible as darkness from
the sun
The king suddenly paused His face
was touched with a vague yet revealing
light and Erie perceived on it pallor,
. seriousness. which he had before
noted but which now seemed intensi-
fed
If wanted a COUNSELOR ne broke
forth. and then he laid 4 hand on
Eric's shoulder. But in this case l
ought not to want one. l should be suf-
icient unto myself. Only, my friend.
you would be the visest and best OF
counselors; that Is ell mean" and he
withdrew his hand, giving 4 long and
deep sigh.
From what know Of yos. monsieur"
said Eric. You have always been suf-
ficient unto yourself
Not always, not always-but you
are very kind"
= an simply sincere, monsieur. You
were born to be great ruler of men. l
have felt it for months past. The more
that | see of you. the more strongly
you appeal to me as q power for good.
The world would have had no need for
republics if all kings had been as per-
feet as yourself"
Thanks. my Eric-thanl1s."
To the surprise of his nearer these
Clarinond remained inmovable, so that
the revealing light still clothed his
face. And now Eric saw that his vivid
eyes were shining as though with half
repressed tears Only slight silence
elapsed before he spoke again: Then
if I am indeed worthy to be q great
ruler, as you say, should know, Eric,
how to rule myself"
Pardon me, monsieur, but 1 do not
understand.
The kings glance turned from right |
to left as though in the dimness he sus-
pected either some newcomer or some I
ambushed listener. With great abrupt /
ness he soon caught Eric'S hands in 4
either OF his own and held them strain /
ingly while his moist-beaming eyes 4
plunged their look into the obscured 4
face of his watcher.
Eric, l have never loved living wom- 1
an until now, and l could have her for
my wife if 1 choose
For your queen" faltered Erie,
scarcely knowing why he spoke the
words.
Queen, queen Clarimond flung
back, impatiently. Dame you are
like everybody else. How otherwise
could have her for my wife, man? .
Have I not told you that those morgan
attic marriages are loathsome to me?