Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-29
cess is talking to them both and smil-

On. Inc poor Olu YTIuccSS! R1ggIe<
| the gentleman. Was there ever suc1
| an overthrow? They say that he gave hel
her choice the other night after he ha6
sent Us all adrift like a pack of schoo
children and treated poor Phiibert SC
awfu1ly. Either she had to pull dowr
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 betrotheo
to M. Lispenard?''
"You know what happened there or
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
Get us say Venezuela) this year and are
divorced with perfect ease the next
year in some other province Qet US say
California;
'sReally? 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 I don't like the affected simplicity
with which she has gowned herself
Do you?"
81 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, a little harsh
ly, cover yonder near the door that
leads to the picture galleries. Take me
in that direction, will you? I want to
have a better look at her. I may be
wrong, but it struck me there was a
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 saying suave if
rather void things to Alonzo, the king
slipped his arm within that of Eric
ThaXter and murmured to him:
''Come with me, my friend, into the
conservatory. have something must
say to you at once"
Clarimond and his companion were
presently in the sweet-smelling dusk
of spacious glass pavilion, where you
caught it's flashes, now and then,
through coverts of shaaowing 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 accentuated, as it
were, the exceeding stiffness. 1t was a
stiffness that Eric waited for his master
to break, and at length he did so, in
these words:
81 suppose that Lispenard told you
just what passed between him and N.Y.
self"
eyes, monsieur, he told me-"
"Wen," said the king, musingly,
"then you, Eric, who knew me so well,
must have seen that I-betrayed nv
self"
Betrayed yourself, monsieur. HOWE"
''Oh that I showed him I love the
woman he loves. Did he not tell you
that? No, do not reply. will not per-
NIT you to tell me, even if SO inclined.
It would be unfair, almost dishonora-
BILE, for me to insist on any such dis
closure
can injustice from you, monsieur,
would be as impossible as darkness from
the SUM-
The king suddenly paused. His face
was touched with a vague yet revealing
light and Eric perceived on it a pallor,
a seriousness, which he had before
noted but which now seemed intensi-
fed
eff 1 wanted counselor!' he broke
forth, and then he laid a hand on
Eric's shoulder. ''But in this case 1
ought not to want one. should be suf-
icient unto myself. Only, my friend,
you would be the wisest and best of
counselors; that is all mean," and he
withdrew his hand, giving a long and
deep sigh.
"From what know of you, monsieur,
said Eric, you have always been suf-
ficient unto yourself"
mot always, not always-but you
are very kind
81 am simply sincere, monsieur. You
were born to be a great ruler of men. 1
have felt it for months past. The more
that 1 see of you, the more strongly
you appeal to me as 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-thanks
To the surprise of his nearer these
words were very brokenly uttered.
Clarimond 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: 'sThen
If am indeed worthy to be a great
ruler, as you say, should know, Eric,
how to rule myself"
Pardon me, monsieur, but I do not
understand"
The kings glance turned from right
to left as though in the dimness he sus-
pected either some newcomer or some
ambushed listener. With great abrupt
ness he soon caught Erics hands in
either of his own and held them strain
ingly while his moist-beaming eyes
plunged their look into the obscured
face of his watcher.
Eric, / have never loved living woua-
an until now, and could have her for
my wife If choose!''
For your queen" faltered Eric,
scarcely knowing why he spoke the
words.
Queen! queen!" Clarimond flung
back, lmpatiently. 'Ddmei you are
|. la