Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1893-02-22
"Your duty. mons;.r,,-.

m.
| Which course is my duty? She will
marry me, half from ambition: half
because of her mother-that vicious
Inannish, Unsuitable mother! Which
course, say, is my duty? People talk
of Quixotisml Bah! AS il | did not
know! There was never a meaner word
created than that .'Quixotisrnr II has
| been the cloak for countless acts OF
cowardice, aud Cervantes, were he alive
to-day. would regret that his genius
ever aided in it's coming"
Eric dropped his head, and felt his
eyes fill with tears. lie knew lust
what great throbs of a noble nature
underlay this splendid bluster, this in
comparable vehemence.
Monsieur" he replied. when able to
school his voice so that he could speak
with self-governance. you have been
very right in saying that you require
no counselor. am Alonzo Lispenard's
friend; l know how he has suffered
how he suffers yeti am your devoted
servitor, and l 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. have already known
you too long not to grasp the height
and breadth OF your generosity"
Clarimond turned on his heel like a
! fash, threw both hands behind him.
| joining them there, and then moved
slowly away.
I've horribly deceived YOU" he shot
over his shoulder. II brought YOU
here in the hope that, although an Amer
lean, you would prove yourself good
courtier, and show me ample cause that
! l should plight troth with the woman
| love"
Monsieur" replied Eric, following
him, Il am far too good courtier for
that! Sincerely as l esteem your char
acter in its entirety. there is one Gle
ment of it to which must always pay
! primal obeisance."
You mean?" questioned the king. as
| Eric now reached his side again. i'm the
fragrant twilight of their transient re-
treat.
Your peerless conscience, your un-
paralleled sense of right"
As the festivity progressed, this even
ing, nearly everyone conceded that
there had been nothing mt all resem-
bling 1T in brilliance and buoyancy for
many and many a month Indeed.
some of the native guests roundly adj
mitted that Clarimond's reign had vet
seen no grand aSScmblage SO delight
ful; for this season more foreigners
than usual had gathered at the hotels,
and among these, where position and
antecedents made IL possible, the royal
invitations had been somewhat lavish
ly spread. As a pleasant result the en-
tertainment sparkled with novelty. At
midnight the doors of the banuueting-
hall were opened, and wine and viands
furnished in profuse largeness wrought
Just the needed result of quicllcned
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 waNed with the progress of the
entertainment, and after awhile many
ladies sought to know her. Mrs. Ken
naird, who had managed To get herself
approached and talked To by some of the
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. II
was SO hard 10 treat anyone unamiablv
tonight,
Some little time after midnight Eric
touched Alonzo on the arm. The Inter
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?"
'Nes-of seeing Asr ringcd round
with her new idolators. It's getting
intolcrablc | shouldn't have come at
all"
'But, my dear Lonz, the king wishes
to speak with you. lie has Just sent
me 60 ask you if you will not join him
Alonzo stood for brief while irreso-
lutte. Then he tossed his head. bit his
lip, and said in a voice almost irritable.
"Of course-of courscl How absurd
of me! LIN almost forgetting that I'm
a slave"
"A slave, Lonz! You! As if I'd let
you be. Come now, take that horrible
sentiment back! You're as free as air.
and YOU know IT,"
Alonlo slipped his hand into Eric's.
I'm very distressed he answered.
land I'm a fool. Forgive met
1t isn't for me 60 forgive YOU"
''Oh, then I'll apologize % him"
You needn't He'll never know
Come with me. dear boy
They quilted the ballroom and PASSED
through several dim corridors. where
on earth are You taking me?" AIonzo
Wurmurcd more than once, hut Eric. as