Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1893-02-01
ruApTrR Y

CHAPTER y
Cloriuoad. with scarcely more than a
nod and . handclasP 20 Eric. who wait
ed below. sprang into the carriage
which had brought him from the palace
and returned there at once lie chose
20 GinS alone in his own suite of cham
bcrs, and at dinner drank little more
wine than usual Afteryyari he went
into his mothers apartments. where She
was receiving . very select nsscmblage
that chiefly consisted of the highest
Soltravian nobility. Having saluted his
mother nc moved about the rooms for
some time, and ut length paused quite
while before Blanca d'Estc. who was
looking exceedingly handsome in n
gown OF blue satin embroidered with
silver.
THE princess almost gave up expect
ing YOU She said. looking NJ him very
earnestly with her sweet, infantile,
china-blue eyes.
Am l so lutc2' said Clarimond.
''Not that. monsieur; but we feared
or. should say, her highncSs feared
lest other attractio would dctain Won. q"
He saw the sly innucndo. but CHOSE 20
pretend that IL escaped him
Really, l do not understand" he
said. "Other attractions"
Blanca flushed at her own boldness.
And Yet the courage of desperation pos
scssed her soul. That soul was no longer
IN bondage 20 the church. \ new re
lgion had cnthralled it, Women have
rarely found it difficult to love kings.
and Clarimond, II he had no royalty for
"a background, would have appealed 10
almost any womans heart. AS it was
he fred both the heart and imagination
o. Blanca d Este. In spirit she was AT
his feet with that sort Of genuflcction
which Is tincturcd by pang of intoxi-
Gated recklcSsness. And yet her mien
licc over tlamc) was calm enough as she
now replied
Il mean the handsome young Amer
lean girl, monsieur, whom you honored
60 greatly this afternoon"
You saw mc?" CIarimond rather
lightly said. And Won think honorcd
hcrP Il seemed to me as if honors were
easy. as ono says in English whist"
''Oh, monsieur Blanca cried: and
while she looked into his face, which OF
late had grown TO her more than lCngly
had grown 70 her, indeed, almost like
the face Of a god--she ardcntly persist
cd; For gOri 20 speak like that. For
TeH TO even hint that a mere nobody
should not be honorcd, aud very greatly
honored, by the least smile from vour'
He watched her for n moment rs
though she half irritctcd half shocked
him. Il am man" he then said. with
great simplicity and Ecntlcness. How
can be more, and why should not dis
like hearing it suggested that am
Irorc?"
You are a king" replied Blanca.
"fou are king with a long ancestry OF
Kings behind your'
He laughed softly and shrugged his
shoulders, CHANGING about him nj the
walls Of tho fcstal room i'm which thcv
stood, with It's panclirrs OF vhitc and
gold. with its huge clusters Of wax
lights for side chandelier, beami1g
above other hugo clusters Of prisns
like stalactites. and with it's ceilings
where cupids drove in chlriots drawn
by butterflies through gorgcs and over
causcways Of rosy and azure cloud
1T means very little - be % king.
nowadays be said At least it means
very little 20 me-
- am so sorry" she answered. Il
am so intensely sorry"
"Non have been talking with my
mother. " be replied .It 4, easy 90 Sc.
that you are full OF her views and pre-
juficcF."
NO. they are mine" rc av.rrcl.
''a'l them what you p,ca.. II hate
'' Address gou HH-ier~. bu. this
g. rour command aud vhat can ONO Oh,
but obey Do? Nou are r,vrI and u1i-
cetv g. your rirhtfrl form of address.
And then thc way in which vuu dc4ni-,
and hout an ceremonial Oh thi. E..
harder 90 boar still, You ,Euuld have
entered here, just 90. vou huud wall,
abroad. with your cqucrrire. your gem
tIcmen in waiting An, 3D. is terrible
terrible, 10 saddcr~ mo. 10 wounds m..
g. rc Won east aside The rights and div-
mites ~ your great birth du not
wonder that your mother SORROWS Il
Is not mere pride that mako. her feel as
she docs. 10 g. % sense ooh. pardon me.
for } speak from The very Utmost depths
~ wy heart. 20 .aae nf ruur having
bcr- appointed ly % rr.n .I..If 'l -uT.
over your people. and of your treating
tn holy mission ID. though 90 concerned
slight 9rd raifrv 1H...
Blanca d It. erI.L f. king
t"..r Esr hand boo H.- as.n f1r 90 moment
II. lat t.-f iI $50. trembling and h.
that There wore tclr. ir Dor bright.
r..- childish rr.-
tnu ora r.y ,n..- t .fn
H. th1t .- r.. I.u .r-
OF. H.'. mechanically
u.ut pe. nes t .er. r..
i1 quite wrong .t