Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-12
| said to her:
Madame, in a week return to my own

said to her:
Madame, in a week return to my own
country
She looked at him in silence with lips
just parted. For her life she could not
speak; but the sun grew dark and the river
changed its merry tune to mournful dirges.
so the dream ends said he, $50 comes
the awakening. But if life were all a
dreamr' And his eyes sought hers
Yes she whispered, 'ff life were all a
dream, sir?''
Then 1 should dream of two dreamers
whose dream was one and in that dream
should see them ride together at break
of DAY from Strelsau."
"Whither?" she murmured.
ITO Paradise" said he. But the dream
ends. If it did not end He paused.
IF it did not end?" a breathless, longing
whisper echoeI.
IF it did not end now, it should not end
even with DEATH said he.
You see them in your dream? You see
them riding
AYE, swiftly. side by side. they two
alone, through the morning. None is near.
none knows"
He seemed to be searching her face for
something that he scarcely hoped to find.
"And their Dream said he. brings
them at last to a small cottage. and there
they live"
"They live?'
"And work." he added. For she keeps
his home while he works.
What does she do?" asked Osra, with
SInlllnS, wondering eyes.
''She gets his food for him when he
comes home weary in the evening. and
makes a bright fire, and
"Ah, and she runs to meet him at the
door-Oh. further than the door,!
But she has worked hard and is weary"
mo, she is not weary" cried Osra. 1t
is for him."
1.-THE wise say this is silly talk" said
he.
THE wise are fools, then cried Osra.
so the dream would please you, mad
ame?'' he asked.
She had come not to know how she left
him. somehow, while he still spoke, she
would suddenly escape by flight. He did
not pursue, but let her go. So now she re-
turned to the city, her eyes filled with that
golden dream, and she entered her home as
though it had been some strange palace
decked with new magnifcence, and she an
alien in it. For her true home seemed now
rather in the cottage of the dream, and she
moved unfamiliarly through the pomp that
had been hers from birth. Her soul was
gone from 1t, while her body rested there;
and life stopped for her till she saw him
again by the banks of the river.
I'm five days now l CO." said he; and he
smiled al her. She hid her face in her
hands. Still he smiled; but suddenly he
sprang forward. for she had sobbed. The
summons had sounded; he was there; and
who could sob again when he was there
and his Sheltering arm Warded away all
grief? She looked up at him with shining
eyes, Whispering:
do you so alone?"
A great joy blazed confidently in his eyes
as lie whispered in answer:
Il think l shall not go alone.'
But how, how?"
Il have two horses
You! You have two horsss%'
Yes. Is it not riches? But we will sell
them when we get to the cottage
ITO the cottage. Two horses?"
Il would 1 had but one Tor both Of u.s."
yes
"But we should not go quick enough"
mo"
He took his hand from her waist and
stood away from her.
You will not Gomez he said
IF you doubt of my coming. I will not
come. All, do not doubt of my coming.
For there is great hoard Of fears and.
black thoughts beating at the door and you
must not open it."
And what can keep it shut, my prin-
cess?"
Il think your arm. my prince" said she;
and she flew to him.
That evening King Rudolf swore that If
a man were only firm enough and kept his
temper (Which, by the way. the king had
not done, though none dared say sol, he
could bring any foolish girl to reason in
good time. For in the softest voice and
with the strangest smile fitting to her face,
the Princess Osra was pleased to bid the
embassy come on the fifth day from then.
and they shall have their answer then"
said She flushing and smiling.
1T is as much as any lady could say"
the court declared; and it was reported
through all Strelsau that the match was as
good as made, and that Osra was to be
Grand Duchess of Mttenheim.
''She Is sensible girl after ALL" cried
Rudolf, all his anger gone.
The dream began then. before they came
to the cottage. Those days she lived in it's
golden mists, that shut out all the cold
world from her, moving through space that
held but one form. and time had stood still
waiting for one divine unending moment.
y
1t was night, the dead of night, and all
was still in the palace. But the sentinel
by the little gate was at his post, and the
gate warden stood by the western gate of
an hour ago. a man had come, stealthily
and silently through the darkness. and each
was richer by bag of gold than he had
been before. The gold was Osra's-how
should poor student, whose whole fortune
vas two horses. scatter bags of gold? And
other gold Osra had, aye, 500 crowns.
Would not that be brave surprise for the
poor student? And she, alone Of all awake,
stood looking round her room, entranced
with the last aspect of 1t. Over the city
also she looked, but in the selfishness of
her joy did no more than kiss a hasty
farewell to the good city folk who loved
day he and she would stea together back
to Stresau and, sheltered by some disguise.
watch the king ride in splendor through the
streets. But If not-why, what was Strel-
sdu anu Tie people, anu tLe rest! An, now
lcng the hours were, before those two
horses stood by the little gate, and the sem
try and the gate warden earned their bags
OF gold? So she passed the hours, the last
long lingering hours.
There was a little tavern buried in the
rarrowest, oldest street of the city. Here
the poor student had lodged here in the
back room a man sat at a table, and two
others stood before him. These two seemed
gentlemen, and their air spoke of military
training. They stroked long mustaches and
smiled with an amusement that Difference
could not hide. Both We're booted and wore
spurs, and the man sitting at the table gave
them orders.
"You will meet the embassy" he said to
one, about 10 o'clock. Bring it to the
place have appointed, and wait there. Do
not fall
The officer addressed bowed and retired.
A minute later his horses hoofs clattered
"a
80 M(}M