The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-06

TO THE LADY's HAND.
faced them, the voice of a. man and
the voice of a woman. Osra's glance
at her companion told him that she
knew as well as he whose the mans
voice was.
1T is true then" she breathed from
between her teeth. MY God, it is
true
The woman's voice spoke now, but
the words were not audible. Then
came the Princes, For ever, in life or
death, apart or together, for ever"
But the WOman's answer came no more
in words but in deep. low, passionate
sobs that struck their ears like this
distant cry of some brute creature in
pain that it cannot understand Yet
Osra's face was stern and cold. and
her lips curled scornfully. when she
saw the Bishops look of pity.
Come, let us end it," said she, and
with a firm step she began to mount
the stairs that lay between them and
the door
Yet once again they paused outside
the door, for it seemed as though the
Princess could not choose but listen
to the passionate words of love that
pierced her ears like knives; yet they
were all sad. speaking of remuneration,
not happiness. But at last she heard
her own name, then, with a sudden
start she caught the Bishops hands.
for she could not listen longer. And
she staggered and reeled as she wills
pered to him, The door, the door;
open the door"
The r mop, his right hand being
across his body and resting on the
hit of his sword laid his left upon the
handle OF the door and turned it. Then
he flung the door wide open; and at
that instant Osra sprang past him,
her eyes cleaning like flames from
her dead white face. And she stood
rigid on the threshold of the room,
with the Bishop by her side.
In the middle of the room stood the
Prince of Gutenberg; and, strained
in close embrace, cLnging to him, sup
ported by his arms, With head buried
IN his breast. was a, girl of slight and
slender figure, graceful though not
tall; and her body was still shaken by
continued struggling sObs. The Prince
hold her there as though against
tie world, but raised his head and
looked at the intruders with a grave
sad air. There was no shame on his
face and hardly surprise. Presently
he took one arm from about the lady
and, raising it, mOtioned to them to
be still. Osra took one step forward
Bishop caught her sleeve, but she
shook him off. The lady looked
up into the Princes face; with a sud
den startled cry she clutched him
closer, and turned a terrified face over
her shoulder. Then she moaned in
great fear, and reeling fell against the
Prince and would have sunk to the
ground if he had not upheld her, and
her eyes closed and her lids dropped,
as she swooned away. But the Prin-
cess smiled, and drawing herself up tc
her full height, stood watching while
Ludwig bore the lady to a couch an6
laid her there. Then when he came
back and faced her she asked coldly
and slowly:
"Who is this woman, sir? Or is she
one of those that have no names?"
The Prince sprang forward, a sud
den anger in his eyes. he raised his
hand as if he would have pressed il
across her scornful mouth, and kept
back her bitter words. But she die
not finch; and, pointing at rim with
her finger, she cried to the bishop If
a ringing voice:
Kill him, my lord, kill him"
And the sword of the Bishop OF
scabbard
81 would to God, my lord" said the
Prince in low, sad tones, chat Coo
would suffer you to kill me and me
to take death at your hands Bu
neither for you nor for me is the blow
lawful. Let me speak to the Prin
cess"
The bishop still grasped his sword
for Osra's face and hand still ccm
manded him. But at the instance o.
his hesitation, while the temptation
was hot in him, there came from thu
couch where the lady lay, lew moa1
of great pain She flung Ter arms GU
and turned, groaning, again Oh. he
back, and her head lay Imply over thu
side of the couch. The bishops eye:
met Ludwig's; with u God forgive
mev he let the sword Slip back anC
springing across the 70 I'M, fell en- hi
knees beside the couch. He broke tn
golden chain around his ncak ant
grasped the crucifix which it carried
in one hand, while with the otner h,
raised the lady's head, praying her t.
open her eyes, before whose cicset
lids he held the sacred image; and he
who had come so near 10 great sin
now prayed softly but f"rvently 70
her life and Gods pity on her; for tn
frailty her slight form showed eouIc
not withstand the shock of this TRIAL
'Who is she?" asked the Princess.
But Ludwig's eyes had wardere.
back to the couch, and he answered
only:
My God. it will kill herr
81 care not" said Osra. But Their
came another low moan. Il care not. ;
said the princess again. "Ah, she is
in great sufferingr And her eyes fol
lowed the princes.
There was silence, save for the lady's
low means and the whispered prayers
of the bishop of Modenstein But the
lady opened her eyes, and in an in
slant, answering the summons, the
prince was by her side, kneeling anC
holding her hand very tenderly; an6
he met a glance from the bishop acros.
her PROSTATE body The prince bowed
his head and one sob burst from him
Leave me alone with her for a lit
tie, sir said the bishop, and thu
prince, obeying, rose and Withdrew int
the bay of the window, while Osre
stood alone near the door by which she
had entered.
A few minutes passed, then Osra saw
the prince return to where the lady
was and kneel again beside her; ant
she saw that the bishop was preparing
to perform his most sacred and sublime
office: the ladV'S ewes dwell. on him nor.