The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-13

S.1LLLZ/
R ARMS AROUND HIS NECK.
sat up in his bed readily enough, for
he imagined that the embassy from
the grand duke of Mittenheim must
be nearer than he had thought, and,
sooner than fail in any courtesy To-
wards the prince, whose alliance he ar
IDENTIFY desired, he was ready to SUBJ
NIT to much inconvenience. But his
establishment was great when, instead
of any tidings from the embassy, one
of his gentleman handed him a letter.
saying that a servant had received it
from a stranger with Instructions to
carry it at once to the King; when
asked if any gansWer were desired from
his majesty, the stranger had an
sWered, Not through me-" and at once
turned away and quickly disappeared.
The king. with a peewish oath at hav-
ing been reused for such a trjfle, broke
the seal and fastenings of the letter
and opened il, and ne read:
''SIre-Your sister does not wait for
the embassy, but chooses her own
lover; she has met a student of the
university every day for the last three
weeks by the river bank" CThe king
started) This morning she has feri
With him on horseback along the west
ern road. If you desire a, student for
brother-in-law, sleep again: if not.
up and ride. Do not doubt these It'd
in%s."
There was no signature to the let
ter, yet the king, knowing his sister,
cried:
See whether the princess is in the
palace. And in the meanwhile saddle
my horse and let dozen Of the guard
be at the gate"
The princess was not in the palace
but her woman found the letter that
she had left. and brought it to the
king. And the king read, Brother,
whom | love best of all men in the
world save one. You viii not forgive
me now, but some day forgive me.
Nay, it is not l who have done it, but
my love which is Drawer than 1. He is
the sweetest gentleman alive, brother,
and therefore he must be my lord. Let
me go, but still love me. Osra."
ct is true" said the king. "And
the embassy will be here today And
for a moment he seemed dazed. Yet
he spoke nothing to anybody of what
the letters contained, but sent word to
the queens apartments that he went
riding for pleasure. And he took his
sword and his pistols; for he sWora
that by his own hand and that of no
other man, this sweetest gentleman
alive should meet his death. But all
knowing that the princess was not in
the palace, guessed that the kings sud
den haste concerned her; and great
wonder and speculation rose in the
palace, and presently, as the morning
advanced, spread from the palace tc
its environs, and from the environs tc
the rest of the city. For it was re-
ported that a sentinel that had stood
guard that night was missing. ant
that a mysterious letter had come by
an unknown hand to the king, an(
lastly, that Princess Osra-their prin
cess-was gone, whether by her owl
Will or by some bold plot of seizure
and Kidnapping, none knew. Thus {
great stir grew in all Strelsau, an(
men stood about the streets gossip
ing when they should have gone tt
work. while women chartered in l;el
Of sweeping their houses and dressing
their children. SO that when the kinf
rode out of the courtyard OF the pal
ace at a gallop, with u of the guarC
behind he could hardly make his wa!
! through the streets, for the people WI
crowded round him, imploring him t.
tell them where the princess was
When the king saw that the matte
had thus become public, his wratl
was greater still, and ne swore again
that. the student of the universit,
should pay the price of life for hi
morning ride with the princess AM
when he darted through the gate an
set his horse straight along the west
ern road, many of the people, neglect
ing all their business as folk will TO
eXcitement's sake followed him as hes
they could, agog to see the thing t
its end.
The horses are weary" said the stu
dent to the princess; I'VE must lie
them rest; we are now in the shelte
of the wood
But my brother may pursue you;
she urged; land if he came up wit
you-ah heaven Forbid
He will not know you have gon
fer another three hours" smiled h
"And here is a green bank where w
can rest"
So he aided her to dismount; ther
saying he would tether the horses h
led them away some distance. so tina
she could not see where he had poste
them; and ne returned to her, smilin
still Then he took from his poke
some bread, and, breaking the loaf
two, gave her one-half. saying:
There is a spring just here; so W
shall have a good breakfast"
rs this your breakfast" she aake
with wondering laugh. Then she bC
gan to eat and cried directly:
How delicious this bread is.
would have nothing else for breal
fast" and at this the student laughe'
Yet Osra ate little of the bread sh
liked so we'll; and presently she leane
against her lovers shoulder, and h
put his arm around her; and they So
for a little while in silence listening
the soft sounds that filed the wakin
woods as day grew to fullness and tt
syn beat warm through the shelterin
foliage.
Don't you hear the trees?" Os1
whispered to her lover. Don't yo
hear them? They are whispering fl
me what l dare not whisper
What is it they whisper eweer
he asked; and he himself did no mol
. than whisper.
II,