The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-13
ICloGright, 1895, by A. II. Hawkins.1

don me, madame, but what have YOU OF
such value?"
II have what the poorest girl has
and II is of the value that 1t has
pleased God to make 1t and pleases men
to think it," said Osra. And all of II
| will stake against the kings castle
of Zenda and its demeSne."
Count Nikolas' eye flashed and he
drew nearer to her; he took his dice
| box from his pocket. and he held II ny
before her. and he whispered, in an
| eager, hoarse voice:
Name this great stake, madame,
what is it?''
1T is myself, my lord" said Princess
| Osra.
YOURSELF" he cried wondering
though he had half guessed
'Aye. To be lord of Xenda Is much.
Is It not more to be husband to the
kings sister,
1T is more said he when the
kings sister is the Princess Osra." And
he looked at her now with open ad-
] miration. But she did not heed his
| glance. but with face pale as death,
she seized q small table and drew II
between them. and cried. Throw
then, my lord, We know the stakes"
IF you win, Zenda is mine, If win,
YOU are mine
YES. | and Zenda also" said she.
Throw, my lord"
shall we throw thrice, madame. or
once, or how often?''
Thrice. my lord she answered, toss
ing back her hair behind her neck. and
holding one hand to her side. Throw
first she added.
The count ratified his box. and his
throw was seven. Osra took the box
from him. looked keenly and detiiantly
In his eyes. and threw.
Fortune is with you. madame" said
he biting his lips. For five and a
four make nine. or | err greatly"
He took the box from her; his hand
shook. but hers was firm and steady
and again he threw.
"Ah, it is but five said he impa-
tien:ly, and a frown settled on his
brow.
1T is enough, my lord" said Osra.
and pointed to the dice that she had
thrown. a three and a one.
The counts eyes cleaned again. and
he sprang to her and was about to seize
the box. But he checked himself sud-
denly and bowed, saying:
Throw first this time. 7 pray you,
madame. if 1t be not disagreeable to
you" ...
Il do not care which way 1t is." said
Osra and she shook the box and made
her third cast. And when she lifted
the box. the face of the dice showed
seven. And smile broadened on the
counts face. for he thought surely he
could beat seven. he that had beat
eleven, and thereby won the castle of
Zenda, which now he staked against
the Princess Osra. But his eyes also
We're very keenly and attentivelv on
her, and he held the box poised, shoul-
| der-high. in his right hand
But then a sudden faintness and
sickness seized upon the princess, and
the composure that had hitherto up
held her failed: she could not meet his
I glance nor could she bear to see the
! fall of the dice; but she turned away
her head before he threw and stood
thus with averted face. And he kept
| attentive eyes on her and drew very
near to the table so that he stood right
over it, And the Princess Osra caught
sight of her own face in the mirror and
started to see herself, pallid and ghast-
ly. and her face was drawn as though
| she We're suffering some great pain.
But she uttered no sound.
The dice ratified in the box: they
| ratified on the able; there was a pause
| while a man might quickly count a
dozen; and then Count Nikolas of Fes-
| tenburg cried out In a voice that
trembled and tripped over the words
Eight. eight, eight"
But before the last of the words had
| left his shaking lips the Princess Osra
| faced round on him like lightning. She
} raised her hands so that the loose
white gown fell back from her rounded
arm. and her eyes flashed and her lips
curled as she outstretched her arm at
him and cried:
Foul play"
"For. as she watched her own pale
face in the mirror-the mirror that
Count Nikoias had not heeded-she had
seen him throw she had seen him
stand for an instant over the dice he