Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-28

why. it is but half mile to church! III
have the cart ready and bid the priest be
there. What is your name?" For he had
not hitherto asked Osra's name
Rosa Schwartz" said she, and her Iace
was all alight with triumph and am,lse-
ment.
Yes, 1 shall be very comfortable with
you," said the miller. I'VE will be at the
may be time afterward for the preparation
of dinner
THAT will be on Thursday in next week."
asked Osra
he turned on his heel But in minute lie
turned again, saying: Give me kiss.
then, since we are to be man and wife,;
and he came slowly toward her, holding his
arms open.
Nay, the kiss will wait till Thursday.
Maybe there will be less flour on your face
then" And with laugh she dived under
his outstretched arms and made her es-
cape. And, the day being warm the miller
did not put himself out by pursuing her.
but stood where he was, with broad,
comfortable smile on his lips; and so he
watched her ride away.
Now, as she rode the princess was much
occupied in thinking of the miller of Hof-
bau. Elated and triumphant as she was at
having won from him a promise of mar
riage, she was yet somewhat vexed that he
had not shown more passionate affection;
and this thought clouded her brow for full
half an hour But then her face cleared.
Still waters run deep" said she 10 herself.
HE is not like these court gallantS, who
have learnt to make love as soon as they
learn to walk, and cannot talk to a Wom2 n
without bowling and grinlacnG and signing
at every word. The miller has deep ma
ture and surely | have won mis- heart, or
he would not take me for his wife Poor
miller, l pray that he may not grieve very
bitterly when / make the truth known TO
him." And them at the thought of the
grief of the miller, her face was again
~ cleared
considered the great triumph that she
had won, and how she would enjoy vic
tory over the king and would have the
finest bracelet in all StrelSau a gift
from him. Thus she arrived at the castle
in the height of merriment and eXultation.
1t CHANGED that the king also came to
Zenda that night, to spend week hunting
the boar in the forest, and when Osra, all
blushirg and laughing, told him of her sue
cess with the miller of Hofbau, ne was
greatly amused, and swore that no such
girl ever lived, and applauded her, renewing
his premise of the bracelet, and he de-
clared that he would himself ride with her
to Hofbau on the wedding day and see how
the poor miller bore his disappointment.
Indeed. l do not see how you are going
to excuse yourself to him. he laughed.
"a purse of five hundred crowns must do
that office for me- said she.
What will crowns patch broken
hearth"
His broken heart must heal itself, as
mems broken hearts do, brother
I'm truth. sister, 1 have known them cure
themselves. Let US hope it may be so with
the miller of Hofbau."
cat the worst, 1 have revenged the
wrongs of women on him. 1t is unendur-
able that any man should scorn US. be lie
king miller"
suffer great pangs," agreed the king, lin
spite of his plaster of crowns. 1 shall love
to see the stolid fellow signing and moan
ing like a love-sick courtier."
O. t1,xt, cod TO rid tnpn f1nr to tI1
miller's a. Hofbau on the day appoint ed
for the wedding, and both of them waited
with Impotence for it. But, with the bad
luck that pursues mortals even though they
be princess in this poor world, it happened
that early in the morning of the Thursday
a great officer came, riGing post haste from
Strelsau, to take the kings commands on
high matters of state, and, although Rudolf
was soIely put out of temper by this unto
ward interruption, yet he mad no alterna-
tive but to transact the business before he
rode to the mller's at Hofhau. So he sat
fretting and tuning while long papers We're
read to him and the princess walked up
and down the length of the drawbridge
fretting also. for before the king could es-
cape from his affairs, the hour of the we'd
ding was already come, and doubtless the
miller of Hofbau was waiting with the
priest in the church. And indeed it was
O'Clock or more before Osra and the king
set out from Zenda, and they had then q
ride of an hour and a Eaif-and all this
when Osra should have been at the mil
ler's at II o'clock.
Poor man, he will be half mad with
waiting and with anxiety for mer' cried
Osra Il must give him another hundred
crowrs on account of IT. And she added,
after pause, Il pray he may not take it
too much to heart, Rudolf
I'VE must try to prevent him doing him
self any mischief in his despair" smiled the
king.
Indeed 1t is serious matter" pouted
the princess. who thought the kings smiles
out of place
at was not so when you began It," said
her brother; and Osra was silent. Then,
about half-past 2, they came in sight Of the
MILL Now, tn, king dismounted while they
were still several hundred yards away. and
tied his horse to a tree in a clump by the
mill: he made a circuit and approached
from the side, and, creeping along the
house, hid himself behind a large wafer
butt which stood just under the window,