Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-01-24
A PRINCESS RANSOM.

1T is quite certain that they will
shoot Inc" said Princess Karoly, look
ing her fellow prisoner squarely in the
face. my husband will never pay all
those francs down for me. He will not
think me worth it,.
1.-THE curl" said the Irishman fierce
~. The princess laughed softly.
How do you know that I am worth
it," she asked lightly. "Believe me,
Mr.. Gildea, the world will say my hus-
band is we'll rid of me. was going to
demand separation from him in the
autumn, and now All, we'll! A scan
dial will be prevented, and the best Of
messieurs les brigands' drugs is that
their effect is lasting"
Lasting indeed' Gerald Gildea s
eyes laughed back into hers. Then they
grew grave again. "I'm glad little
Lucy's ransom was so promptly paid. "
Are you engaged to herr" the prin-
cess asked quickly. "They told me So
in Ajaccio. +"
"They told you lies in Ajaccio, ma
dame. Lucy is heart free for me.
"Ohe" And the princess laughed
softly to herself. "And when will they
pay your ransom, Mr.. Gildea?''
"When yours is paid, madame.
AT the Greek kalends?" The prin-
cess face was white under her sunburn,
but her eyes laughed still. Gildea bent
his head gravely
cat the Greek kalends, princess.
Did you expect it to be otherwise?''
"I-I-no. What need for more lies
now, when we are going to die, Ger
aida"
"No need at all--now. Do you know,
princess, have never heard your Chris
tian name?''
"Have you not? 1t is not pretty
name-Zenobia.
lit is an imperious kind Of name. 1t
suits you.''
you think so? All, never mind !!
How old are you, Gerald: Twenty five?
And am 80 Neither Of us old, and
yet neither Of us very sorry that we
shall have our threats cut in day Or
so.'
Hush Do not speak Of it,.
"But must speak. am curious. I
wonder how it will feel-if it will hurt
much. Like your Queen Anne Bullen, I
have little neck. would rather be
shot, I think, but these Corsicans are SO
ready with their knives. A-ah," and
she shuddered little, edo you believe
in paradise and purgatory and all that,
Gerald? I was good Catholic once,
but now
II believe in everything, princess, al
though I am a Protestant.
"Ah, happy you !" the princess sighed.
Have you a mother, Mr.. Gildea, or a
sister,"
Both" Gerald Gildea answered,
and for O moment there came into his
blue eyes the shadow of half conquered
pain. It had beset him an hour or two
before, when the American girls ran
som had arrived and she had turned to
him for one moment with dumb en-
treaty in her eyes. She was going back
to home and friends, her look seemed to
say. Would not he at least send word
to those who loved him of the peril in
which he stood? The money would be
paid at once, Gerald Gildea knew, but
then he must leave behind the princess,
she whom her friends called the lowell
est and her enemies the worst woman
III Russia. It was only death the prin-
cess need fear, Gildea knew, too, for he
was aware that she had one bosom
friend that would help her from any
worse fate And, so thinking, he made
up his mind to abide the end with her.
"Our jailers are busy playing mora, !"
said the princess, breaking i'll upon his
thoughts. "Shall we play. too, Gerald?
You do not know how? File! Come,
shut your eyes and guess how many fin
gers I hold up Well, what are you
thinking Of to make you look so grave?
A woman? Tell me her name"
sss,s..' Alice and Honor"
~ i2Ae princess straight brows met in a
frown.
1.-TWO women" she said, with an odd
little laugh "Are they pretty women,
then? Tell me about them.
my mother is lovely, not pretty"
Gerald Gildea said gravely. Honor is
not pretty either, but she has the pleas
ATTEST face in the world.
lyon speak as if you were sorry for
her, the princess said in an altered
voice. lis your sister dslicate?'
''She is hopeless cripple. At least
she will never be able to walk as long az
she lives But ought not to have called
her hopeless. There never was q merrier
creature than my sister Honor. =
And your mother? Her name is
Alice, you said. Tell me about her,
Gerald.
MY mother-I have nothing to tell
Of her, princess \
"You said she was lovely. Is she fair
or dark like your"
Ozark like me. Darker, think. Do
not let us speak Of my mother, princess =
"Ah!" the princess said under her
breath. Then she leaned forward and laid
her hand on the Iriehman s locked An
gers. my dear!" she Whispered softly
a. her hand was taken and held tightly.
my dear r.
The banditti were still playing mora.