The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-10-01

words to the bishop of Modenstein,
having suddenly thrown the veil bach
from her face:
/ ''He shall not live if it prove true"
The bishop shook his head. His pro
fession was peace, yet his blood also
was hot against the man who had put q
slight ON Princess Osra.
1.-THE king must know of it, " he said
1.-The kingl The king is not here to
night, said Osra, and she pricked hel
horse and set him at a gallop. The
moon, breaking suddenly in brightness
from behind a cloud, showed the bishop
her face. Then she put out her hand
and caught him by the arm, whisper
ing, Are you my friend?"
Yes, madame, " said he. She knew
well that he was her friend
Kill him for me, thenl Kill him for
mel"
II cannot kill him, said the bishop.
II pray God it may prove untrue. "
'You are not my friend if you will
not kill him., said Osra, and she turn
ed her face away and rode yet more
quickly
At last they came in sight of the lit
tie house that stood back from the road,
and there was light in one of the up
per windows. The bishop heard a short
gasp break from Osra's lips, and she
pointed with her whip to the window
Now his own breath came quick and
fast, and he prayed to God that he
might remember his sacred character
and his vows, and not be led into great
and deadly sin at the bidding of that
proud, bitter face, and he clinched his
left hand and struck his forehead with
it.
Thus when they cameSto the gate of
the avenue of trees that led to the house.
Here, having dismounted and tied their
horses 70 the gatepost they stood. an in
slant, and Osra again yelled her face.
'Let me go alone, madame" he i'm
plored.
"Give me your sword, and will go
alone" she answered.
"Here, then, is the PATH" said the
bishop, and he led the way by the moon
light that broke fitfully here and there
through the trees.
"He swore that all his life should be
mine" she whispered. "Yet I knew
that he did not love me-"
The bishop made her no answer. She
looked for none and did not know that
she spoke the bitterness of her heart in
words that he could hear. He bowed
his head and prayed again for her and
for himself, for he had found his hand
gripping the hilt of his sword. And
thus, side by side now, they came to
the door of the house and saw a gentle
man standing in front of the door, still,
but watchful. And Osra knew that he
was the princes chamberlain.
When the chamberlain saw them. he
started violently and clapped hand to
his sword, but Osra flung her veil on
the ground, and the bishop gripped his
arm as with a wise. The chamberlain
looked at Osra and at the bishop ana
half drew his sword
''This matter is too great for you,
sir, said the bishop. 1T is a quarrel
of princes. Stand asider' And before |
the chamberlain could make up his |
mind what TO do Osra had passed by |
him, and the bishop had followed her.
Finding themselves in a narrow pas |
sage, they made out by the dim light of |
4 lamp fight Of stairs that rose from
the farthest end of it. The bishop tried |
to pass the princess, but she motioned |
him back and walked swiftly to the |
stairs. In silent speed they mounted |
till they had reached the top of the first
stage, and facing them, eight or ten
steps farther up, was a door, By the
ioor stood a groom. This was the man
Who had treacherously told Christian of
lis masters doings, but when he saw
what had come of his disloy-
Il chattering the fellow went white as
ghost and came lettering in stealthy
silence down the stairs, his finger ON
lis lips. Neither of them spoke to him,
Tor he to them. They gave no thought
o him. His only thought was to escape
Is soon as he might, so he passed them,
md, going on, passed also the chamber
ain, who stood dazed at the house door,
md so disappeared, intent on saving
he life that he had justly forfeited.
Thus the rogue vanished, and what be-
anne of him no one knew or cared. He
bowed his face no more at Glottenberg
r Strelsau
Hank! There are voices, - Whispered
)sra to the bishop, raising her hand
bove her head, as the two stood mo-
ionless.
The voices came from the door that
aced them, the voice of a man and the
dice of a woman. Osra's glance at her
told him that she knew as
yell as he whose the mans voice was.
at is true, them" she breathed from
etween her teeth. my God, it is
ruep'
The woman's voice spoke now, but
be words were not audible Then came l
he princes. Forever, in life or death,
part or together, forever But the
romans answer came no more in !
lords, but in deep, low, passionate !