The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-30

t0SS0 GnOuSutS SdiuluS tEe 1GSCSiy OVeC
the others, in spite Of the sad plight Of
unhappy signor Giraldo, her lips curved
into bow, her eyes cleaned in dancing
merriment, and & moment later she
broke into a glad, gleeful laugh, that
rose and rippled and fell to soft, delight
ed murmrrings. And she looked again
at the picture that was like her and al
so like devil, and her mirth grew and
grew at the ingenuity Of the work and
the mccking deviltry so cunningly
made ont Of her face. Small wonder
was 1t to her now thas the embassies
had not come.
The Princess Ora thus stood laugh
ing, and presently Signor Giraldo look
ed up, and when be had listened and
looked for few moments his wild
mood caught the infection from her, 80
that, spTinging to his feet, be also BE-
gan to laugh loudly, like man who
cannot restrain his amusement, but Is
carried away BY III beyond all bounds
and restraint Thus Giraldo laughed
loudly, long and fiercely, for there was
madness IN his laugh. And the princess
beard the madness, and even while she
still laughed her eyes opened in Won
der; alarm came ON her face, her merry
laugh quivered. trembled. choked in
her throat, and at last died away into
dumbness, yet her lips hung apart,
frozen in the shape of laughter while
no laughter came And as her laugh
thus ended III mute horror his grew
louder yet and wilder, and it's peal rang
through the room as he gasped between
his spasms Of ho1rid mirth, ''You, you,
you'll" and pointed at the picture which
he had touched into devilishness. But
she shrank away and stood crouched
against the wall, for she knew now that
he was mad, but did not know to what
his fury might next lead him. Then he
caught up q knife that lay on the sill
Of the window, and, now smiling as
though in grim, quiet amusement,
strobe across to the TOW Of pictures and
reached up to them, knife in hand.
But Osra suddenly sprang forward,
crying, "Do not hurt them.
"These?" be asked, turning TO her,
with sneer. 3'These? I'll destroy them
all, for they are TO longer beautiful 70
me, but that one only is beautiful, be-
cause it is true" And be vrenched his
ann away from the OBTAINING hand that
she had laid upon it. Falling back in
terror, she watched him cutting AID
slashing each CT the pictures until tie
face was utterly destroyed. And she
feared that when be had finished witE
the pictures he would turn upon her.
Therefore she flung herself On the couch,
hiding her face for fear of soiae horc':-
bic fate, and she murmured low to her
self, "Not my face, o God, net my
facep' And she pressed her face down
into the cushions Of the couch, while
he, muttering and grumbling TO hi1c-
self, cut the pictures into strips and rib
bons and strewed the fragments at his
feet on the floor. And, this done, be
turned to tho face that he now loved
and poured out 70 it, as though it had
been an idol he worshiped, food Of
wild, passionate, .erroachful words that
Osra shiveyed to hear, ard the purport
of which she dared tell none, though
for all her prayers she could not herself
forget one Of them.
At last lie came to her again ard
plucked her roughly and rucely from
the couch where she lay and dragged
her behind him back to the door again
and through it, and they stood together
in front Of the last picture, whose paint
was still wet from his hand. The paint
ed face smiled down On the trembling,
pale girl, with its smile Of careless, Sc
rene dignity, SO that now even to her
self it seemed hardly to bo her picture,
fcr it was the true presentmsnt OF a
kings daughter, and she 70 better than
helpless, frightened girl. It seemed to
reproacn her, and suddenly she drew
herself to her fcll height and turned to
Giraldo, saying, "You shall lot touch
IT" AID she stepped forward 50 thas
she stood between him and the picture,
raising her hand and fcrbidding him to
approach il with his knife. And now
the picture seemed more to be hers, al
though where it smiled she frowned.
But at this moment there came
through tie window that opened on the
street the clatter Of horses hoofs. At
the sound Giraldo arrested The motion
that he had already made to fling HIM
self at the princess, whether to kill her
or only to thrust her away from the
front Of the picture she did not kuow.
Running to the window, he looked out
aud called in seeming glee, cit is the
king come to see my picturesI" And be
looked proud and happy. Going to the
door Of tie room. he flung it open and
stood there waiting for the king and
the gentlemen who attended tho King
They were not long in coming, for Ru-
dolf was full Of anger, impatience> and
anxiety, and ran swiftly up the stair
case His gentlemen pressed into the
room behind him, and Giraldo drew
back, keeping his face to the king and
bowing again and again. Bat the king
= Il h i,h ho,,6