Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-08-20


me-"
But the marquis hesitated little,
for he did not like to run away, and the
princess ran little way forward and,
shading her eyes with her hand, cried:
"See therel 1 see the CLEAN of steel in
the dark. They have reached the top of
the hill and are riding down.
Then Prince Rudolf sprang on his
horse, calling again 60 M. de Nero
sailles: Quick Quick Your life hangs
on itp'
Then at last the marquis, though he !
was most reluctant to depart, was about
To spring ON his horse, when the prin-
cess turned and glided back swiftly to J
them. And let it be remembered that
evening had fallen thick and black. She
came to her brother and put out her
hand and grasped his hand and said:
MY lord, forgive your wrong, and
thank you for your courtesy, aud II
wish you farewell. F"
Prince Rudolf, astonished, gazed at
her without speaking, but she, NOV
ing very quickly in spite of the dark
ness, ran to where M. de Merosailles
was about to spring ON his horse and
she flung one arm lightly about his
neck and she said:
Farewell, dear brother. God pre-
serve you See that no harm comes to
my good friend NJ de Merosailles. :"
And she kissed him lightly on the
cheek Then she suddenly gave a loud
cry of dismay, exclaiming: ALAS,
what have / done? All, what have 1
done?' And she hid her face in her two
| hands
| Prince Rudolf burst into loud, short
laugh, yet he said nothing to his sister,
| but again urged the marquis to mount
his horse And the marquis, who was
in sad tumult of triumph and of woe,
leaped up, and they rode out, and, turn
| ing their faces toward the forest set
spurs to their horses and vanished at
brealneck speed into the glades. And
no sooner were they gone than the
troopers of the kings guard clattered
at a canter up to the end of the bridge,
where the Princess Osra stood. But
when their captain saw the princess he
drew rein.
"What is your Grand sir?' she ask
ed most coldly and haughtily.
Madam, =" said the captain, 1--WE are
ordered to bring the Marquis de Nero
|
presence, and we have information that
he is in the castle, unless indeed he
were one of the horsemen who rode
away just now"
1.-The horsemen you saw were my
brother the prince and his groom, said
Osra. "But if you think that M. do
Merosailles is in the castle pray search
the castle from keep to cellar, and il
you find him carry him to my father ao
I cording TO your orders. "
Then the troopers dismounted in grea
? haste and ransacked the castle from keel
to cellar, and they found the clothes q
the marquis and the white powder will
which he had whitened his face, bu
? the marquis they did not find. And TIT
captain came again to the princess, wh'
6 still stood at the end of the bridge, anS
said:
K Madam, he is not in the castle"
: SIS he not?' said she, and she turneI
) away, and, walking to the middle o
{ the bridge, looked down into the waite
y of the moat.
v "Was it in truth the princes groom
Q who rode with him, MADAME" aslze'
Q the captain, following her.
q Sin truth, sir, it was so dark, ~ an
swered the princess, that could no
10 myself clearly distinguish the man
l, face. ="
d lone was the prince, for saw yo'
embrace him, madam.
D "You do we'll to conclude that wa
10 my brother. " said Osra, smiling little
n And to the other, madam, you CAV
ID your hand"
1, "And now give it to you," said sh
If with naughty insolence "And if 10 m
IS fathers servant why not to my broth
g er' So" And she held out her hand tha
y he might kiss it and turned away fror
q him and looked down into the wate
TO again
But we found NJ de Merosaille'
D. clothes in the CASTLE" persisted I'll
IN captain.
if He may we'll have left something
II his in the CASTLE" said tho princess.
''I will ride after them," cried IL
at captain.
Il 81 doubt If you will catch them,
es smiled the princess, for by now Il
Id pair had been gone half an hour al
the frontier was but ten miles from Il
! castle, and they could not be overtake
of Yet the captain rode off with his mt
Is and pursued till he met Prince Rude
nv returning alone, having seen NJ
AZ Merosailles safe ON his way. And r
Ms dolf had paid the sum Of 1000 crow
We to the marquis, so that the fugitive W
/ well provided for his journey and, ira
o. cling with many relays of horses ma
id good his escape from the clutches
King Henry.
:" But the Princess Osra staid a 10
th time looking down at the water in
, moat And sometimes she sighed a
ro- tliGi- again she frowned, and, althou
re- nobody was there and it was very da
X. into the bargain, more than once {
blushed- And at last she turned to
into the castle, and as she went {
\ murmured softly to herself:
"Why kissed him the first tim
Imow-it was in pity. And why kis
him the second time lnOw-it was