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

tnaJ tne servants ana Jnc IdlcOQerS
might not overhear. "And ride, sir,
to my own funeral"
1.-THE jest is still afoot then?" asked
the prince. "Yet do not see my sister
at the window to watch you go, and
warrant you have made no way with
your wager yet p"
ga thousand curses on my wagerl''
cried the marquis. Eyes, 1 have made
way with the accursed thing, and that
is why now go to my death. "
"What, has she kissed your cried
the prince, with a merry, astonished
laugh.
Eyes, sir she has kissed me once,
and therefore l 90 TO die"
Il have heard many better reason
then" answered the prince.
BY now the prince had dismounted,
and he stood by M. de Merosailles in
the middle of the bridge and heard from
him how the trick had prospered. At
this he was much ticlzled, and, alas, he
was even more diverted when the peni-
tence of the marquis was revealed to
him and was most of all moved to mer-
riment when it appeared that the mar
quis, having gone too near the candle,
terribly singed and scorched that he
could not bear to live. And while they
talked on the bridge the princess looked
out ON them from lofty, narrow win
dow, but neither of them saw her.
Now, when the prince had done laugh
ing. he put his arm through his friend 5
and babe him not to be fool, but
come in and toast the princess kiss in
draft of wine. For he said,
"though You will never get the other
two, yet it is brave exploit To have got
one.'
But the marquis shook his head, and
his air was so resolute and so full Of
sorrow that not only was Rudolf alarmed
for this reason, but Princess Osra also,
at the window, wondered what allied
him and why he wore such long face,
and she now noticed that he was dressed
all in black and that his horse waited
for him across the bridge.
Not said she, sthat care what
becomes of the impudent rogue. Yet
she did not leave the window, but
watched very intently to see what M.
de Merosailles would do.
For long while he talked with Ru-
dolf ON the bridge, Rudolf seeming
more serious than he was won't to be,
and at last the marquis bent 70 kiss the
princes hand, and the prince raised
him and kissed him ON either cheek,
and then the marquis went aud mount
ed his horse and rode off slowly and
unattended into the glades of the forest
of Zenda, but the prince, with shrue
of his shoulders and frown ON his
brow, entered under the portcullis and
disappeared from his sisters view
Upon this the princess, assuming al
air Of great carelessness, walked down
, from the room where she was and faced
her brother, sitting still in his boots
and drinking wine and she said:
an. de Merosailles has taken hi
leave then7''
Even so, madam, p" rejoined Rudolf
Then she broke into fierce attack OF
the marquis, and on her brother also
for a man, said she, is known by hi
friends, and what man must Rudol
be to have a friend like the Marquis d.
Merosaillesl
"Most brothers." she said in fer,
temper, would make him answer TO
what he has done with his life, bu
you laugh. Nay, dare say you had
hand in it. 30
AS to this last charge the prince hal
the discretion to say nothing. He chos
rather 20 answer the first part of wha
she said, and, Struggling his shoulder
again rejoined, 1.-THE fool saves me tn
trouble, for he has gone of to kill him
self. -
''To kill himselfr' she said, half in
credulous, but also half believing, be
1 cause of the marquis gloomy looks an
black clothes.
"To kill himself" repeated Rudoli
"For in the first place you are angry
and ne cannot live, and in the secon
) he has behaved like a rogue, so he car
: not live, and in the third place you al
so lovely, sister, that he cannot live
!, and in the first. second and third place
he is fool, so he cannot live" An
\ the prince finished his fiagon of wiz
3 with every sign Of i'll humor in b