The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-04-19

terly when | mako tho truth known to
him" And then, at the thought of the
grief Of tho miller, her face was again
cloudod, but it again cleared when she
considered Of the great triumph that
she had won, and how Sho would enjoy
victory over the king and would have
tho finest bracelet in al Strclsau as a
gift from him. Thus she arrived at tho
castle in tho height of merriment and
eXultatiOn
1t CHANGED that the king also camo to
Ienda that night to spend week hunt
ing the boar in the forest, and when
Osra, all blushing and laughing, told
him of her success with the miller of
Hofbau he was greatly amused and
sworo that no such girl ever lived and
applauded her, renewing his promise of
the bracelet, and he declared that he
would himself ride with her to Hofbau
on the wedding day and sec how tho
poor miller boro his disappointment.
Indeed, do not SEQ how you are
going to excuse yourself to him, )" he
laughed.
" A purse of 500 crowns must do that
office for me-" said size
What, will crowns patch a broken
heart?''
His broken heart must heal itself,
as mems broken hearts do, brother"
" In truth, sister, | have known them
cure themselves Let us hope it may be
/ SO with the miller of Hofbau."
- AT tho worst l have rovcnged the
wrongs Of women on him. 1t is uncn-
durable that any man should scorn us,
be ho king or miller"
1t is indeed very proper that he
should suffer great pangs, agreed the
king, lin spite of his plaster of crowns.
shall love to see the stolid fellow sigh
ing and moaning like a love sick court
ier -
So they agreed to ride together to tho
millcr's at Hofbau OH the day appointed
for tho wedding and both of them
waited with impaticncc for it. But with
tho bad luck that pursues mortals (cvcn
though they be prlnces) in this poor
world it happened that early in the
morning of tho Thursday Il great officer
came, riding posthastc from Strclsau to
take the kings commands on high mat
ters of state, and, although Rudolf was
sorcly put out of temper by this unto
ward interruption, yet he had no al,crna-
tive but to transact the business before
he rode to the miller's at IIofbau. So he
sat frctting and fuming while long pa
pers were read to him, and tho princess
walked up and down the length of tho
drawbridgc, frctting also, for before the
king could escape from his affairs the
hour of the wedding was already come,
and doubtless the miller of Hofbau was
waiting with tho priest in the church.
And indeed it was o'clock or more be-
fore Osra and the king set out from
Zenda, and they had then u ride of an
hour and half, and all this when Osra
should have been at tho millcr's at II
o'clock.
Poor man, he will be half mad with
waiting and with anxiety for me, e" cried
Osra. Il must give him another 100
crowns on account of it," And she add
ed, after pause, 81 pray he may not
take it too much to heart, Rudolf"
I'VE must try to prevent him doing
himself any mischief in his despair, "
smiled the king.
Indeed it isa serious matter" pout-
ed tho princess, who thought tho kings
smiles out of place
1t was not so when you began it., "
said her brother, and Osra was silent.
Then about half past 2 they came in
sight Of the mill. Now, tho king dis
mounted while they were still several
hundred yards away and tied his horse
to tree i'll q clump by the mill Ho
made circuit and approached from tho
side, and, creeping along the house. hid
himself behind Il large water butt which
stood just under the window, and from
that spot he could hear what passed in
side the house, although he could rot
sec. But Osra rode up to the front of
the mill, as she had been accustomed to
do, and, getting down from her horse,
walked up to the door. The miller $
cart stood in the yard of the mill, but
tho horse was not in the shafts, and nei-
ther the miller nor anybody else was to
be seen about, and the door Of tho house
was shut.
"He must be waiting at the onurch, ;"
said she. "But l will look in and make
sure. Indeed, feel half afraid to meet
him" And her heart was beating rap.
| idly and her face was rather pale as
she walked up to the door, for she fear
ed what the miller might do in the pas
sion Of his disappointment on learning
who she was and that sho could not be
| his wife 81 hope tho 600 crowns will
comfort him." sho said as she laid her
hand on the latch Of the door, and she
sighed, her heart being heavy for tho
miller, and maybe little heavy also
for the guilt that lay on her conscience
for having deceived him.
Now, when she lifted tho latch and
opened the door, the sight that met her
eyes was this: The table was strewn
with the remains of bravo dinner.
Two burnt out pipes lay beside the
plates. A smaller table was in front OF
the fire. On 1t stood very largo jug,
entirely empty, but bearing signs of
having been full not so long ago, and
on either side of it, each in an arm.
chair, sat the priest of the village and
tho miller Of Hofbau, and both of them
were sleeping very inntentcdly and
snoring somewhat as they slept. The
princess, smitten by rcmorse at this
spectacle, said softly
"Poor fellow, he grew weary Of wait
ing and hungry and was compelled tc
take his dinner, and, like the man he
is he has entertained the priest and
kept him here so that no time should be
lost when | arrived. Indeed, am afraid
tho