Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-06-29
NEpW
J Froze1 Heart,
81 A THRILLIHG love STORY.
lH by FRANCES WARNER WALKER.
A THRILLIHG LOVE ST.
BY FRANCES WARNER WALKER.

> fRAeA1t AE NN
would flow from the deadly thrust he
awaited SO calmly.
He started only when the sharp
blade fell harmless by the princes side;
but as ii fen, the prince leaned for
ward and whispered words rs unex-
pected as the life gained-bitterer than
the death looked for.
There was no redress, no retaliation.
All the laws Of honor had been com
piled with. The princes outraged hon
or and his own had been avenged.
The whisper held 10 new insult. Ii
but told him he had been a dupe--a toy
his life the wedding gift of his enc
my 10 his bride. because. f0rSo0th, no
blood must stain their wedding eve.
Yesterday lie had deemed the world
well lost for the sake OF a flower which
had lain an instant ON a w0man's
breast; to-day the flower had turned
into a snake that stung him with a
deadly sting. Ia pleading for his life.
Florence had not averted from MIN a
humiliation worse than death.
"You prevented the duel:'' asked the
lovely intended bride of the prince.
when, some hours later, he entered her
drawing room.
She had denied herself to all visitors,
and awaited him alone.
No. ma belle; we fought he an
swered. "Ah. do not grow so pale. L
kept my word. The boy needed a les
son; | gave him one. / could not. in
honor, refuse 10 fight. or allow him
equal privilege. 1t was but the work
of a moment. / disarmed him; then
made him a present of his life. l told
him it was his wedding gift TO you"
And as she listened. Florence knew
that rather would Damerof have re-
ceived in his heart the blade than in
his ear the whisper.
Perhaps because the prince thought
| those Of his order might smile ar he
mad infatuation which tempted him to
| give his proud and ancient name 10 II
who boosted herself no li~neage-per-
haps because the innate vanity of the
man led him to believe any act OF his
must meet approral-perhaps because
he wished to blaZon the beauty of his
bride I'm the sight OF all he insisted
that the ceremony should be publicly
performed with pomp and splendor.
The momentary softening which had
swayed Florence into her plea for
Damerof's life had hardened.
As the Princess de aux. let them,
If they would. resurrect the story OF
the buried past. 1t would pass her by
unframed. unscathed.
She was as eager rs the prince that
the ceremony might take place, lest
some whisper of her past might reach
his ears. and so bring defeat in the
moment of her triumph She had for
gotten that once she had shrunk from
Ii. From him she still shrank, but not
from his title and his rank.
So dawned. at last. her wedding day.
PeerIessly lovely she looked in her
wedding robes. but as the mirror re-
Elected the exquisite picture. she shud-
dered and grew whittier than her dress.
She remembered that so might the
Countess dAubigny have looked upon
herself on that terrible morning more
tEan "A year age.
"A little rouge. ma ehere," said the
Countess D, who was to accom-.
pany her 10 the chapel. where fht
prince was TO meet her at the appoint
ed hour.
But Florence shook her head. Shs
knew no artificial aid could heighter
the beauty whicE was a cold and mar
Bile like as she felt her heart.
lust before she left the house she
went alone into the ante-rOom, wher'
hung the picture OF the cross.
Farewell. Dorothy she whispered
low.
And as the low murmur trembled IN
the air she started and turned around
Who had spoken her name: No one
Tie room was silent and deserted: We
standing, as she had seer him stand
on that evening which now seemed $
long past. she almost fancied she coul,
see Arkwrigh1. and near again the low
voiced %utterance OF her name.
What had brought him at this mo
mes. 10 her mind: Could IT. be tina
she had never banished him from tn
thought which had proved stronge
than her viii: Absurd, What had IN
I Princess de yaux 10 DO with Harr
Arkwrightz Henceforth, ambition mu.
be her god. ami power iier se-ptter..
: The church vas crowded. The hrid
was waiting in the vcstry. The orga
rang out its triumphant notes; but ia
| bridegroom had rot come.
; At last. when wondermenf began I
ind truth in words. the we'll know
uNtFteS drew rem ueIofe tue door. III
9 signal WAS given. and Florence. lear
ing on tae arm of Duke lie Roban,
walked proudly up the aisle.
! Two men awaited her on the alta
steps-her bridegroom and some chose
= friend. She never glanced towar
them: hut naughty. triumphant. i
! axe sweep the faces of the aristocra
ic assemblage gathered TO see a W
a mans beauty gain. by its own RICH
= d~ndisputed titles 10 their ranks.
As Madame Florence. they migl
: question; ms the Princess C~aranac
they dared not.
IA She reached the altar steps. II
le gas Of all the multitude had follow,
her. III now centered ON the prince
4 Where was he? il was o the prime
Q that stepped OFT from the c~oncealir
o shadows of the pillar against which !
" had been resting. half-sereened by II
re floral adornaehts-not the prince-y
I. he stood awaiting the bride, and e
tending his hand In greeting.
= She. too. now raised her eyes M
saw him. A low cry of untold horr
y escaped her blanched lips. fnvolu
- tarily SHE clasped her hands above n