Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-06-29

He started only when the sharp
blade fell harmless by the princes side:
but as it fell, the prince leaned for
ward and whispered words us une:l-
pccted as the life gaineil-bttcrcr 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 70 new Insult. 1t
but told him he had been IL dupe-a toy
his life the wedding gift of his enc
NY 10 his bride. because. fur>ooth. no
blood must stain their wedding eve.
Yesterday lie had deemed the world
well lost for the sake of Il flower which
had lain an instant on Il womans
breast: to-day the flower had turned
into snake that stung him With a
deadly sting. In pleading fer his life.
Florence had hot averted from him Il
humiliation worse than death.
You prevented the iuel:" asked the
lovely intended bride of the prince.
when. some hours later he entered her
drawing room.
She had denied herself to nj! visitors.
and awaited him alone.
No. MA belle: we fought" he an
severed. "Ah. 60 not grow so pale!
kept my word. The boy needed les
sch: | gave him one. | could not. in
honor. refuse to fight. or allow him
equal privilege. 1t was hui the work
of Il moment. I disarmed him: Their
made him /; present OF his life. | told
him it was his wedding gift to YOU
} And as she listened. Florence knew
tl!at rather would Damerotl have re-
c2ived in his heart the blade than in
his ear the whisper.
Perhaps because the prince thought
those of his order NIGH, smile mt the
mad infatuation which tempted him to
give his proud ana ancient name to one
who boaSted herself no linpage-pel-
hapS because the innate vanity of the
man led him to believe any act of his
must meet approval-pcrhapS because
b" wished to hlazoI the beauty Of his
brih" in the sight of ALL he insisted
that the ceremony should be publicly
performed With pomp and splen;ior.
The momrntaTy softening which had
sway'd Florence into her plea for
Damerotf's life had hardened.
As III" Princess de aux. let them.
if they would. reSulracT the story of
the buried past. 1t would pass her by
unframed. unscatled
She WAS as eager as 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 CT her triumph. She had for
gotten that oEce she had shrunll from
it. From him she still Shranl. but not
from his title and his rank.
So dawned. at last. her wedding day
PeerleSsly lovely she looked in her
wedding robes; but as the mirror re-
fccted the exquisite picture. she shud-
dered and grew whittier than her dress.
She remembered that so might the
Countess d'Aubigny have looked upon
herself on that terrible l&orning more
than year ago.
"A little rouge. ma chere," said the
Countess D. who was t. accom-
pany her to the chapel. where the
prince was to meet her at the appoint
ed hour.
But Florence shook her head She
knew no artificial ala could heightcn
the beauty which was cold and mar
bl2-like as she felt her heart.
Just before she left the house she
went alone into the ante-room, where
hung the picture of the cross.
Farewell. Dorothy" She whispered
low.
ANA as the low murmur trcmbled in
the air she started and turned around.
Who had spoken her name? No one.
The room was silent and deserted: vet
standing, as she had seen him stand.
on that evening which now seemed so
long past, she almost fancicd she could
see Arkwright, and hear again the low
voiced utterance of her name
What had brought him at this mo-
ment to her mind: Could it be that
she had never banished him from the
thought which had proved stronger
than her will: Absurd. What had the
Princess de EauX to do with Harry
Arkwright? Henceforth, ambition must
be her god. and power her scepter.
The church was crowded. The bride
was waiting in the vestry. The organ
rang out its triumphant notes; but the
bridegroom had not come
At last. when wonderment began to
find truth in words. the well known
liveries drew rein before the door The
signal was given. and Florence. lean
in- on the arm of Duke de Robano,
walked proudly up the aisle.
Two men awaited Ecr on the altar
steps-her bridegroom and some chosen
friend. She never glanced toward
them: but naughty. triumphant. let
gaze sweep the faces of the aristocrat-
ic assemblage gathered to see a wo-
mans beauty gain, by its own right,
nndisputed titles to their ranks.
AS Madame Florence. they might
question; as the Princess Caranach.
they dared not.
She rc"rlled the altar steps. The
gaZ" Of ell the multitude had followed
her. 1t now cpntered on the prince?
Whore was he! 1t was not the prince
that stepped oU, from the coDcealing
shadows Of til" pillar against Which he
had been resting. half-screenetl by the
floral adornmrnts-nO the prince-yet
he stood awaiting the bride. and ex-
tending his hand in greeting.
She. TOO. now raised her eyes and
saw him. a low cry of untold horror
escaped her blanched lips. Involun-
taTily she clasped her hands above her
face. For the first time she looked up
on the awful work her hand had
wrought. 1t was Louis Cervase who
awaited her llnnn thp altar stenS-J oil.