The San Francisco call., 1901-12-01
CHAPTER xIII-Continued.

s.ShA has not. do not know
her heart but 1 am a woman and have
woman's foresight. If you wish TO oe
kind and good 10 her, go"
II cannotr' he exclaimed, his pent teei-
iuss bursting forth. II cannot go!
ssYou Will not be so selfish and so cruel
as TO increase the horror OF the wreck
that is sure to come" she said, drawing
back
.'You know. Countess. Of the life-saving
crews who draw from the wrecks OF shlps
lives that were hopelessly lost? There Is TO
be 4 wreck here: is there to be a me-
saver? when the night is darkest, the sea
widest when hCne is gone, is not that
the time when rescue is most precious!
Tel me- YOU who know all there Is OF
this aynroaching disaster?
~ cannot command you to leave Edel-
weiss: I can only tell you that you VIA VIA
have something to answer for II you
stay" said the Countess.
''Nili You help me if show to you that
7 ca, reach the wreck and save the one
who clirss 10 il despairinCly2 he asked
smiling. suddenly calm and conhdcnt.
Willingly. for love the one who Is go
ing down in the sea. ] have spoken 10
YOU seriously though. and trust you VIII
not misunderstood ne. like you and L
like Mr.. Anguish. Ycu could stay here
forever so far as am concerned.
lie thought long and intently over what
she had said as he smoked his cigar on
the great balcony that night. In his heart
he knew he was adding horror but that
persistent hope of the nfe-saNer came up
fresh and strong 10 combat the argument.
He saw. in ore moment. the vast chasm
between the man and the princess: in the
next. he laughed at the puny space.
Down on the promenade he could see
tie figures Of men and women strollins
IN the moonlight. To his ears came the
occasional laugh OF a man. the silvery
eursle of a woman. The royal military
hand was playing in the stand near the
edge Of the great circle. There was
carsry. comfort. charm and security about
everything that came TO his eyes and
ears. Was il possible that this peace,
unrufTie6. was so near its end?
He smiled as he heard Harry Anguish
iaugh gayly in his good old way. his ring
ing tones uinElinS with womans.
. There was no trouble in the hearts Of
the Countess and his blithe comrade. Be
hind him rose the grim castle walls, from
the windows Of which. here and there.
cleaned the lights of the night Where
was she? He had seen her in the after
noon ard had talked with her. had walked
with her Their conversation had been
bright. tist Of the commonplace kind She
had said nothing 70 indicate that she re-
lreratered the hour spent beside his
couch a day or 80 before: he had uttered
none OF the words that struggled 20 rush
frcrn his lips-the questions. the plead
ings. the vows Where was she now?
Nos IL that gay crowd below. for he had
scanned every figure with the hawks
eye. Closeted again. no doubt, with her
Ministers wearying her tired brain. her
brave heart into fatigue without rest
Her court stilI trembled with the ex-
- riterrent 0f the daring attempt Of the alb
K ductors and their swift punishment
Functionaries aoCked 70 Edelweiss TO in
ouirc after the welfare Of the Princess.
and indignation was at the highest pitch.
+ There were theories innume-able as TO the
identity oT the arch-conspirator. Baron
Dangloss was al sea completely. He
cursed himself and everybody else for
the hasty and iu-timed execution Of the
hireliEgs- Il was quite evident that the
buzzing wonder and intense feeling Of the
people had for the moment driven out
all thought Of the coming day OF judg-
rrent and its bitter atonement for all
Graustark. To-day the castle was fun
Of the nobility drawn 10 its walls by the
news that had startled them beyond all
expression. The police were at work the
military trernbled with rage. the people
clauored for the apprehension Of the
man who had been the instigator OF this
aueacity. The general belief was that
some brigand chief from the south had
planned the great theft for the, purpose
Of securing q fabulous ransom Grenfau
LOFTY had an astonishing theory in his
mind, and the more he thought II over
the more firmly II was imbedded.
The warm, blue coils from the cigar
waited away into the night. carrying with
them q myriad Of tangled thoughts-of
her, of Axphain. Of the abductor. Of him
self, Of everything. A light step on the
stone floor Of the shadowy balcony at
trscted his attention He turned his
- head-and saw the Princess YetiVe. She
was walking slowly toward the balus-
trade, not aware Of his presence. There
was no covering for the dark hair, no
wrap about the white shoulders. She wore
p an exquisite gown Of white shimmering
with the reflections from the moon that
scaled the mountain top. She stood at
the balUstrade. her hands clasping a
bouquet OF red roses. her chin lifted her
eyes gazing toward the mountains crest
r the prettiest picture he had ever seen
The strange dizziness Of love overpower-
ed him. His hungry eyes glanced upward
toward the sky which she was blessing
with her gaze, and beheid another picture
. gloomy, grim, cherries.
Against the noonIit screen of the uni
verse cIung the black tower Of that far
~ away monastery In the clouds, the home
OF the monks of St Valentine. Out Of the
world, above the world. a part of the sky
itself, II stood Ike the specter Of a sen
1iuel whose gbostiy guardianship ap-
palled and yet soothed.
He could not, would not move. To have
done so meant the desecration Of a pic
ture so delicate that a breath upon its
surface would have swept # forever from
the vision How he reveIed in the glory
Of the picture he knew not, for II was as
II he looked from a dream. At last he
saw her look down upon the roses, lift
them eloBly and drop them over the rail-
They fell TO the ground below. He thought
r he understood; the gift of prince de-
Epised
They were not twenty feet apart. He
advanced 70 her side, his hat in one hand.
his st1ck-the one that feIled the Wen
nese-trem bling IN the other
Il Old not know you were here" she
exclaimed, IN half frightened amazement.
81 left my ladies inside"
He was standing beside her, looking
down into the eyes.
And / am richer because of your fgno-
rance" he said. softly. ''I have seen a
ftfcftra that shall never 1aat,a ms, v,,a,.,o-.,