The San Francisco call., 1901-12-08


have been ycu ana not the other"
..Onc cannot be a man and Prince at
the same time. / fancy he said, bit
terly
~Nor can one be a princess and
woman"
Lorry recalled the conversation in the
sick room two weeks before and smiled
ironically. The friendly girl lefr them at
the door and they PASSED OFT of the castle
y shall leave EGelweiss tomorrow,
saiG one more 10 himself than TO ms
companion. as they crossed the parade
The other gave a ssart and did nol look
pleased. Then ne i;;stinctiFely glanced
toward The castle.
The Princess Is at her window" he
cried clubbing L0rry's arm and pointing
back But the other refused 10 turn.
walking or biindly you ought not 10
have acted like that GreI" said Anguish
a few moments later. She saw me call
your attention 20 her, and she saw YOU
refuse 10 look back. I don't think that
you should have hurt her" Lorry did
not respond. and there was no word be-
tween them until they were outside the
castle gates.
you may leave tomorrow, Lorry. If
you like, but I'm going TO stay while,
said Harry. d trlfe confUsedly.
Haven't you had enough Of the place."
i don't care whoop for the place.
You see. it's this way: I'm just as hard
hit as you, and il is not Princess that
have TO contend with
You mean that you are in love with
the Countess?"
"Empha tically."
I'm sorry for you
Think she'll turn me down.
Unless you buy a title of one Of these
miserable counts or dukes"
''Oh, I'm not so sure about that These
n r~r-r-
our American girls. I don't see why 1
can't step in and pick out a nice little
Countess if l want to.
''She is not as avaricious as the counts
and dukes, I'll wager. She cares nothing
for your money"
well. she's as poor as a church mouse
said the other, doggedly.
The Countess poor? How do you
know?''
Il asked her one day and she told me
all about it," said Anguish.
XIV2THE CLASH AND IT'S RESULTS.
q feel like spending the rest of my days
IN that monastery up there" said Lorry,
after dinner that evening. They were
strOlling about the town. One was deter
mined to leave the city, the other firm in
his resolve TO stay. The latter won the
day when he shrewdly, if explosively, re-
as men to stay and protect the Princess
from the Vaccinations Of Gabriel that
lznave of purga tory. Lorry. at last recog-
nizing the hopelessness Of his suit, was
ready TO throw down his arms and aban-
don the field TO superior odds. His pre-
sumption in aspiring for the hand of
Princess began to touch his sense of hu-
NOR, and he laughed, not very merrily, it
is true, but long and loudly, at his folly.
At first he cursed the world and every one
in it, giving up in despair, but later he
cursed only himself. Yet, as he despaired
and scoffed, he felt within himself an
ever-present hope that luck might turn
the tide Of battle
This puny ray grew perceptibly when
Anguish brought him to feel that she
needed his protection from the man who
had once sought to despoil and who might
reasOnbly be expected to persevere. He
agreed TO linger in Edelweiss, knowingt
that each day would add pain to the tor
ture he was already suffering, his sole OBJ
Ject being, he convinced himself, to frus-
trate Gabriel's evil plans.
Returning late in the evening from their
stroll, they entered a cafe celebrated in
Edelweiss. In all his life Lorry had never
known the loneliness that makes death
welcome. Tonight he felt that he could
not live, so maddening was the certainty
that he could never regain JOY. His heart
bled with the longing to be near her who
dWelt inside those castle walls. He scoffed
and grieved, but grieved the more.
The cafe was crowded with men and vo-
men, In a far corner sat a party of AK
phain mobiles, their Prince, q most demo-
cratic fellow, at the head of a long table.
There were songs, jests and boisterous
laughter. The celebration grew wilder.
and LOrry and Anguish crossed the room
and, taking seats at table, ordered wine
nd oil
OF the Prince. How LOrry loathed HIM
Dcrenz was a good-looking young fell
low, little more fhan a boy. His smooth
tace was flushed, and there was about
him an air of dissipation that suggested
oepravity in its advanced stage. The faca
that might have been handsome was the
rejection Of a roue, dashing, devilish. He
was fair-haired and tall, taller than his
companions by half a head With recLx
less abandon he drank and sang and iesr-
ed, arrogant in his fighty merriment.
his cohorts were not far behind him in
riotous wit.
At length one Of the revelers. speaking
IN German. called on Lorenz for toast
TO the Princess, Yetive, his promised
bride. without a moments hesitation
the Prince sprang to his feet held his
glass aloft. and cried:
Here's 10 the fairest of the fair sD,ee+
4ctiNe, so hard 20 win, too good to lose
she loves me, God bless her heart. AMI
love her, God bless my heart. too. For
each kiss from her wondrous lips I shat;
credit myself with one thousand gayvos.
That IS the price OF q kiss"
III give two thousandr' roared one of
the mobiles, and there was a laugh in
which the Prince joined.
Nay III not sell them now. In after
years, when she has grown old and her
lips are parched and dry from the sin-
pings have had III sell them all at q
bargain Alas, she has not Vet
kissed met'
Lorrys heart bounded with JOY, though
his hands were clenched in rage.
she WI! kiss me tomorrow. To-mor-
low snail taste what no other man has
touched what az men have coveted. And
III be generous, gentlemen. She is "a
IAN that your foul mouths would blight
with but one caress upon her tender lipg
and yet you shall not be deprived of hiss
shaD kiss her thrice for each of YOU.
Lei me court: thrice eleven is thirtv-
srs+r-