The San Francisco call., 1901-12-29
5EE[7 HIlE SE1Ra#9RQE 81 a IoVE BEHIND
THE- THRONE. zorrnpznr BY Hrapzans STONE GEO.
Y E1E&B[ElaT. S STONE & GO.

hand-the transaction with Bolaroz. sum
moning all her self-control. she said;
You are come, most noble BOlaroz, to
draw from US the price of our defeat. We
are loyal to our compact as you are to
yours, sire. Yet in the presence of my
people and in the name of mercy and
justice, 1 ask you to grant us respite
You are rich and powerful we despOiled
and struggling beneath a weight we can
lift and displace if given a few short
years in which to grow and gather
strength. At this last hour in the fifteen
years of our indebtedness. 1 sue in sup
plication for the leniency that you can so
well accord. It is on the advice of my
counselors thatsI put away personal pride
and national dignity to make this request.
trusting to your goodness of heart If
you will not Ilearken to our petition for
a renewal of negotiations, there is but
one course open to Graustark- We can
and will pay our debt of honor
Bolaroz stood before her, dark and un
compromising. She saw the futility of
her plea.
'I have not forgotten. most noble petit
toner, that you are ruler here, not /.
Therefore | am in no way responsible for
the conditions which confront you, except
that 1 am an honest creditor, come for his
honest dues. This is the twentieth of
November. You have had fifteen years
the requirements of this day Should [
suffer for your faults? There is in the
treaty a provision which applies to
emergency of this kind. Your inability to
liquidate In gold does not prevent the pay
ment of this honest debt in land, as pro-
vided for in the sixth clause of the agree
ment. All that part of Graustark north
OF line drawn directly from east to
west between the provinces of Ganlook
IlOGyV9n a 81 n
Shellotz, Varagan, Oeswald, Sesmai and
Gattabatton. You have two alterna tives,
your Majesty. Produce the gold or sign
the decree ceding to Axphain the lands
stipulated in the treaty. 1 can grant no
rcspite.p
YOU knew when that treaty was
framed that we could raise no such funds
in fifteen years" said Halfont, forgetting
himself in his Indignation. GaspOn and
other men present approved his hasty
declaration.
''Am I dealing with the Princess of
Graustark OF with you, sir?' asked BO-
.laroz, roughly.
you are dealing with the people of
Graustark, and among the poorest. I. [
will sign the decree There is nothing to
be gained by appealing to you. The pa
pers, Gaspon, quick l would have this
transaction finished speedily" cried the
Princess, her cheeks flushing and her
ing conscience. The groan that went up
from the northern mobiles cut her like the
slash of a knife.
There was one other condition." said
BoIaroz. hastily, unable to gIoat he
had expected. 1.-THE -recapture of the as
sassin who slew my son would have meant
much to Graustark. 1t is unfortunate
that your police department is so inefF-
cient-'' Dangloss writhed beneath this
thrust. Yetive's eyes went to him, for
an instant. sorrowfully. Then they
dropped to the fatal document which
GaspOn has placed on the table before her.
The lines ran together and were the color
of blood. UncOnsciously she took up the
pen in her nerveless fingers. A deep sob
came from the breast of her gray old
uncle. and GaspOn's hand shook life a leaf
as ne placed the seal of Graustark on the
table, ready for use.
1.-THE assassin's life could have saved
you," went on Bolaroz, vengeful glare
coming to his eyes.
She looked up and her lips moved as if
she would have spoken. No words came,
piteous, hunted glance over the
faces before her. she bent fer
ward and bIindly touched the pen to
the paper. The silence was that of death.
Before she could make the first stroke
a harsh voice, in which there was com
bined triumph and amazement, broke the
stiffness like the changing of a bell.
Have you no hOnOr?'
The pen dropped from her fingers as
the expected condemnation came Every
eye in the house was turned toward the
white twitching face of Gabriel of DAVIS
bergen. He stood a little apart from his
friends, his finger pointed thrOneward.
The Princess stared at the nemesislikc
figure for an instant, as if petrifed. Then
the pent-up fear crowded everything out
of its path. In sheer desperation, her
eyes flashing with the intensity of defiant
guilt, bitter rage yelling up against her
prosecutor, she half arose and cried:
''Who uttered those words? SpeakY'
81 Gabriel of Dawsbergen! Where is
the prisoner, madam" rang out the
voice.
1.-The man is nad"' cried she, sinking
back with a shudder.
Mad eh? Because do as I did prom
Use? Behold the queen of perfdy!