The San Francisco call., 1901-11-24


seizing her hand, which she withdrew in
stantly, rising to her feet.
Il have only said that 1 wanted to hear
you say you had come to see me. Is not
that something for a womans vanity to
value? / am sorry you have presumed
to misunderstood me-" She was cold
again, but he was not to be baffied.
Then be a woman and forget that you
are a Princess until 1 tell you why I
came" he cried.
Il cannot 1 mean, will not listen to
you," she said, glancing about helplessly,
yet standing still within the danger cir
Gle.
81 came because I have thought of you
and dreamed OF you since the day you
sailed from New York. God, can I ever
forget that day!'
blushing and turning to the window.
''The kiss you threw to me? Were you
a Princess then?" She did not answer,
and he paused for a moment, a thought
striking him which at first he did not
dare to voice. Then he blurted it out.
''If you do not want to hear me say these
things, why do you stand there?"
"Oh." she faltered.
Don't leave me now. I want to say
what came over here to say, and then
you can go back to your throne and your
royal reserve, and 1 can go back to the
land from which you drew me- came
because I love you. Is not that enough
to drag a man to the end of the world?
1 came to marry you if I could, for YOU
were Miss Guggenslocker to me. Then
you were within my reach, but not now!
l can only love a Princessr' He stopped
because she had dropped to the couch
peslde him, her serious face turned ap-
pealingly to his, her fingers clasping his
hands fiercely
L forbid you to continued forbid youl
DO you hear? I, too, have thought and
dreamed of you, and I have prayed that
you might come. But you must not tell
me that you love me-you shall not!"
only want to know that you love
me-" he whispered.
DO you think I can tell you the
truth?" she cried. Il do not love you!"
Before he had fairly grasped the i'm
portance of the contradictory sentences
she left his side and stood in the window.
her breast heaving and her face flaming.
Ihen l am to believe you do" he
groaned, after a moment 81 find a Prin-
cess and lose a womanw
l old not intend that you should have
salo what you have, or that 1 should
have told you what 1 have I knew Won
loved me or you would not have come to
me-" she said, softly
lou would have been selfish enough
TO enjoy that knowledge without giving
JOY in return. I see. What else could
you nave done? princess. Oh. I would
to God you were Miss Guggenslocker. the
woman I sought
Amen to that" she said. "Can trust
you never to renew this subject? We
have each learned what had better been
left unknown. You understand my posi-
ton. Surely you viii be good enough
to look upon me ever afterward as a
princess and forget that I have been a
woman unwittingly. ] ask you, for your
sake and my own, to refrain from a re-
newal Of this unhappy subject You can
see how hopeless it is for both of US.
1 have said much to you that trust you
viii cherish as coming from a woman
who could not have helped herself AMI
who has given TO you the power to undo
her with single word. I know you will
always be the brave, true man my heart
has told me you are. You viii let the be
ginning be the end?''
The appeal was so earnest. so noble
that honor swelled in his heart and came
from his lips in this promise
You may trust me, your Highness.
Your secret is worth a thousand-fold
more than mine. 1t is sacred with me-
The JOY of my life has ended. but the
happiness of knowing the truth will never
die. L shall remember that you love me
yes, L KNOW you QO-a0O snail never
forget to love you. I will not promise
that I shall never speak of it again to
you. As 1 lie here, there comes to me a
courage I did not know I could feel''
mo, noi' she cried, vehemently
Forgive me. You can at least let me
say that as long as I live 1 may cherish
and encourage the little hope that all is
not dead. Your Highness, let me say that
nay family never knows when it is de-
feated, either in love or in war"
''The walls which surround the heart
trable when she defends it, my boasting
American" she said, smiling sadly.
''Yet some prince of the realm will bat
ter down the wall and win at a single
blow that which a mere man could not
conquer in ten ifetimes. Such is the
world"
1.-The Prince may batter down and seize,
but he can never conquer. But enough of
thisl I am the Princess Of Graustark;
you are my friend, GrenfaII Lorry, and
there is only a dear friendship between
u.s." she cried, resuming her merry humor
so easily that he started with surprise
and not little displeasure.
"And a throne he added, smiling, how
ever.
"And promise" she reminded him
From which trust may some day be
with a discouragement and a determina-
ton Of equal power. He could see hope
and hopelessness ahead.
"By death''
mo; by life! It may be sooner than
you think?'
you are forgetting your promise al
ready"
your HighnesS pardon" he begged.
They laughed, but their hearts were
sad, this luckless American and hapless
sovereign who would, If she could, be a
woman.
"It is now o'clock-the hour when you
were to have called to see me-" she said,
again sitting unconcernedly before him In
the window seat She was not afraid of
him She was a Princess.
81 misunderstood you, your Highness.
I remembered the engagement, but 1t
seems I was mistaken as to the time. I
came ct in the morning.
"And found me at home!'
I'm an impregnable castle, with ogres
all about"
XII.
A WAR AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES.