The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1901-02-15
Continued from last week
CHAPTER MI.
LOVE.


and Colette upon the arrival or the
Austrian chancellor was not rusc 10
| divert suspicion. They were both too
| high minded to descend 10 such sub
terfuge. The young girl, who had met
with such a reverse, instead of yield
ing to despair, forgot her own troubles
in consoling her companion. The duke,
whom she had hoped TO call emperor
and whom she loved. had lost all, ana
she resolved that she would heal his
wounds with her love.
Without raising his head the duke Of
fered her his arm, and. passing the
group of officers who had come TO sur
prise them, they quilted the ruin III
which had failed their project TO over
turn the world.
The moon had descended almost TO
the horizon. and in this solitude, en-
balmed by the perfume of flowers, the
two young people moved as in dream.
The duke, his arm about the waist OF
Colette. supported her upon the messy
carpet. \ tree fallen across the road
furnished them a seat. With eye to
eve and hand IN hand, trembling, they
sat down, but they did not speak.
Their hearts were full, and without
words each knew what the other would
say. The duke was the first TO recover
his self possession.
MY dream" he said. lis over. Tn
plying fortune has declared herself
nv enemy. In short time must put
on the odious yoke which | had hoped
to east of. oh, my father, if YOU could
see NE. how you would suffer. tn"
throne intended for me will continue
in the possession of another. My grief
Is so great that fear even TO weep
And. broken hearted, the duke laid
his head on Colette's bosom and soh
bed.
The young girl tool; his hand in hers
and gave it a claste kiss.
Dear duke" she said, your sorrow
gricves NE, and your tears are pitiaLla
to see. l would give ny hearts blood
for you. Your throne is lost, hut 20
lette rcmains-Colcttc. who loves you 50
much that she viii make you forget
your miSfo. tune. and some day, coH-
SOlcj, you Will remember this period
and laugh 1T your tears and Wondcr
that purple ribbon was worth weep
ing for. In beautiful Italy we viii
spend happy days. and when winter
comes in the bay Of Naples We viii
listen 10 the singing CT the boatmen
We will grow OLD together, and when
our heads are snowy white we Will %
i.
dream Of love commenced here"
The duke, consoled, listened, smiling,
to the sweet song till the birds vel
coming the sun warned them that it
was time to depart
Rcichstadt and COlettc returned quiet
ly to the Chateau Of SchOnbrunn as If
nothing special had happened and re-
sumed the mOnotOnOus existence to
which they were condemned. This was
not so with MetterniCh. The chancellor,
after having discovered that he had
been foiled, returned TO the palace in
state of indescribable irritation. He
had been compelled to accept the eX-
plantations of Reichstadt and COlette.
He had been the dupe of two children.
q
the game played on the European
checkcrbOard had been tricked like a
cOuntryman in a play. At the moment
when he was about to put his hand on
these accursed Frenchmen they had
disappeared.
And this stupid spy, pulled up with
vanity, sure of success, ready to claim
/,
ure. Doubtless he would not return,
fearful of being punished, and would
go TO play the same game in some 9TH
er place. 1t had been terrible check TO
this man, before whom every one must
bow down. And the dukc-ShOuld he
leave him to come and go over the vast
domain OF SchOnbrunn, the chancellor
shutting his eyes TO his desire for indie
pCndenCe. although he had never ceased
in his surveillance? This Indulgence
had proved TO be unwisc. If he had
fixed his residence in Il cell at Spiel
berg instead of in apartments open to
all corners, how much more prudent it
would have been, But to make the
duke Il prisoner of state was danger
Gus. Europe, which brcathed again the
JOY Of peace, would not listen to a res
tOration which would end all its bless
ings. hut. on the other hand, would de
mand Il rigorous account Of the shed
ding Of innocent blood.
lie would think it over.
Meanwhile, wishing to expend his
i'll hunor on some one, he sent for
Silvere. The soldier, after having plac.
ed his two companions in safety, has
tened to his cottage. resolved to brave
~ breast the storm. Fearless, with q
conscience that did not reproach him.
he FASTENED to obey the orders Of the
prince. On seeing him enter. Meter
mich, who was striding back and forth
in his cabinet in fury which had
continued already too long, crossing his
arms, gave Silyere look which would
have made any one else tremble. but
did not intimidate the old soldier, and
said to him harshiy:
Perhaps you wonder why have
sent for you?"