Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-03-22

Wen be back shortly he answer
ed. "You viii know all about il then,
my SON"
He stood on the sill Of the door a |
handsome picture. His gray eyes SPAR
killed.. his face was full Of excitement |
and there was color in his checks. |
There was no sign here Of the dlssipat- |
ed man of the nigl before. 1t was |
Hillars as | had seen him in the old |
days. But for his nineteenth century |
garb he might have just stepped down
from frame-a gallant by Fortuny,
who loved the awakened animal in
man. The poise was careless. hut grace
full. and the smile was debonair. His
eyes were holding Gretchen's. \ mo-
ment passed, another and another;
then. Long live and God bless her Sc
reno highneSs the Princess Hide
gard.,' And he was gone.
AMI as he disappeared shadow OF
some sort passed before my eyes, and
a something dull and heavy pressed
upon my heart Presently came the
sound of beating hoofS. and then all
became still.
Gretchen and were alone Gret-
chen appeared to be studying the blue
veins in her hands which she listlcssly
held before her. An interval of three
or four minutes passed still she re-
manned In that pathetic attitude, silent
and motionlcSS.
"Gretchcu" said /, ''have you moth,
ing Ia say
Yes" Her eyes raised To the level
of mine, and | saw that they We're
deep in tears Herr. shall say to
YOU thai which have never said 10
any man and that which Shall never
say TO any man again, | may say it
now because 1t Is sinles>. love youi
love you. and, loving YOU. God lAuNs
what the future without you shall be-
Yes. love You, Take u.r once in
your arms ana kiss me and ict ne GO
forever"
Then. with smile which partly
shielded sob, her arms went around
my neck and her face lay close 10
mine. Heaven knows which was TIE
greater. the joy or the pain.
Gretchen. think" cried distract
eddy. What is prince or king 10
you and me. who lover
"I'hcre is honor" gently She caress.
ed my cheek with her fingers.
Honor" | cried vchemcntly. is
it honorable Ia marry the man yoN do
not love and break the heart OF the
| one you dot'
/ She did not answer, but her arms
| fell from my neck. and she approach
ed the window. The passing river was
reflected in her eyes. Her reverie was
a short one.
Listen. herr. l Will tell you why
it is honorable. The prince and TIE
! king? fear tie one as little as | 90
the other. 1t is not the prince, 1t Is not
the king. ii is not the principality.
| Herr, | have come near TO being a
very wicked woman. who was about
to break the most sacred promise a
| sovereign can make. Before | came
| here a delegation of my people ap-
preached me. on Bonded knees they
asked me not TO voluntarily return the
principality to the king who was like
~ to give them a ruler rapaciouS or
cruel or indifferent. And, while they
understood what sacrifice it meant
to me. they asked me to bend my will
to the kings and wed the prince, VOW
ing that | alone should be recognized
as their sovereign ruler Since my coro'
nation they said that they had known
the first happiness in years Herr, it
was so pathetic, | love my people,
who, after all. are not adopted. since
| was born here. SO gave my prom
Use, and heaven forgive me. | was
about to break it,
There are some things, herr. which
the publican does not understand. One
of these is the duty sovereign owes
to the people. The woman in me
wishes to follow your fortunes. though
they carry her to the ends of the
world but the sovereign sees but one
path honor and duty. What is one
human heart to n hundred thousand
A grain of sand. Herr, let mine be
broken. | shall not murmur. Alas. to
be princess. pnppet in this tinsel
show of kings and queens, 1t is my
word and the kings will which have
made my happiness an impossihility
Though love you wish never to sec
you again | shall be wife but III
name. yet | may not have Il lover.
am not woman of the court ] am
proud of my honor, though the man
who is to be my husband doubts that
mo, Gretchen" said |. she does not
doubt it, but he wishes me to do so
l believe in your innocence as believe
in your love"
1T is sad is it not" said She, thai
we must 20 through our days loving
! each other aud all the world standing
between? I have never loved mar
before. | did not want to love you.
! did not know that | loved you till
; saw that your life was in danger Yet
| am glad that have lived for. brie1
second, for TIL woman loves She does
; not live, am brave; do you be Ike
wise. | shall go back to the world an(
, who shall know Of the heart of fire
beneat. the ice? Not even the ms