The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16

the possible consequence OF her escapade
had never propheticary asserted them
selves; she had pictured herself as teas
ing two reluctant gentlemen and finally
laughing at their discontinue and il had
never occurred to her that she might be
met very much more than half way in this
fashion. But she was scarcely frightened
yet; she did not believe that royal Fred
could be -unmannerly; she felt a wholly
unreasonable sense of security in the hon.
age always accorded to Lady Dye and was
r~esolute to persevere in her enterprise.
Nay" she answered. Il am under VOW
not to unmask before midnight
The princes gaze travelled to the gilded
Cupid clock, and saw that the minute hand
was not far from the hour. cit is not
worth while TO waste precious time in
punctilio,'' he said. 'Unmask. girl, un-
mask" and, as the lady did not obey him,
he suddenly removed his own mask, say
ing: do as L tell you, child. L absolve
you from your VOW by my royal preroga-
tive. L am the Prince of Wales"
Lady Dye dropped him a profound cur
tesy. '"The young lion of England" she
said. reverentially, and Frederick William
laughed again.
"If you choose so to call me-" he said.
Well if L am the lion of England you are
in the lions den. Come hither, pretty prey,
that L may devour you" and he began to
make a roaring noise, as if he were, in
deed. a lion, and to laugh Justify at his
cOnceit in so doing. He looked very hand
some, very ~insolent, merry with his Wine
and bright with the pride OF his youth;
and Lady Dye thought that he might we'll
make a better King to look at than his
father.
"Hither to me, humming bird" he cried.
kiss me quick and kiss ne close; the
night will be ashes soon if We do not blow
upon the fire." and he moved again to
seize her.
Lady Dye slipped behind the bulwark of
a table.
"Stay. SIR" she pleaded. "Have you the
right to love me?"
1.-The right and the might" he laughed
back.
Are you bound in honor to no lady?"
she called, desperately, and he answered:
mot a bit" and tried to seize her. She
lodged him dexterously, and an angry look
darkened his face.
Would you play me and gainsay me?'
he grunted, and springing to the door he
quickly locked it. you are mine,'' he cried
in triumph, but the next second he raped
out a red-hot oath, for Lady Dye had dart
ed to the table where the candles stood,
and with a swift succession of eager little
breaths had pulled all the lights out and
the room was in thick darkness.
Then the chase began, around the settee,
around the harpsichord. 81 can hear you
breathe growled the prince. 81 will make
you squeak in a minute" and as he spoke
he stumbled, and stumbling, gave tongue
exultingly, for he had caught at the heavy
window curtains. LET there be light" he
yelled, as he dragged them back, flooding
the room through the high window with
the bright June moonlight and revealing
Lady Dye where she crouched painting be-
hind a chair. Instantly he was upon her,
had caught her in his strong arms and was
dragging at her when the struggling girl
startled him by shrilly crying at the top of
her natural voice:
Help, John Russell, helpi'
what the plague is this?" cried the
prince, releasing her as there came a thun-
dering at the doors, then the angry thrust
of a strong shoulder, and, the frail wood
yielding, John Russell almost fell into the
room. The prince was masked in a mo-
ment as Belford, unmasked and raging.
glared from him to the almost fainting girl
who leant against the table. Then his
drawn sword cleaned in the moonlight
an6 he advanced obviously upon the prince.
you forget yourself, my lord duke" said
Frederick, unmasking.
At the sight of the princes face Bed.
ford's point dropped. 'If you were not my
sovereign's son 1 would kill you, sir" John
Russell said.
The prince shrugged his shoulders and
turned to Lady Dye. $50 this was a trap,
he sneered.
And the girl gasped back: "a test, sir
"Do you think you have done well?'
asked the prince.
And the girl answered, breathlessly;
We'll"
: The prince made her a profound salu-
tation. There are other women in the
world" he said, coldly. 81 hear the fd-
dies tuning. 1 shall dance again ere ]
Sleep" and so he passed out of the door
and walked briskly down the corridor
humming a tune.
John Russell turned to the girl.
LADY Dye, Lady Dye" he whispered
""was this we'll done?"
And Lady Dye answered him defiantly;
"Of course it was we'll done, John Russell
if I did it," and then broke into a storm
of sObbing while the young duke caught
her in his arms and soothed her tenderly
Lady Dye locke up in her lovers honest
face and smiled through her tears. 81 am
a naughty girl" she said. Il deserve to be
whipped for my folly, but my prank has
had it's blessing. for it has taught me the
worth of a true man." And putting hel
arms round honest Johns neck she kissed
him gently on the lips.
Copyright. 1902