The Jennings daily record., 1902-09-23

ness. the little prince is i'll. and
should have the herr doctor immeui-
ately."
Valerie sprang to her feet, and an
instant hush fell over the audience
chamber, as she swept past the little
knots of courtiers and laughing wo1n-
en-, a princess, but yet woman, who
has heard the cry of her child in need
of her.
a group of frightened attendants
made way for her, as she fell on her
knees beside the low, white bed. The
rosy limbs. that she had kissed So
short a time before. were rigid, and
a blue shadow grew around the tight
ly drawn lips as the child lay locked
in one convulsjon after another. Tc
the end of her life she never knew
whence came the strength that en-
abled her, when the doctor called for
assistance. to brush aside the panic
stricken nurses, and herself force the
clenched mouth open, while he pour
ed the medicine GG"n. What mat
ter that the little white teeth ground
upon her delicate fingers until the
blood trickled down, the child had
ceased to struggle, and the warm
pink ccme back to the little face, and
the tense limbs relaxed. With
burst of tears she gathered the
sleeping baby to her breast and the
old doctors eyes were misty, as he
laid kindly hand upon the rebel
ious curls that had so.GaEow slipped
their fastening and tumbled in head
long beauty to her waist.
The minutes slipped by. as Valerie
knelt with the chiid'S cheek pressed
against her own, then someone enter
ed and colsed the door. very gently.
Valerie never stirred. scarcely con
scicus of anything but the fact that
the child was given back to her arms
ID thankfulness tnat almost hlotted
out the other great sorrow for time.
Duke Fritz knott down beside has
wife, and drew the Cars head to ais
breast For moment she Yielded to
the sense OF rest and peace. then
pride awoke, and she drew haughlily
awav from him. why come 20 me?
Where is the Countess ,aohei? is she
ndisposed that You Should turn to
me and the ch!ld?'
The duke spraug to his feet. his
fair face flushing like X girls. Val
| erie" There was u world OF re-
| proach in the mere word, and Valerie
| WINGED. half-guiltily a long silence
, fell between husband and wife. AtaT
off IN the distance, the midnight uell
proclaimed the passing of another
day, and the uuie; lay over the city
like pail: only, here in the palace
! were flashing lights and anxious
faces lingering il the corridors tc
know how Jared the little prince. A
long time, the blue eyes Of the duke
held the brown ones of Princess Val
erie with that proud reproach; then
woman-like, she fell to sobbing upon
his breast, knowing. without word
that the wrong was right; and the
duke asked no questions, but present
ly, stroking her curis, told her no"
the Countess Isohel. who had laughed
down love and uaay suitors. was d,
last caught in the web OF her own de
| vis!ng, and that the matter was 9
difficult one, as the man in question
| was a mere officer in the guards, the
bare mention oil whom as a husbau
| for their imperious beauty had sci
the whole Hohenhauffen clan by the
| ears. In desperate case, the lovers
had appealed to no less a person than
the hereditary duke, and. though
hereditary dukes are mighty in their
small worlds, there are some things
In which it is not safe to medaie,
hence. all the walks and talks. in
which the young officer had formed
an anxious third, and which the little