Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23

Czerowitz and the marshal are dead also.
Denis Mallory fell across the body OF the
prince. whom he had been shielding. A
young lieutenant Of the Guards escaped
and fed to Belgrade. whence he sent
the message to me-but not before he had
learned that Georgias' movement had been
stoned blythe white throne, and that No
vodnia Is to be-to be wiped off the map
included within the Bulgarian boundaries.
There is no more Novodnia. It's a Bulga-
rian province. That-that is-all.' And he
sat silent once more. crumpling and
smoothing the bits Of paper between his
hands. staring at the tapestried walls across
the room.
l suppose 1t was quite half an hour be-
fore either Of us spoke or moved. Then at
last rose, taking a long, deep breath, and
moved once or twice up and down the room.
laid hand upon Won Altdorfs shoulder.
and shook him gently till he raised his
head.
Gomez said I. Come! we must tell
his-we must tell the princess
There is no princess" muttered Won Alt
dorf.
"She must always be the princess to us!'
said I. Come, man. and he followed me
quietly.
At the foot Of the little ladder that had
the studio window we ran upon Sir Gavin
Mackenzie. Won Altdorf stood by while
told him swiftly the terrible news which
the dispatch had brought. 1 had never
seen the gruff old Scotsman so overcome.
Then, after moment, slowly and with
dropping heads, we went up through the
garden paths to where a CLEAN Of white
and yellow showed the princess in her long
steamer chair.
She must have seen us coming, for she
rose, when we were still at some distance,
and stood waiting, and the book that she
had held in her hands dropped unnoticed
to the ground. think she suspected, from
our faces and our bearing, something of
vva uyng toll Cor ar 60
little pale and her eyes grew wide and
frightened.
So we came to where she waited. and
stood before her. bowed and silent, dread
ing to speak the first word.
But the princess put out hand and
touched me- looking into my face with
those wide frightened eyes.
..rv Whyt - gentlemen" she faltered
Colonel! Sir Gavin!-Why. Mr.. Creighton!
Tell me, please! Its-bad news of-of
observation-disclosures? Tell me, please,
quickly See. I'm quite. quite calm! can
me gently. Tell me at once. He is-he is
-dead7
'Oh, madame" said I, "the Novodnian
hopes have been crushed utterly-beyond
upon the palace, and the prince your hus-
band-the prince your husband is-dead"
But he?" demanded the Princess Elean-
or swiftly, her voice rising to a hoarse cry,
uoI uct w hat VI Iufu ana Inen all at
once she bethought herself and shrank
back, catching her hands to her mouth.
Madame" said I, 1.-THE bravest gentle
man and faithfulest friend in all the world
is said to have died also. fighting to the
last for the prince, your husband"
Then went on gently as might, to tell
her all we knew Of the tragedy that had
swept 30 suddenly across the high hopes
and brave plans of the gentlemen who
fought for Novodnia's independence, but
do not think the princess heard any word
of 1t all. She had sunk back into her chair
again and sat quite STILL her hands cover
ing her face.
Then After q long time, while we stood.
silent and awkward. not daring to speak to
her, powerless to utter any word Of poor
comfort. she looked UP once more. Her
face was perfectly calm, unnaturally calm.
With NO trace Of emoti0n-as Won Altdorfs