Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-08

lou klOW, CUuulcSS, VI tliS llle saw
ing crews who draw from the wrecks
of ships lives that We're hopelessly lost
There is to be n wreck here. Is there
TO be life saver? When the night is
darkest. the sea widest. when hope is
gone, is not that the time when rescue
is most precious? Tell me, you who
know all there is of this approaching
disaster"
II cannot command you to leave
Edclweiss. l can only tell you that
you will have something to answer for
if you stay" said the countess.
will you help me if l show to you
that l can reach the wreck and save
the one who clings to it despairingly ?"
he asked, smiling, suddenly calm and
confident.
Willingly, for love the one who is
going down in the sea. have spoken
to you seriously, though, and 1 trust
you will not misunderstood me. like
you, and ike Mr.. Anguish You could
stay here forever SO far as I am con-
cerned.'
He thought long and intently over
what she had said as he smoked his ci-
gar on the great balcony that night
He sew in one moment the vast chasm
between the man and the princess; in
the next he laughed at the puny space.
Down on the promenade he could see
the figures of men and women stroll
ing in the moonlight To his ears came
the occasional laugh Of man, the Sill
very gurgle of woman. The royal
military band was playing in the stand
near the edge of the great circle. There
were gayety, comfort, charm and secu-
rity about everything that came to his
eyes and ears. Where was she? He
had seen her in the afternoon and had
talked with her, had walked with her.
Their conversation had been bright, but
of the commonplace kind. She had
said nothing to indicate that she re-
membered the hour spent beside his
couch day or so before; he had ut
tered none Of the words that struggled
to rush from his lips-the questions, the
pleadings, the vows. Where was she
now? Not in that gay crowd below,
for he had scanned every figure with
the hawks eye; closeted again, no
doubt, with her ministers, wearying
her tired brain, her brave heart into
fatigue without rest.
Her court still trembled with the eN-
citemcnt of the daring attempt of the
abductors and their swift punishment.
Functionaries flocked to Edelweiss to
inquire after the welfare of the prin-
cess, and indignation was at the high
est pitch There were theories innu-
merable as to the identity of the arch
conspirator. Baron Dangloss was at
sea completely. He cursed himself
and everybody else for the hasty and
i'll timed execution of the hirelings. 1t
was quite evident that the buzzing
wonder and intense feeling of the peo-
pie had for the moment driven out all
thought Of the coming day of judg-
ment and it's bitter atonement for all
Graustarli. Today the castle was full
of the mobility, drawn to its walls by
the news that had startled them be-
yond all expression. The police were
at work, the military trembled with
rage, the people clanored for the APP
prehension of the man who had been
the ~instigator Of this audacity. The
general belief was that some brigand
chief from the south had planned the
great theft for the purpose of securing
fabulous ransom. Grenfall Lorry
had an astonishing theory in his mind,
and the more he thought it over the
more firmly it was imbedded.
The warm, blue coils from the cigar
waited away into the night, carrying
with them a myriad of tangled thoughts
of her, of Axphaip, of the abductor,
of himself, of everything. A light step
on the stone floor of the shaGowy bal
cony attracted his attention. He turn
ed his head and saw the Princess Ye-
tive. She was walking slowly toward
the balustrade, not aware Of his pres
ence. There was no covering for the
dark hair, no wrap about the white
shoulders. She wore an exquisite gown
of white, shimmering with the re1ec-
tons from the moon that scaled the
mountain top. She stood at the balus-
trade, her hands clasping a bouquet of
red roses, her chin lifted, her eyes gaz-
ing toward the mountains crest, the
prettiest picture he had ever seen. The
strange dizziness of love overpowered
him. How long he reveled i'll the glory
of the picture he knew not, for it was
as if he looked from dream. At last
he saw her look down upon the roses
lift them slowly and drop them over
the rail. They fell to the ground be.
low. He thought he understood the
gift of a prince despised.
They we've not twenty feet apart. He
advanced TO her side, his hat in one
hand, his stick-the one that felled the
Viennese-trembling in the other.
81 did not know you were here" she
exclaimed in half frightened amaze
ment. II left my ladies inside"
He waa standing beside her, looking
down into the eyes.
And aon richer because of your ig
noranee," he said softly. II have seer
picture ffat shall never leave nay
memory-neyer! Its beauty enthralled
enrapt,lred. Ehen saw the drama OF
the roses. All, your highness, the
crown is not always MASK"
"The roses Eere-WeTe OF no eOnse
n