The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1903-09-23
|GRAUSTARK|
-. By.
GEORGE BARR M'CUTCHEON
Copyright. iaoi, Ly Herbert S. Stone I
CHAPTER XXvIn.
rue MAID OF GRAUsTARK.

call they were unexpectedly assem-
bled.
All realized m emergency. Not one
i'm that assembly but had heard the
vivid. soulful sentence from the throne
Not one but wished in secret as Gaspon
and Halront had wished in open
speech.
When the princess entered with the
prime minister they narrowly scanned
the face SO dear to them. After the
greetings she requested them to draw
chairs about the great table. Seating
herself in her accustomed seat she
gnzed over the circle of anxious faces
and realized. more .thal. ut any. time in
80. ,vuuE IKE, rT1uT 81 was iran ana
weak beyond all comparison. How
small she was TO rule over those strong.
wise men of hers. How feeble the
hand that held the scepter!
MY lords" she said, summoning all
her strength of mind and heart, Il am
gratfied 10 find you so ready to respond
TO the call of your whimsical sovereign.
Yesterday you came with hearts bowed
down and in deepest woe. Today | AS
semble YOU here that | may ask your
advice concerning the events of that
strange day. BolaroZ will do as he has
promised. We are to have the extern
sion papers this afternoon, and Grau-
stark may breathe again the strong.
deep breath of hope. You well remem-
Der my attitude on yesterday. If on
LIT l. fn,rslgtta
stand between me and my love, | can
not do so today. have called you here
TO tell you. my lords, that have prom
ised 10 become the wife of the man
who would have given his life for you
and for me-that | love as a woman.
not as a princess
The silence of death stole into the
room. Every mans eyes were glued
upon the white face of the princess,
and none could break the spell Not Il
word was uttered for many seconds.
Then old Caspars tense muscles re-
Taxed and his arms dropped Imply
from their crossed position on his
breast.
MY child. my childw he cried life
lessly. You cannot do this thing"
But the people," cried Gaspon, his
eyes cleaning. You cannot act against
tie will Of the people. our laws. natu-
raj and otherwise, prescribe the very
act YOU have i'm mind. The American
cannot 90 upon our throne. No man.
unless he be of royal blood, can share
il with You. If you marry him, the
laws of our land-you know them well
will prohibit MS from recognizing the
marriage"
knowing that. my lords, l have
come 10 ask you TO revise our laws.
My throne will not be disgraced by the
man | would have share il with me-
she spoke as calmly as if she were
making the most trivial request instead
Of asking her ministers to overthrow
and undo the laws and customs of ages
and Of dynastieS.
The law Of nature cannot be chang
ed" muttered Caspar as if to himself.
In the event that the custom cannot
be changed | shall be compelled to re-
linquish my right to occupy the throne
and to depart from among you. II
would breah my heart. my lords, TO re-
sort TO this monstrous sacrifice. but
love one man first, my crown and my
people after him"
You would not leave us-you would
not throw aside as despised the crown
your ancestors wore for cenuries:'
cried Gaspon.
The others were staring with open
mouths and icy hearts.
Yes. as much as it would grieve me,
| would do all this" she answered
firmly not daring 10 look at her uncle.
Her heart ached to turn TO him with a
prayer for forgiveness. hut there could
be no faltcring now
Il ask you. my lords, to acknowledge
the marriage of your ruler to Grenfall
Lorry. ! am TO be his wife. but | en-
treat you to grant me happiness with
out making me endure the misery that
will come TO me if / desert my fathers
throne and the people who have wor
SHIPPED me and to whom am bound 10y
tie that cannot be broken. ! do not
plead so much for the right to rule as
do for the one who may rule after
am gone. / want my own to follow NE
ON the throne of GrauStark.'
Then followed a long. animated dis
cussion, growing brighter and more
hopeful as the speakers willing hearts
warmed to the proposition. Lorry was
favoite. but he could not be their
prince. Hereditary law prohibited
Many times the princess and her wise
men met and overcame obstacles huge
at first, mnimized i'm the end. all be
cause they loved her and she loved
them. The departure from tradition
airy custom. as suggested by the prin-
cess. coupled with the threat to abdi-
cate, was the weightiest yet the most
delicate question that had ever come
before the chief men of Graustark.
For the first time in the history of the
country a woman was sovereign; for
the first time there had been no direct
male heir TO the throne. With the
death of old Prince Ganlook the mas
ct1Iina side of tho ilugfr.iOuS family