Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-18

/ q.
you came TO ask. You have come to
that wall, and now you must turn back.
l have asked how soon"
Not until your princess bids me take
up my load and go. You see my lady,
| love to sit beneath the shadow of the
wall you describe. 1t will require q
royal edict to compel me to abandon
my position"
"You cannot expect the princess to
drive you from her country, you who
have done so much for her. You must
go, Mr.. Lorry, without her bidding"
II mustT'
eyes, for your presence outside that
wall may make the imprisonment all
the more uncomfortable for the one your
love cannot reach. DO you understand
meT
HAS the one behind the wall in
structcd you to say this to me-" he
asked miscrably.
"She has not do not know her
heart, but l am woman and have II
womans foresight. If you wish to be
kind and good to her, co.
feelings bursting forth. 81 cannot go."
You will not be so selfish and so
cruel as to increase the horror of the
wreck that is sure to come" she said,
drawing back.
you know, countess, of the life saw
Ing crews who draw from the wrecks
of ships lives that were hopelessly lost
/ L. to 10 hnr Ic
to he life saver? When the night is
darkest, the sea widest. when hope is
gone is not that the time when rescue
Is mast precious? Tell me, you who
know I'LL there is of this approaching
disaster"
Il cannot command YOU to leave
Edclwciss. I can only tell you tha
YOU will have something to answer for
if you stay" said the countess
will you help me if | show to you
that | can reach the wreck and save
the one who clings to it dcspairingly Z"
he asked, smiling, suddenly calm and
confident.
"Wilingly, for love the one who is
going down in the sea. | have spoken
TO YOU seriously, though, and trust
you will not misunderstood mo. like
you, and like Mr.. Anguish. You could
stay here forever so far as | am con-
cerned."
He thought long and intcntly over
what she had said as he smoked his ci.
gar on the great balcony that night.
He saw in or" moment the vast chasm
hot 1tp Il .,.f,,,
the next he laughed ut the puny space
Down on the promenade he could see
the figures of men and women stroll.
Ing in tho moonlight. TO his ears came
the occasional laugh of man. the sill
very gurgle of woman. The royal
military band was playirV in the stand
near the edge CT the great circle. There
were g@ycty. comfort, charm and sccu-
rity about everything that came to his
cyS and ears Where was she? He
hai 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-
mcmborcd the hour spent he side his
couch day or so before: he had ut
tered none of tho words that struggled
TO rush from his lips the questions. the
plcadingS. the vows. Where WAS she
now? Not in that gay crowd below,
for he had scanned every figure with
the hawks eye; cioscted again. no
doubt. with her ministers, wearying
her tired brain. her brave heart into
fati:,u" without rnSt.
Her court still tremblcd with the OK
element Of the daring attempt of the
abhuctors and their swift punishment.
Functionalies locked to Edclwciss to
inquire after the welfare of the prin-
cess. and INDIGNATION was at the high
est pitch. There We're theories innu-
mcrable as to the identity of the arch
CUIi>pilHtur. EHron Dangloss was at
s"a completely. He cursed himself
and everybody else for the hasty and
i'll imCd execution OF the hirelings. 1t
WAS quite evident that the buzZing
wonder and intense feeling of the pco-
pie had for the moment driven out all
thought of tie coming day of judG-
ment and its bitter atoucmcnt for all
GrauStark. Today the castle was full
of the nobility, drawn to its walls by
the news that had startled them be
yond all expression. The police were
at work, the military trcmblcd with
rage, the people clamored for the ap-
prehcnson Of the man who had been
the inStig>7Dr 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 inlbcdded.
The warm, blue coils from the cigar
waited away into the night, carrying
with them IL myriad Of tangled thoughts
of her, of AXphain, of the abductor,
of himself, of everything y light step
on the stone floor of the shadowy bal
cOny attracted his attention. He turr-
ed his head and saw the Princess Ye-
tive. She was walking slowly toward
the balustrade. not aware of his pres
encc. There was no covering for the
dark hair, no wrap about the white
shoulders. She wore an exquisite gown
Of white, shimmcring with the rehcc-
tons from the moon that scaled the
mountain top. She stood at the balus-
trade, her hands clasping Il bouquet Of
red roses, her chin lifted, her eyes gaZ-
rnNt ri tni In . ~