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

had been.
Il thank you, gentlemen" said she. "for
e eg me-the truth with no hesitation no
foolish attempts to make it light Lean
say noth1ng Just now. 1 must-have time
to think. VIII you leave me for a little?
on; Colonel Won Altdorf, that Fate, of
Whlch you preach, has played her last card
hasn't she'll wonder-I wonder If she's
!aughing-Ah, go. please, gor And we left
her there under the trees, the sweet warm
sunlight slanting through the leaves in
golden splashes about her, the heavy per
fume of flowers filling all the air, birds
twfttering cheerily from the branches over
mead and even-to complete the irony-a
snatch of bright. gay music coming from
parrel organ In the street beyond the high
wall L remember the music, it was an air
from "Mfgnon."
studio, and-Colonel Won Altdorf having. by
this time, come quite to himself again-we
talked till the day was gone of the terrible
thing which had all in a moment wrecked
our every plan and hope. and had cut the
very ground from under our feet.
The chief problem was, of course, what
was to become of the Princess Eleanor
for we still thought of and spoke Of her as
the Princess" though she had no right to
the title. To have called her anything else
must have seemed a sort Of unwarrant-
able liberty, an impertinence. The most
natural event seemed to be that she should
go back to her people in America. for there
was now nothing to keep her in Europe.
The prince was dead, his country was as
She had no place here.
So at least 1t seemed to u.s. as we sat
talking the matter over, and we agreed
that after little delay. when the horror
and shock should have in some measure
passed, we would put the thing to her judy
ment and advise her to return home.
Then after bit we fell. most naturally.
to talking of Denis Mallory, in hushed,
gentle voices, as of great man gone to his
last rest; to reminding each other of all
the things which had happened since that
sayings and deeds. of what seemed to US
the matchless nobility Of the man, and OF
our bitter shame that should so have
misjudged, so have sighted him. at the
on the steps of the palace where he had
met his death. We tried to picture his
bearing in the face of that certain disaster
the paltry dozen brave spirits grouped
there on the steps high over a snarlinY
mob. Gallant 1t must have been. All, there
was no doubt of that! smiling, probably.
That would have been like him. smiling de-
risively down into the sea of faces while he
drew his blade for its last grand play. Close
beside his prince, aye, that's where he
would have been. close beside or before
him. covering his body with marvellous
workmanship that must have made those
southern dogs cape and stare
And then. then when Karl. poor gentle
man. was at last down. when CzerowftS
was down and the old marshal-for one felt
that Denis would be the last-then. one
pictured him, smiling still over a dozen
wounds that proud head high and defiant,
one pictured him falling as a king Of old
time. magnifcently. with none Of the mis-
ery of defeat, grand in his very ruin. =,
So we talked together and wove our fan
cies and sang our valedictory to the man
we loved. till the daylight faded to the |
dusk and dusk gloomed night. And at last |
old Mackenzie and Col. Won Altdorf rose !
signing and went to their homes.
HE was the best that the good God
makes" said old Sir Gavin grufay. Well
no see another such in the world"
1--WE all refused. once. to take his hand"
said Won Atldorf. 1--WE should pay well for I
that in the next world"
1--WE paid well for it in this one,'' said I. I
and took to my bed the heaviest heart that
can burden mans breast.
Go be continued MondaZ1 ..-.-l :.