Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-09

Iill'h'u u nan bltdu'I HUN
En- the resolution formed on that
stormy night when she sacri-
feed pride and duty on the altar Of
love and Justice. Prince BolaroZ's ulti-
matum overwhelmed her, but she arose
from the wreckage that was strcwn
about her conscience and remained
loyal, steadfast and true to the man in
the monastery. To save his life was
all she could hope to accomplish, and
this she was bound to do at any cost.
She could be nothing to him, not even
friend. So long as he lived he would
: be considered the murderer Of Lorenz
and until the end price would hang
over his head. She, Princess of Grau-
stark, had offered a reward for him.
For that reason he was always to be
fugitive, and she least of all could
hope to see him. There had been a
brief, happy dream. but it was swept
away by the unrelentng rush of real
ity. The mere fact that she. and she
alone. was responsible for his fight
placed between them an unsurmount-
able barrier.
Clincng tenaciously to her purpose.
she was still cognzant of the debt she
owed the trusting. loving people OF
Graustark One word from her could
avert the calamity that was to fall
with the dawn of the fatal 10th. All
Graustnrk bindly trusted and adored
her TO undeccive them would be to
administer a shock from which they
could never recover.
Her highness manner was at all
times frank and untrouhled. She was
apparently light hearted. Her cheeks
had lost none of their freshness. Her
eyes were bright. Her smile was quick
and merry. her wit unclouded. Recep-
tons drawing rooms and state func-
tons found her always vivacious, so
much so that her court wondered not
a little. Daily reports brought no news
of the fugitive, but while others were
beginning to acquire the haCgard air
of worry and uncertainty she was
calmly resigned. The 18th, the 10th,
the 18th. the 18th and now the 18th Of
November came and still the princess
revealed no marked sign of distress.
Heavy hearted and with bowed heads
the people of Graustark saw the 10Th
which would bring the crush of pride,
the end of power. At court there WAS
the silent dread and the dying hope
that relief might come at the last hour.
Men with pale faces and fearful eyes
wandered through the ancient castle,
f speeches.. nerveloss. miserable. Brave
soldiers crept about, shorn of pride and
filed with woe. Citizens sat and stared
} almlcssly for hours, thinking of naught
but the disaster so near at hand and so
UNAVOIDABLE The whole nation surged
: as if in the last throes of death. To-
morrow the potency of Graustark was
to die. its domain was to be cleft in
, twain diSgra ced before the world.
/ And on the throne of this afflicted
land sat the girl Yetive, proud, ten
der. courageous. Tomorrow would see
, the north torn from the south, the diYi-
: sion of families, the rending of homes,
I the bursting of hearts. She sanctioned
2 all this because she loved LOrry and
because he bad done no wrong.
: Aware of her financial troubles and
f pursuing the advantage that his rival
| death had opened to him, Prince Ga
. briel of Dawsbergcn renewed his ar
dent suit. Scarce had the body of the
murdered prince left the domain be-
: fore he made his presence marked
Knowing that he was in truth the mys-
l FERROUS Michael who had planned her
: abduction, she feared and despised him.
: yet dared make no public denuncia-
2 ton. AS D0wsbergen was too power
$ full TO be antagonized at this critical
e time she was constantly forced to sub
s nit to the most trying and repulsive
: of ordeals Tact and policy were re-
e quired to control the violent, hot blood
ed young ruler from the south. Day aft
I err day he haunted the castle, persist
t ent in his efforts to induce her to ac-
ccpt his proposition. So fierce was his
= passion, so implacable his desire, that
: he went among the people of Edcl-
= weiss, presenting TO them his proposal,
e hoping thereby to add public feeling
J. to his claims. He tried to organize a
g committee of citizens 10 go before the
9 princess with the petition that his offer
= be accepted and the country saved.
8 But Graustark was loyal to its prin-
cess Not one of her citizens listened
h to the willy prince. and more than one
l. told him or his cm'ssaries that the loss
:. OF the whole kingdom was preferable
l to the marriage he desired. The city
l. sickened at the thought.
e His last and master stroke In the
| struggle TO persuade came on the after
y noon of the 10th, at an hour when all
Edelweiss was in gloom and when the
g princess was taxed TO the point where
e the mask of courage was so frail that
IS she could scarce hide her bleeding soul
behind it,
Bolaroz of Axphain, to quote from
= the news dispatch, was In Edelweiss, a
r guest, with few of his lords, in the
e castle. North of the city We're en-
6 camped 5000 men. He had come pre-
o pared TO cancel the little obligation OF
fifteen years standing. With the hated
e creditor in the castle. his influence how
3 ering above the town, the populace dis
Y tracted by the thoughts OF the day
e coluc, traorltl pay ,...dt ne consl0-
'. cred his best card. He asked for and
l. obtained a final interview with ietive,
d not in her boudoir or her reception
I, room. but in the throneroom, where
e she was to meet Eolaroz in the morn
"a ing.
"a The princess. seated on her throne