The Minneapolis journal., 1903-09-29
CHAPTER Iv.-continued.
An Impatient sultor.

An Impatient Sultor.
"A flower for himself. no doubt! Not
given him for another!
Whereupon she turned in time to catch
the burning flush which famed his cheek
and left 1t paler than she had ever seen
1t. AT this first signal of her success
proving that he was not impregnable to
her attack-she hummed a little song
and beat time on the sward with a green
shod foot.
What mean you?" he asked, momen-
tarily dropping his unruffled manner
Not much!' Lightly she tripped to a
bush, broke off flower and regarded 1t
mischievously. "Why should people hide
that which is so sweet and fragrant?'
she remarked, and set the rose in her hair
"Hide?" he said, looking at the flower
but not at her.
Il trust you kept the rose. Monsieur
Diplomat?" she spoke up, suddenly, her
expression most serious.
What rose2" he asked, now become
restless beneath her cutting tongue.
What rose! AS if you did not know!
How innocent you look! How many roses
are there In the world? A thousand? Or
only one? What rose? Her rose, OF
course. Have you got it? 1 hope So
Tor the duke Is coming and might ask
for it''
This. then. was the information she had
taken such a roundabout way to COM
municate! It was to this end she had
purposely led the conversation by adroit
stages, studying him gaily, tmpatiently or
her words upon him. All alive, she
stepped back laughing. elate, she put her
arms about branch Of the rose-bush
and drew score OF roses to her bosom.
as tho she were a witch, impervious to
thorns. He had rtsen-yes, there was no
doubt about it!-but her sunny face was
turned to the flowers. His countenance
became at once puzzled and thoughtful.
The duke-coming-" He condescend-
cd to ask for Information now.
Sidewtse she gazed at him, unrelenting
'Does the flower become me?' she asked
The duke-coming-' he repeated.
How impolite! To refuse me q COM
plirnent!' she flashed.
The next moment he was by her side
and had taken her arm, almost roughly
Speak out!' he cried Some one is
coming! What duke is coming?"
You hurt me-" she exclaimed, angrily
He loosened his grasp.
What duke?" she answered scornfully
Her duke! Your duke The emperor
duke!'
"The Duke Of Friedwald?" he asked
'Of course! The princess fiance; bride
groom to-be; future husband lord and
master" she explained, with indubious
hIlQ POSITIVE iteration.
But the time-set for the wedding-has
not expired" he protested with what she
thought seemed a suspicion that she was
playing with him.
That Is easily answered." she said
cheerfully. THE duke, 1t seems, has be-
come more and more enamored. Finally
his passion has so grown and grown he
fears to let 1t grow any more, and as the
only way out of the difficulty, petittoned
the king to curtail the time of probation
and relieve him of the constantly augu-
menting suspense. To which his most
gracious majesty. having been a lover
himself Con divers occasions) and measur-
ing the poor fellows troubles by the
qualms he has himself experienced, has
seen generously fit to cut off few weeks
of waiting and set the wedding for the
near future.
How know you this?' he demanded
sharply, striding to and fro.
This morning the princess sent me
with message to the Countess d'Etam-
pes. You know her? You have heard:
She has succeeded the Countess Of Sha-
teaubr1ant Well. the king with her
not the Countess Of Chateaubrlant, but
the other one I mean. They left poor
me to await his majesty's pleasure, and
as the Countess d'Etampes has but newly
succeeded to her present exalted position
and the king has not yet discovered her
many imperfections, should have fallen
asleep for WEAKNESS had I not chanced to
overhear portions Of their conversation
The Countess d'Etampes, it seemed was
very angry. Your majesty promised tc
send her home she said. But, my dear
give me time pleaded the king. Pack
her off at once she demanded, raising he1