The San Francisco call., 1904-04-17
CHAPTER XIV.
DULCINE.

DULCINE.
There are times when we know a
crisis has been passed, but it is rare
that we know the exact moment Of Its
passing.
As look back from the end to the
beginning of the story I remember
plainly aye, best Of all-the moment
when Dulcine Oranoff raised her proud
head and repeated to her father my
desperate lie. 1t was impossible for
the girl to think 1 had failed. Then,
where else could the Queens body be
but in the casket prepared for it?
am very far from sorry that my
eyes were not firmly closed when Dull
cine uttered those thrilling words, for
If I have one picture of her more
worthy of the admiration of the curl
Gus than another, 1t is that of the
1.-THE, trim girl lingering the lace of my
pillow as she looked straight over me
into her fathers eyes and told him I
had done the task l bad nise-ahlT
failed to DO. 1t is withel q sc-nhe-
pisture, for D,llcine war TO- rrother's
girl In face ara figure. and hA- dress
that night vas dark az 'rc twilight be-
meath her lashas or the Entdnigh: Of ner
hair.
II is a picture portray.nc ret cnly
girl of grace and beauty, bui {. Woman
of magnetic power. a woman to dar,
and CO, and make others like herself.
would have wondered that Colonel
Orancff could take those startling
words at full face value, had ] not seen
the firm, true lips, the steaGfast eyes Of
the one who uttered them and believed
them TO be true. Seeing this. won
dered not that the man turned upon his
heel without word, as though he had
just looked into the very sarcophagus
itself.
But the effect of the girls words and
all the depth of their deceit was even
more marked upon the man who lay
on the bed before her. And as 1
looked covertly upward for the brief
second during which the film of my
memory was exposed to this picture, L
became thrilled until every unstrung
nerve throbbed and then was steelcd. 1
saw more clearly than before our ter
rible plight, and saw my duty clearer
too. Yet through the vision there came
courage and to spare
But now-when 1 was In too deep to
get out, when 1t was too late even to
consider owning up to the TRUTH
found that the King himself must look
into the empty casket and close with
his own thin hand it's golden lid.
met this new shock with far greater
courage than any preceding one; now
/ was driven only one dye deeper; a
form resembling a human body must
meet the Kings eyesi
1 arose, smiling grinly, from the bed
upon which l had fallen with a groan.
There was something ridiculous in this
resolution which was the logical end of
my deception, and the reckless daring
of it fascinated me.
There's but step between the SUBJ
lime and the ridiculous I quoted So
berly as / dressed for dinner; II shall
diminish that distance by half before
morning." My shoulder was very lame,
but otherwise 1 felt able to resume my
accustomed place in the life of the le-
cation. At any rate, 1 knew that my
new plans would necessitate my going
out; 1 was only preparing for emer-
gencies.
The ladies had not returned from
their sightseeing, and I was spared
playing hero: made way with the
courses as rapidly as practicable
against their return. But 1 did not
leave the room without placing a note
under Dulcine's ring, encouraging one
Of the table-boys with a coin to see
that she did not miss it. 1 also left
word with Dejneff that 1 would be
ready for duty as usual in the morning.
1 saw he was not sorry to be able to
depend upon me to command the troops
around the bier: for he was to march
with the King, and Andorrh was to
guard the mausoleum throughout the
night and day. I also saw that Dejneff
would not cry either when this pageant
was over Safely
Then 1 went out into the night and
made my way to, the Bell House, to the
great booths where the best OF native
garments were for sale, taking PAX for
a guide and interpreter. tod him on
the way what wanted.
Soon we were being shown q large
assortment CT fine silk outer garments
worn by the women of Ouelparte.
Pak's eyes siistened as the great pieces
Of silk were thrown by the cunning
hand Of the merchant before our eyes.
1, of course, knew nothing Of them, not
even their quality. but as this was the
only thing about which cared, asked
PAX concerning 1t.
"He says they are good enough to
bury the Queen in," replied PAX, sim
ply, after word or two with the mer-
chant.
That was as good as I wanted.
Once more in my room I dismissed
PAX with a stern injunction as to Sc
crecy and enough silver to make him
quite the reverse. Then I turned eag-
erly to. my task.
Now, it Is trite beyond hope of ex-
cuse to remark that some things seem
difficult near by which at a distance
and off-hand seem exceedingly easy.
remembered with what force this con-
clusion was impressed upon me that
night at the Russian Legation in Quel-
parte. where I attempted to carry out
my resolution Of making a counterfeit
queen to replace the real Queen that I
had lost on Lynx Island.
For a time l walked around my bed
which was loaded with the silks PAX
had deposited there at my order. Then
1 sat down and paved them over gin