Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-02-25

ing crews who draw from the wrecks
of shlps lives that were hopelessly lost /
frbere is 10 be a wreck here. Is there |
10 be a life saverI When tile night Is
darkest. the sea widest, when hope IS
gone. is not that the time when rescue /
is most preciousl Tell me- you VINO |
know all there Is Of this approaching |
disaster"
81 cannot command you TO leave |
Edelweiss. can only tell you that
you will have something to answer for
IL you stay" said the countess.
"Will you help me If | show to you
that can reach the wreck and save
the one who cllngs to it despairinglyF
he asked, smiling, suddenly calm and
confident.
"Wnlingly, for love the one who Is
going down IN the sea. have spoken
TO you seriously, though, aud | trust
Tou will not misunderstood NE. Ike
you, and like Mr.. Anguish. You could
stay here forever so far as | am con
cerned."
lie thought long and intently over
what she had said as he smoked his cl-
gar on the great balcony that night
He saw In one moment the vast chasm
between the man and the princess; In
ube next he laughed at the puny space.
Down on the promenade be could see
.he figures Of men and women stroll
rg in the moonlight To his ears came
the occasional laugh Of man, the sill
very gurgle Of woman. The royal
military band was playing in the stand
near the edge Of the great circle. There
were gayety, comfort, charm and secu-
rity about everything that came to his
eyes and ears. Where was shei He
had 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-
membered the hour spent beside his
couch a day or so before; he had ut
tered none Of the words that struggled
to rush from his lips-the questions, the
pleadngs. the VOWS. Where was she
now? Not In that gay crowd below,
for he had scanned every figure With
the hawks eye: closeted again, no
doubt. with her malsters, wearying
her tired brain, her brave heart into
fatigue without rest.
Her court stlll trembled with the ex-
element Of the daring attempt Of the
abductors and their swift punishment
Functlonnries nocked TO Edelweiss 20
inquire after the welfare Of the prin-
cess, and Indignation was ut the high
est pitch. There were theories innu-
merable as to the identity Of the arch
conspirntor, Baron Dangloss was at
sea completely. lie cursed himself
and everybody else for the hasty and
III timed execution Of the hlrelings. II
was quite evident that the buzzng
wonder aud intense feeling Of the peo
pie had for the moment driven out all
thought Of the coming day of Judg
ment and its bitter atonement 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 trembled will
rage, the people clamored for the ap
I prehenslon Of the man who had beer
the lusigator Of this audacity. The
general belief was that some hrlganC
chief from the south had planned the
great theft for the purpose Of securing
T.l. tHu |
had an astonishing theory IN his mind
and the more he thought It over tn,
more firmly Il was lmbedded.
The warm, blue coils from the ciga
waited away into the night, carrying
with them myriad Of tangled thoughts
of her, OF AXphain, Of the abductor
OF himself, Of everything. A light stel
on the stone floor Of the shadowy bal
couy attracted his attention, He turn
ed his head and saw the Princess Ne
tive She was walking slowly towar,
the balustrade, not aware Of his pres
encc. There was no covering for TIN
dark hair, no wrap about the whit
shoulders She wore nn exquisite gowl
Of white, shimmering with the reheC
tlons from the moon that scaled tn
mountain top She stood at the balus
trade, hGr hands clasping a bouquet O
rcd roses, her chin lifted, her eyes gaz
ing toward the mountains crest, th
prottlest picture he had ever seen Tn
strange dizziness Of love ovcrpowereu
him. How long he revelcd In the glor.
Of the picture he knew not, for It wa
rs II he looked from a dream. At las
he saw her look down upon the rose,
lift them slowly and drop them owe
the rail- They fell to the ground De
low, lie thought he understood tn
gift OF prince desplsed.
They were not twenty feet apart II
advanced to her side, his hat In ON
hand his stick the one that fellcd IN
Nicnuesc- trembling in the other.
Il did not know you were here" sh
exclaimed In half frightened amaze
mcnt 81 left my ladies inside"
lie was standing beside her, lookIn
down into the eyes
And am richer because Of your il
] NoIANCtt nc SNld NollA. l nave SEE
picture that shall never leave M
q memory never, Its beauty cnthralle,
cnraptured Then l saw the drama q
the roses. An, your hIghucss, th
crown is not always a mask"
The roses werc-wcre OF no cons,
Qucncc," she faltered
, Il have heard how you stand o.,
tween two suitors aud that wrctchc
treaty, My heart has achod to tell yo
how pity you
, 1T is not pity l need, but courng,
. Pity viii not aid mo ln my duty Nj
, Lorry. II stands plainly before m
- this duty hut l have not the couug
to take It mp aud place il about IN
neck forever"
You do not cannot love this l.,
renzT he asked
= Love hlmw she cried Zach. | 90
, get You do not know him Yet
shall doubtless he his wife" Thei
, was an ctcrulty OF despair in that low
b, steady voice,
, You shall not swear you sha