The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-02-10

eve cannot censure the princess,
Harry" said Lorry calmly. Eve have
come because we would befriend her,
and she sees At to reject our good Of
hces. There is but one thing left for us
to do-depart as we came" SA
"But 1 don't like 1t a little bit,"
growled the other.
IL you only knew, Mr.. Anguish, you
would not be so harsh and unjust" re-
monstrated the lady warmly. Turning
to Lorry, she said, "She asked me to
hand you this, and to bid you retain It
as q token of her undying esteem"
She handed him a small, exquisite
miniature Of the princess framed In
gold inlaid with rubies. He took Il
dumbly In bis fingers. but dared not
look at the portrait ie contained. with
chat might have seemed disrespcct he
dropped the treasure into his coat
pocket.
"Tell her L shall always retain Il as a
token of her esteem" he said. "And
now may 1 ask whether she handed my
note to her uncle, the count2"
The countess blushed In n most I'M
| accountable tanner.
mot while l was with her." she said.
recovering the presence of mind she
apparently had lost.
"She destroyed 1t, I presume" said
he, laughing harshly.
IL saw her place it in her bosom, sir,
and with the right hand" cried the
countess as If betraying a state secret.
I'm her You are telling me the
truth?' cried he, his face lighting up.
Now, see here, Lorry, don't begin to
question the countess word. 1 won't
stand for that" i%nterposed Anguish
good humoredly.
II should be more than base to say
falsely that she had done anything 80
absurd" said the countess Indignantly.
"Whcre is she now?" asked Lorry.
I'm her boudoir. The Prince Lorens
Is with her-alone." 4
what" he cried, jealousy dartingI
Into his existence. He had never known
jealousy before.
"Ihey arc b~etrothed," said she, with
an effort. There was a dead silence.
broken by Lorry's deep groan as he
turned and walked blindly to the oppo.,
site side of the room. He stopped fin
front of II huge painting and stared att
1T, but did not see q line or a tint.
"You don't mean to say she has nc.
cepted?" half whispered Anguish.
Nothing less"
THANK God, you are only a count.
ess," he said tepderly.
"Why-why-what difference can Il
make mean, why do you say that7r
she stammcrcd, crimson to her hair.
Because you won't have to sell your
self ut a sacrillce," he said foolishly,
Lorry came back to them at this juno
ture, ontwardly calm and deliberate.
"Tcll us about it, pray. We had
guessed as much"
out there are his people-the wretch.
esq she cried vindictively, her pretty
race i'll q helpless frown. To-day was
the day, YOU know, on which he was
TO nave his answer. He came md knelt
IN the audience chamber. All Grau-
stark had implorcd her to refuse the
hated offer, but she babe him rise. and
there, before us all, promised to be-
come his bride.
The greatest sorrow Graustark has
ever known grows IL Of that decision.
She Is determined to save for us what
her fathers folly lost. To do this she
becomes the bride Of n vile wretch. a
man who soils her pure nature when
he thinks Of her. Oh, we sought to dis
suadc her-we begged, we entreated.
but without avail. She will not sacri-
flee one foot of Graustark to save her
fi~fi fuc 2xireauy pnry rnnH rne
castle theirs. The union Of Graustark
and AX~phain-just what they most de-
sired, but we could not make her see It
sol"
as the day set?" asked Lorry brave
ly after q moments silent inspection
Of the dark browed victors.
eyes, and there is to be no delay.
The marriage contract has already
been signed. The date is Nov. 20, the
day on which we are to account to
Bolaroz for our war debt. The old
princes wedding gift to Graustark is
to be a document favoring us with q
ten years extension" she said scorn-
fully.
"And where is she to live?"
"Here, of course. She is G~raustark's
ruler, and here she insists on abiding.
Just contemplate our court! Overrun
with those AXphain dogs! All, she has
wounded Graustark more than she has
helped her."
TO BE CONTINUED.