Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-03-28

CURLY informed them that the Ameri-
can. whom she believed to be innocent
Of all completely in the escape. should
be subjected to no indignity other than
detention in tie city under guard. as
she had ordered.
II insist that this man be cast into
prison at once" snarled the white lip
ped Bolaroz.
You are not at liberty to command
in Graustark. Prince Bolaroz," she said
slowly and distinctly. Il am ruler
here"
Bolaroz gasped and was speechless
for some seconds.
"You shall not be ruler long, madam"
he said malevolently, significantly.
"But am ruler now, and, as such,
ask your highness to withdraw from
my castle. / did not know that / was
TO submit to these threats and insults
or should not have been kind enough
TO grant you an audience. prince though
you are. When | came to this room. it
was to give you my deepest sympathy
and to receive yours. not to be insulted.
You have lost a son, ! my betrothed.
1t i'll becomes you, Prince BolaroZ, to
vent your vindictiveness upon me. My
men are doing all in their power to
capture the man who has so unfortu-
nately escaped from our clutches. and
shall not allow you or any one else to
dictate the manner in which we are to
proceed" she uttered these words
cuttingly and at their conclusion arose
to leave the room.
BolaroZ heard her through in surprise
and with conflicting emotions. There
was no installing her indignation, so
| he deemed it policy to bottle his wrath.
overlook the most offensive rebuke his
| vanity had ever received and submit
| to what was evidently just decision.
"Stay, your highness. l submit to
your proposition regarding the other
| stranger. although l doubt it's wisdom.
| There is but one in whom | am really
| intereSted-the one who killed my son.
! There is to be no cessation in the effort
| to find him, | am to understand. |
now have a proposition. With me are
300 of my bravest soldiers. l offer
them to you in order that you may bet
ter prosecute the search. They will re-
main here, and you may use them in
any way you see fit. The Duke of Miz-
rox will linger in Edelweiss, and with
him you and yours may always confer.
He also is at your command. This man
must be retaken. / swear by all that
is above and below me he shall be
found if hunt the world over to &C
complish that end. He shall not es-
cape my vengeance!
"And bark you to this: On the Goth OF
next month shall demand payment OF
the debt due AXphain. So deeply is
my heart set on the death of this Gren-
fall Lorry that / agree now, before all
these friends of ours. that if he be cap
tured and executed in my presence be-
fore the Goth of November GrauStark
shall be granted the extension of time
that would have obtained in the event
of your espousal with the man he kill
ed. You hear this offer, all? Itnis
bound by my sacred word of honor
His death before the Goth gives Grau
stark ten years of grace. If he is still
ut large, l shall claim my own. This
offer, | believe, most gracious Yetive
will greatly encourage your people ii
the effort to capture the man we seek
The princess heard the remarkable
proposition with face deathly pale
heart scarcely beating. Again was the
duty to Graustark thrust cruelty upOl
her. She could save the one only b!
sacrificing the other.
1--WE will do all in our power tO-t'
prove ourselves grateful for your mag
unanimous offer" she said. AS she pass
ed from the room, followed by her un
Gle, she heard the increasing buzz o
excitement on all sides, the unreStrain
ed expressions of amaZement and re
lief from her own subjects, the patron
iZing comments of the viSitors-al
conspiring to sound her doom. Whicl
way was she to turn in order to escap
from herself?
"We must catch this man, Yetive,
said Halfont on the stairway. ''Ther
is no alternative"
J Except our inability to do So" sh
murmured. In that moment she deter
mined that Grenfall Lorry should neN
5 er be taken if she could prevent it. H
9 was innocent, and it was Graustark
. penalty to pay.