The San Francisco call., 1904-08-21

Just now. The people Will lauSh at
the Duke II he does not come-some
of them laugh already. L shall run
here at once with the news if there is
any want to be your friend, dear
Esther"
Esther thanked her with a little
pressure of the hand and continued to
dress herself hastily. She did not dare
to tell this child how much those few
words of doubt meant to her. Her
own belief that Arthur would come
could not be denied-at the same time
she had but the vaguest ideas of the
laws which menaced him or of the in
trigue which sought his downfall
Destiny had caught her up in the
meshes of the net and nothing but a
miracle, she imagined, could set her
free.
She dressed quickly and breakfasted
in a small room of that suite of apart
ments allocated to her in the palace.
Little Marguerite had promised her a
visit from Madame Julia, and this
came about swiftly after breakfast,
when a servant announced the arrival
of madame herself, and that loquacious
parsonage swept into her room and en-
braced her with the ardor of an ef-
fusfve race.
My dear little Estheri" was her al
most fearful greeting, that we should
meet like this-that it positively should
be your
Esther suffered herself to be kissed
on either cheek: but she was not de-
ceived by this clever actress, and she
listened to her hysterical chatter with
out emotion.
Il thank you very much" she said.
'Of course, knew that you would
come"
Julia began at once TO excuse herself
"Ah, my dear child, that we should be
the cause of your misfortunes-we who
loved you so! 1 reproach myself bitter
ly! When I look at you and see how
greatly you are changed-when 1 re-
member our happy days in Thonon
hate myself for letting you go. But no
one would listen to me. I begged Fran
els not to leave you in Paris-he would
not hear mel She will suffer for it, I
said; I was wiser than he!"
She had contrived in a few short mo-
ments TO insinuate that Esther must
suffer and that she was greatly
changed. Malice in the cloak of pre-
tentious affection is ever an ugly thing.
Julia de Montalvan could not make it
pretty.
$50 you are really his wife-yes. the
telegraph told us so. Ny brother pub
lished it at once in the newspapers. He
could not foresee that it would be so
dreadfuIly resented. Cadi is a little
kingdom, and its spirit is republican.
Imagine, my dear, the stupidity of a
free country which does not permit its
Prince TO choose his own wifel What
does it matter if you are not of noble
birth or Spanish bornl You have en-
joyed my brothers friendship, and
that should be enough. The city must
be lost TO all sense of reason when it
behaves as it is doing-Inobs in the
street all day and such dreadful things
done that dare not tell you of them.
And now they talk of sending the
Prince TO his trial. God help us all. I
say, and keep Arthur in the noun
tains! II he comes here he is lost"
Esther turned the subject with an
awkward question.
II am relying upon DR. Xavier's in
fluence," she said. 'Since it was
through him that 1 have brought this
trouble upon my husband, his honor
will compel him to help me. Were it
not for that, I should be distressed in
deed, But you must not ask me to for
get that the Duke is my friend"
Madame Julia took her handkerchief
from her eyes and looked at her a lit
tie suspiciously.
My brother is the soul of honor, "
she declared. You owe it to him that
you are here in the palace when the
Council would have sent you to the
prison. What he can do will be done.
You forget, my dear, that he has but
one voice; and that there are many
against him. The Government will
hear nothing in the Princes favor 1t
says that his position does not put him
above the laws. My brother has worn
himself TO a shadow in the cause of
friendship-it was such dreadful sur
prise to himl He had left you in Paris
believing that you were going to be
very happy. You know how much he
valued your good opinion Of hin1--and
now It has come to this! All, my dear,
life is very cruel for some Of u.s."
None the less" persisted Esther.
Doctor Xavier can help me If he will.
I shall hope to see him here to-day"
1T would be madness for him to
come. He must not declare himself
positively must not What he can do
for you viii be done when Arthur is
tried-for his life. my child; fear it
is for that"
Would you have me to believe.
l.