The Elbert County tribune., 1906-03-01

1
| of how many other indiscretions he
was now to bear the brunt, or he had
turned on the spot and fed once more
across the river.
Princess" he said, standing hum
bly, before her, Il did wrong But con
slider the temptation, the darkness of
the night
THE darkness of the night" she
said, stamping her foot, and in an In
stinctively mocking tone; you are in
deed well inspired. You remind me of
what | yentured that you should be
/ free. The darkness~of the night, in
deed, I suppose that is all that sticks
in your memory, because you gained
something tangible by it. You have
forgotten the walk through the corri-
dors of the palace. all you taught me
in the rose garden. and-and how apt
a pupil you said was. Pray, good
Master Forgetfulness, who hath for
gotten all that. tell me what you did
| in CORTLAND eight months ago?"
Il came-I came" faltered the Spar
hawk, fearful of yet further committing
himself. 81 came to find and save my
dear mistress"
'Your-dear-mi The prin-
cess spoke slowly, and the blue eyes
hardened till they overtopped and beat
down the bold, black ones of Maurice
Won Lynar; land you dare to tell me
;his-me. to whom you swore that you
had never loved woman in the world
before, never spoken to them word of
wooing. or compliment! Out of my
sight. fellowl The prince, my brother.
will deal with you"
Then all suddenly her pride gave
way. The disappointment was too
keen. She sank down on silk-cov-
cred ottoman by the window side, sob
bing.
Now Maurice Won Lynar was not
quick in discernment where woman
was concerned, but on this occasion
he recognized that he was blindly. play
ing the hand of another, hand, more
over, of which he could not hope to
see the cards. He did the only thing
which could have saved him with the
princess. He came near and sank on
one knee before her.
Madam" he said humbly and in
moved Voice, 81 beseech you not to be
angry-hot to condemn me unheard.
In tho sense of being in love, l never
loved any but yourself. would rather
DE than put the least slight upon one
SO surprisingly fair, whose memory
has never departed from me, sleeping
or waking. whose image, dimly seen,
has never for a moment been erased
from my hearts tablets"
But you said just now that You
came to Courtland to see your dear
mistress'?"
The young man put his hand to his
head.
you must bear with me- he said,
"if perchance for a little my words are
wild. had. indeed, no right to speak
of you as my dear MISTRESS
"Oh. it was of me that you spoke
said the princess, beginning to smile
little; 81 begin to understand"
"Of what other could i speak?' said
the shameless Won Lynar, who now
began to feel his way little clearer.
II have indeed been very i'll. and
when / am in straits my head is still
unsettled 1t springs from a secret
wound that at the time l knew moth
ing Of"
AS he kneeled thus the princess
sion on her face:
"You are sure that you speak the
truth now? Your wound is not causing
you to dote?"
Nay" said the Sparhawk; indeed,
| It's almost healed"
Where was the wound?" queried
the princess. anxiously.
There were two" answered Won
Lynar. automatically; 'one in my
shoulder at the base Of my neck, and
the other, more dangerous, because in
ternal. on the head, itself"
Let me see."
| She came and stood above him as
he put his hand to the collar of his
doublet, and. unfastening tie. he
slipped it down little and showed
her at the spring of his neck Werner
Won Orselns thrust.
"And the other" she said, covering
it up with a little shudder. that on
i the head. where is it?"
The youth blushed, but answered
valiantly enough.
1T never was an open wound, and
so is a little difficult to find. Here.
where my hand is. above my brow"
Hold up your head" said the prin-
cess. "On what side was it? On the
right? Strange, l cannot find it. You
are too far beneath me. The light
falls not Alright. All. that is better!"
Won Lynar looked at the princess.
Their position was one as charming
as it was dangerous. They were
1 kneeling opposite to one another, their
faces, drawn together by the interest
of the surgical examination, had ap-
preached very close. The dark eyes
squarely looked into the blue. With