Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-20
THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
Being the History Of Three Months in the Lie of an
English Gentleman
BY ANTHONY HOPE.
c,yrsht q
BY ANTHONY HOPE.

Il leave you what is more than my life
and more than my crown" said 1. be
all others in Ruritania."
Will deliver her to you safe and
sound, said he. land. failing that, Will
make her queen"
We parted and 1 returned to the MALAGA
and told Sapt and Fritz what had done.
Sapt had few faults to find and a few
grumbles to utter. This was merely what
l expected, for Sapt liked to be consulted
beforehand. not informed afterward: on the
whole. he approved of my plans and his
spirits rose high as the hour Of action drew
nearer and nearer. Fritz. too. was ready:
though he. poor fellow, risked more than
Sapt did. for he was a lover, and his hap
piness hung In the scale. Yet how | en-
Vied him! For the triumphant issue which
! h,e a crown him with happiness and unite
MIN to his mistress, the success for which
we were bound to hope and strive and
struggle. meant to me sorrow more GER
tain and greater than If / were doomed to
when we were alone Save for old Sapt.
who was smoking at the other end OF the
room. he passed his arm through mine.
saying:
TITS hard for you Don't think don't
trust you; 1 know you have nothing but
true thoughts In your heart"
BUT L turned away from him. thankful
that he could not see what my heart held.
but only be witness to the deeds that INV
hands were to do
Yet even he did not understand. for he
had not dared to lift his eyes to the Prin-
cess Flavia, as I had lifted mine
Our plans were all made even as
we proceeded to carry them out and as
they will hereafter appear. The next
morning we were to start on the hunting
excursion. 1 had made all arrangements
for being absent and now there was only
one thing left to do-the hardest the most
heart-breaking. AS evening fell 1 drove
through the busy streets to Flavia's res
idence. / was recognized as I went, and
heartily cheered. / played my part, and
made shift to look the happy lover In
spite of my depression l. was al
most amused at the GOODNESS and delicate
hauteur with which my sweet love received
me. She had heard that the king was
leaving Strelsau on hunting expedition.
Il regret that we cannot amuse your
majesty here in Strelsau." she said tap
ping her foot lightly on the floor. II would
nave onered you more entertainment, but
We'll, what?' 1 asked, leaning over her
That for just a day or two, after-after
last night-you might be happy without
much gayety;" and she turned pettishly
from me. as she added, 81 hope the boars
Will be more engrossing."
I'm going after. a very big boar" said
L and. because 1 could not help II. be-
gan to play with her hair. but she moved
Are you offended with me?" asked in
feigned surprise. for could not resist tor
menting her little. 1 had never seen her
angry, and every fresh aspect of her was
a delight to me.
What right have to be offended? True.
you said last night that every hour away
from me was wasted. But very big boari
that's different thing"
Perhaps the boar will hunt me-" sug-
gested. Perhaps Flavia, he'll catch me-"
She made no answer.
You are not touched even by that dan.
Still she said nothing and I. stealing
round, found her eyes full of tears.
You weep for my danger?"
oh
This is like what you used to be: but
not like the king-the king II have come
to love,'
With a sudden great groan I caught her
my darlingr' I cried. forgetting every
thing but her. did you dream that left
you to go hunting?"
What then, Rudolf? All! you're not go
well. 1T is hunting. go to seek Michael
in his lair
She had turned very pale
so you see, sweet, / was not so poor a
lover as you thought me. shall not be
long gone
I was weak. but 1 could not say a word
to stir suspicion IA her.
TN send you all my heart every day.
And you'll run no dangerr'
None that need not"
And when will you be back? All, how
long 1t will ber'
When shall be backT" repeated
Yes, yes! Don't be long, dear don't be
long. shan't sleep while you're away"
said l.
Soon. Rudolf. soon?'
God knows, my darling. But IL
Hush. hushv' and she pressed her Inns
to mine.
III never" whispered. you must take
my place; you'll be the only one of the
house then. You must reign, and not weep
for me-"
For a moment she drew herself I'D like
Yes. 1 willr she said IT will reign.
will do my part. Though all my life will be
empty and my heart dead, yet I'll do itr'
She paused, and sinking against me again,
walled softly:
Come sooni come soon!'
Carried away. 1 cried loudly:
las God lives. Ives / myself-will see
you once more before I die!'
What do you mean?" she exclaimed
with wondering eyes; but 1 had no answer
for her, and she gazed at me with her won
dering eyes.
1 dared not ask her to forget; she would
have found 1t an insult. could not tell
her then who and what I was She was
weeping. and had but to dry her tears.
Shall a man not come back to the love-
Hest lady In all the wide world?" said l.
"A thousand Mchaels should not keep me
from your
She chung to me little comforted
You won't let Michael hurt your"
mo, sweetheart"
"Or keep you from me?'
mo, sweetheart"
Nor any one else?"
And again answered: IS
mo. sweetheart"
Yet there was one-not Mchael-who, IL
he lived, must keep me from her; and for
whose life l was going forth to stake my
own And his fgure-the 1.-the, buoyant
figure / had met in the woods of Zenda-
the dull, inert mass had left in the cellar
Of the shooting lodge-seemed to rise dou-
ble-shaped, before me. and to come be-
tween us. thrusting itself in even where
she lay. pale exhausted, fainting In my
arms, and yet looking up at me with those
eyes that bore such love as / have never
seen, and haunt me now, and win TIL the
ground clroses over me-and (who knowsD
perhaps beyond.
Go be continued tomorrow