The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1906-12-04
JOAN H SWORD HAND
b S.RCROCETT. AuMor Of MeRmagsGc

man or any other should be compelled
to do likewise"
And right ~princess-like she looked
as she pouted her proud little lips and
with her foot patted the polished oak.
But" she went on again to her
brother. "If you have done with this
noble youth. / have a fancy 10 hear
him tell of the countries wherein he
has s%ojourned. And, in addition, l
have promised to show him the carp
in the ponds. You have, 1t seems to
me. spent half the day in each others
society"
The tolerant prince laughed. He
was evidently accustomed to his sis
ter's whims, and knowing how perfect
ly harmless they were, he never in
terfered with them.
"A good day to you" he said to the
young man, by way of dismissal. IF
l do not see you again before you
leave, you must promise me to come
back to the wedding Of the Duchess
Johanna. In that event you must
do me the honor to be my guest On
that occasion"
II hope to be your guest, most noble
prince" said the secretary. looking
up at him quickly as he went through
the door.
IL was a singular look. For a mo-
ment it checked and astonished the
prince so much that he stood still on
the threshold.
Where have / seen a look like that
before?" he unused. as he cast his
memory back into the past without
success. Surely, never on any mans
face before"
Which, after all, was likely enough.
But putting the matter aside as curl
Gus, but of no consequence, the prince
rode away toward that part Of the
city from which the towers OF the
minister doomed up. A couple of
priests bowed low before him as he
passed, and the people, standing still
to watch his broad shoulders and
erect carriage, said one to another.
"Alasi alas, the truest prince of
them ALTO be thus thrown away,
And these were the words the sec
rotary heard from a couple of guards
who stood at the gate of the rose gar
den. as they, too, stood looking pen
sively after the prince.
Wait" said Johann Pyrmont to
himself; wait. I will yet show them
whether he is thrown away or not"
The rose garden of the summer
palace of CORTLAND was a paradise
made for lovers whisperings. It's
bowers were creepertangled. Trees
met over paths bedded with fallen
petals, a shade in sunshine, a shelter
in rain, delightful in both.
It was natural that so fair a prin-
cess, taking such a sudden fancy to a
young man, should find her way
where the shade was deepest and the
labyrinth most e~ntangled.
do you know she began. that I
might well have lodged o in a dun
geon cell for that which in another
had been dire insolence?"
They were pacing a long, dusky ave
nue. of tall yew trees. The secretary
turned toward her the blank look of
one whose thoughts have been far
away. But the princess ratified on.
needless of his mood.
Nevertheless. I forgive you" she
said, after all, I myself asked you
to teach me your foreign customs. II
any one be to blame, it is 1. But one
thing 1 would impress upon you, sir
secretary. do not practice these out,
land pe~culiarities before my brothers
Either of them night look with preiu-
dice upon such customs being observ.
ed generally throughout the city.
came back chiefly to warn you"
1t was with an effort that the sec
rotary detached himself sufficiently
from his reveries upon the interview
in the summer palace to understand
what the princess was driving at.
"All his mighty pother. all be
cause I kissed her on the cheek" he
thought. "A Princess of CORTLAND is
no such mighty thing-and why should
I not? oh, of course, | had forgotten
again. I am not now the person ]
was
But what need to tell with what in.
finite condescension the princess tool
the young mans hand and read his
fortune. dwelling frowningly on the
lines of Icve and life?
You have too pretty a hand for q
man." she said; why is it hard here
n hereI'
That is from the sword grip" said
the secretary. with no small pride.
do you. then. fence we'll? l wish
I could see you" she cried clappins
her hands. How splendid IL would
be to see a bout between you and
Prince Wasp-that is the Prince Ivan
of Muscovy, I mean. He would give
something to be sitting here teaching
me how they take hands and bid each
other goodbye in Bearland. They
rub noses. l have heard say, a custom
which, to my thinking, would be more
provocative than satisfactory. l like
your Plassenburg fashion better"
whereat there was nothing for il
but the secretary should arouse him.
self out of his reverie and do his
part.
81 think m some wise 1t were pos