Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-03-02

bers. which occupied one entire wing
OF the great palace OF the Princess Of
Courtland. Margaret the impetuous
had already commanded the presence
OF the Count Won Loen. one OF the
| commanders Of the bridal escort.
The Princess Margaret was stand.
Ing by the window rs the young man
entered. Her golden curls flashed In
the late sunshine. which made kind
OF haze Of light about her head as she
turned the rcsentful briiiiancc Of her
eyes upon Maurice Won Lynar.
rs II a safe thing. think you, Sir
Knight. TO Jest with princess In her
own land and then come back to iiout
her for It."
Maurice understood her TO refer to
tho kiss given and returned In the
darkness of the night. He knew not
OF how many other indiscrctions 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, II did wrong. But con
slider the temptation. the darkness OF
the night"
| THE darkness of the night she
| fu1id. stamping her foot. and In nm In.
stinctiveiy mockIns tone: you are In.
deed well Inspired. You remind me OF
what ! yonturcd that you should be
free. The darkness of the night. In
deed! suppose that Is all that sticks
In your memory. because you gained
something tangible by II. You have
forgotten tho walk through the corrl.
dors Of the palace. NIL you inush, me
In the rose garden. nnd-ard how apt
n pupil you said was. Pray. good
Master forgc,fuincss. who hath for
gotten all that. tell mo what you did
In CORTLAND eight months ago."
| Il cnmc-i came" faitcrcd the Spar.
hawk. fearful OF yet further committing
himself. Il came ta ind and save my
dear mistress"
"Your-dcar-mis The prin.
cess spoke slowly. and tho blue Eyes
hardened iiii they ovcrioppcd and bsai
down the bold. black ones of Maurice
Won Lynar: and you dare to tell me
this-mc. to whom you sworc that you
had never loved woman In the world
before. never spoken to them word OF
wooinr or compliment Out of my
sight. fellow! The prince. my brother.
viii 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.
binE.
Now Maurice Won LyUgr was not
quick In disccrnmcnt where woman
httt
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 Eaid humbly and In
moved voice. Il hcsecch you not 10 be
angry-not to condemn me unhcard.
In the sense of being in love. ! never
loved any but yourself. I would rather
die than put the least slight upon one
! so surprisingly fair. whose memory
has never departed from me. sleeping
OF waking. whose image. dimly seen.
has never for moment eccn erased
from my hcart's tablets"
But you said Just now that you
cane 10 CORTLAND to see your dear
mistrcss'?"
The young man put his hand to his
head.
"You must bear with me-" he said.
'if perchancc for little my words are
wild. I had. indeed, no right to speak
of you as my dear mistress"
"Oh. 1t was of me that you spoke"
said the princess, beginning TO smile
a little: II begin to understand"
"of what other could I speak?" said
the shameless Won Lynar, who now
began to feel his way a little clearer.
II have indeed been very Ill. and
when | am in straits my head Is still
unsettled. 1t springs from secret
wound tlat at the time I knew moth.
ing Of"
As he knecled thus the princess
bent over him with quizzical cxpres.
| sion on her face:
You are sure that you speak the
truth now? Your wound Is not causing
you to dote?"
Nay" said the spnrhawk; Indeed,
It's almost healed"
where was the wound?" queried
the princess. anxiously.
! There were two" answered Won
1.ynar. diplomatically: ''one in my
shoulder at the base of my neck. and
the other. more dangerous. because in.
ternni. 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 a tie. he
| s!i,ned II down little and showed
her at the spring of his neck Werner
vor Orseln's thrust.
And the other" she said, covering
/ It up with a little shudder. ".haI ~