Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-07-12


Your highness!" he implored, COM
ing close to the chair and bending over
her. Before God | am honest with
you. Believe me when I say that
have done nothing to injure Graustark.
cannot tell you what it was that
passed between Ravone and me. but
swear on my soul that / have not been
disloyal to my oath. Won't you trust
me? Won't you believer" His breath
was tanning her ear, his voice was
eager. She could feel the intensity of
his eyes.
tOh, don't-don't know what to say
to you," she murmured. 81 have been
SO wrought up with fear and disap-
pointment. You'll admit that it was
very suspicious, won't you?'' she cried,
almost pleadingly.
Eyes, yes" he answered. His hand
touched her arm, perhaps unconscious
~. She threw back her head to give
him look of rebuke Their eyes met,
and after moment both were full of
pleading. Her lips parted, but the
words would not come. She was after
ward more than thankful for this, be-
cause his eyes impelled her to give
voice to amazing things that suddenly
rushed to her head.
II want to believe you," she whis-
pered softly.
"You must-you dol would give
you my life. You have it now. 1t is
IN your keeping and with it my honor.
Trust me, beseech you. 1 have trust
ed you"
Il brought you here she began, de-
Tending him Involuntary. "But, Bal
dos, you forget that I am the prin-
cessw She drew away in sudden shy
ness, her cheeks rosy once more, her
eyes filling with the most distressingly
unreasonable tears He did not move
for what seemed hours to her. She
heard the sharp catch of his breath
and felt the repression that was mas
tering some unWeIcome emotion in him.
Lights were springing into existence
h all parts Of the park. Beverly saw
the solitary window in the monastery
far away, and her eyes fastened on it
as if for sustenance in this crisis of her
life-this moment of surprise, this mo-
ment when she felt him laying hands
upon the heart she had not suspected
Of treason. Twilight was upon them;
the sun had set, and night was rush
ing up to lend unfair advantage to the
forces against which they were strug-
CLING. The orchestra in the castle was
playing something soft and tender
oh, so far away!
81 forget that / am slave, your
highness," he said at last, and his voice
thrilled her through and through. She
turned quickly and to her utter dis
may found his face and eyes still close
to hers, glowing in the darkness.
saThose men over there" she whis-
pered helplessly-"they are looking at
you'll"
s'Now / thank God eternally," he
cried softly. "You do not punish me;
you do not rebuke me. God, there is no
nightl''
ssYou-you must not talk like that"
she cried, pulling herself together sud-
denly. II cannot permit it, Baldos.
You forget who you are, sir"
"Ah, yes, your highness," he said be-
fore he stood erect. 81 forget that /
was a suspected traitor. Now am
guilty of leze majesty" Beverly felt
herself grow hot with confusion.
what am to do with your she
~-t<.z7 q, v,<-,,Yovs%v hor haorf hoo
shamefully. ''You swear you are hon
est, and yet you won't tell me the
truth Now, don't stand like that!
You are as straight as ramrod, and 1
know your dignity is terribly offended.
/ may be foolish, but do believe you
intend no harm to Graustark. You
cannot be a traitor"
II will some day give my life to re-
pay you for those words, your high
ness" he said Her hand was resting
on the side of the chair. Something
warm touched 1t, and then 1t was lift
ed resistlessly. Hot, passionate lips
burned themselves into the white fin
gers, and glow went into every fiber
Of her body.
"Ohg' was all she could say. He
gently released the hand and threw up
his chin resolutely.
II am almost ready to die" he said.
She laughed for the first time since
they entered the park.
II don't know how to treat you." she
said in a helpless futter. "You know
q princess has many trials in life"
mot the least of which is woman
hood"
sBaldos," she said after long
pause. Something very disagreeable
had just rushed into her brain. Have
you been forgetting all this time that
the Princess Yetive is the wife Of
Grenfall LorryT
at has never left my mind for an
instant From the bottom of my heart
/ congratulate him. His wife is an
angel as well as a princess"
.sWell, In the code Of morals, is It
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