New-York tribune., 1906-06-03

Alexis a Prince then? Will even they who
taught him to think himself a Prncet Oh,
go if he knew Your Majesty was i'll. He loves
Your Majesty Yes But if he hated you
still would he go?" With a sudden turn he
was round on Stenovics again. and threw out
his arms as though to embrace picture.
Look The Prince is away; the guns are
come; the King diesl Who commands in the
Palace, Who governs Slavna:" He was
back to the King with another swift turn.
May l answer, sir. May tell you: The
mother of Prince Alexis commands in the
Palace; Slavna is ruled by the friends of Cap
tain Mistitchl'' His voice fell to ironical
murmur. And the Prince is far off-seeking
a great Princessi Sir, do you see the picture'
Stafnitz suddenly lowered his eyes from the
ceiling and looked at the gesticulating little
man with smile Such imagination in the
servants hall" he murnured half under his
breath.
The King neither rebuked his levity nor
indorsed the insinuated satire He took no
notice at all. His eyes were fixed on his still
trembling hands
Stenovics spoke in a calm. smooth voice.
absolutely. sir, | believe the mans honest"
he said, with an infection of goOd-humOred
surprise "One sees how he got the idea | am
sure he is genuinely devoted to Your Majesty
and to the Prince, we all are. He sees
something going on which he doesn't under
stand; he knows something more is going on
that he is ignorant of He knows the untor-
tunate condition of Your Majesty's health.
He is like a nurse-forgive 1ne-in charge OF
sick child; he thinks everybody but himself
has designs his charge. 1t is really nat
ural, however absurd; but it surely makes the
preCautiOn | suggested even more necessary
If he went abroad spreading tale like
this
The line was Clever-cleverer far than the
Countess rage, ceverer than StafnitZS airily
bitter Sneer. But of 1t too the King took no
notice. Lepage took no more than Law IN
scornful smile. He leaned down toward the
motionless dull-faced King and said in his
ear,
They wanted him to go, sir; Did they
want him to come back again SIR He bent
a little lower, and almost whispered; How
long would his journey have taken, sir, How
long would it have taken him to get back, If
in case of need:" One more question he did
not ask in words; but it was plain enough
without them: How long can Your Majesty
count on living'"
At last the King raised his head and looked
round on them His eyes were heavy and
CLASSY This man has been my trusted
Stenovics, have been my right hand my other
self. Colonel Stafnitz is high in my conf
dence And Lepage is only my servant"
" seek to stand no higher than any other of
Your MaJesty's servants. except IN so far as
the nature of my services gives a claim,
said Stenovics
But there is one here who stands far nearer
to me than anyone, who stands nearer to me
than any living being. She must know OF this
thing, ii 1t is true If it is being done, her hand
must be foremost among the hands that
doing II. His eyes fixed themselves on the
CountesS's face. :" Is it true7" he asked.
Sir! how can you ask How can You lis
ten? True Its a malignant invention, He is
angry because | reproved him"
les, I'm angry said so. But it's true
for all that -
Silence, Lepage, Am l to take Your word
against the Countess s."
Markart, silent listener to all this scene,
thought that Lepage's game was up. Who
could doubt what the Countess's word would
be: Probably Lepage too thought that he
was beaten, that he ruined man for
he played desperate card-the last throw of
a ban nkrupt player. Yet it was guided by
shrewdnesS and by the intimate knowledge
which his Years OF residence in the Palace had
given him He knew the King we'll and he
knew Countess Ellenburg hardly less thor
oughy
Il speak truth, sir, as l believe it But |
cant expect You to take my word against the
Countess | have too much respect for
Madam la ComteSse to ask that q"
Again he bent down toward the King The
King looked up at him. Stenovics' smile came
back into the mind In a low soothing tone
Lepage made his throw-his last suggestion.
" Madam la (OT1teSSta * 1f