Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-11

hCi-
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. Il
; hope the bears viii be more engross-
ing
I'm going after a very big boar"
said /; and because could not help
II, I began 20 play with her hair but
she moved her head away.
Are you offended with me?" I ask
ed in feigned surprise. for I corld not
I resist tOrmenting her a little. had
never seen her angry. and every fresh
( aspect Of her was a delight TO me.
What right have I 20 be offended?
( True. you said last night that every
hour away from me was wasted But
a very big boar-that's a different
I thing
Perhaps the boar viii hunt me-"
suggested. SPerhaps, Flavia, he'll
catch me"
She made no answer
you are not touched even by that
daDgerF'
Still she said nothing and I. stealing
round. found her eyes full OF tears.
"You weep for my Danger"
Then she spoke very low:
This is ike what you used to be.
nut not Ike the king-the king II
have come TO love-"
With a sudden great groan I caught
her 10 my heart
MY darling" I cried. forgetting ev-
erything but her. "did you dream that
] left YOU 20 go huntingT'
What then Rudolf? All, you're not
going
well. it is hunting. 80 to seek
Michael In his lair"
She had turned very pale.
so, you see. sweet. 1 was not 80
poor lover as you thought me.
shall not Doe gone long"
"You viii write 90 me. RudOlfT'
was weak. but / could not say a
word 20 stir suspicion In her.
III send YOU all NY heart every
day" said l.
And you'n run no dangerg"
'None that ! need not"
"And when viii YOU be back2 All,
how long IL viii ber'
when shall be baclzg" I repeated.
ayes. yes, Don't Zoe long. dear; don't
be long. / shan't sleep while you're
away"
Il don't know when 1 shall bs back"
said 1.
'Soou. Rudolf. soouF"
God knows. nay darling But II
never
Hush, hushr' and she pressed her
lips 20 mine.
III never" I whispered. you must
take my place. Noull be the only one
OF the house then. You must reign
and not weep FOR me-"
For moment she drew herself up
like very queen.
Yes. I will-' she said Il will reign.
! VIII do my part. Though all my life
will be empty and my heart dead. yet
I'll do IT,"
She paused and. sinking against me
again, walled softly:
1 Come soon, Come soonr'
Carried away. / cried loudly:
AS God lives. Yes. l myself-wlu
see YOU once more before / die!"
what DO YOU meang" she exclalm-
cd with wondering eyes. but I had no
answer FOR her. and she gazed at me
with her wondering eyes.
dared not ask her 20 forget She
would have found il an insult / could
not tell her then who and what was.
She was weeping. and I had but 10
dry her tears.
shall man not come back 70 the
loveliest lady IN all the wide world?"
said ]. a thousand Mlchaels should
not keep me from your'
She chung 20 me little comforted.
'You won't let Michael hurt your"
''No sweetheart"
"Or keep YOU from meT"
NO sweetheart"
Nor any one elsef"
And again / answered:
mo. sweetheart"
Yet there was one-not Michael
who II he lived must keep me from
her and FOR whose life / was going
forth TO stake my own. And his fg-
ure-the 1.-THE. buoyant figure l had
met in the woods OF Zenda: the dull
inert mass | had left in the cellar OF
the shooting lodge-seemed to rise.
double shaped. before me and TO come
between Us, thrustng itself in even
where she lay, pale. exhausted, faint
Ing, Ia my arms and yet looking up at
me with those eyes that bore such love
as / have never seen. and haunt me
now and VIII till the ground closes over
me-and Cwho knowsO perhaps beyond.