Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-07-07


How Is it that / love you now hu-
dolfT'
"Now"
"Yes-just lately. II never did be-
FORE"
Pure triumph filed me. 1t was /
Rudolf Rassendyll-whO had won her!
I caught her round the waist. q
"You didn't love me before?" asked.
She looked up into my face, smiling
as she whispered:
ut must have been your crown. l
felt 1t first on the coronation day"
"Never before" ! asked eagerly.
She laughed low.
"You speak as If you would De
pleased to hear me say Yes to tnat,
she said.
"Would Yes be true"
Eyes" Just heard her breathe, and
she went on in an instant: BE careful,
Rudolf: be careful, dear. He Will be
mad now"
"what, Michael? If Michael were the
worst
''What worst is there"
There was yet a chance for me, Con-
trolling myself with mighty effort, l
took INV hands off her and stood d
yard or two way. 1 remember now the
note of the wind in the elm trees out
side.
''If l were not the king" l began
"If were only private gentleman
CD, har q
mine.
eff YOU were q convict in the prison
of Streslau you would be my king" she
said.
And under my breath groaned.
"God forgive me-" and, holding her
hand in mine said again:
IF were not the king
"Hush. hushv' she whispered. u
don't deserve it, don't deserve to be
doubted. All, Rudolf, does a woman
who marries without love look on the
man as look on your
And she hid her face from me.
For more than minute we STOOD
there together, and l, even with my
arm about her, summoned up what
honor and conscience her beauty and
the tolls that was in had left me.
"Flavia," | said in a strange, dry
voice that seemed not my own, II am
not
As l spoke-as she raised her eyes to
me-there was heavy step on the
gravel outside, and man appeared at
the window. A little cry burst from
Flavia as. she sprang back from me-
NV half finished sentence died on my
lips. Sapt stood there, bowling low, but
with stern frown on his face.
"a thousand pardons SIRE" said he
"but his eminence the cardinal has
waited this quarter Of an hour to offer
his respectful adieu to your majesty"
1 met his eye full and square, and
read In it an angry warning. How
long he had been a listener knew not,
but he had come in upon us in the nick
Of time.
1--WE must not keep his eminence
waiting" said 1.
But Flavia, in whose love there lay
no shame, with radiant eyes and blush
ing face held out her hand to Sapt.
She said nothing, but no man could
have missed her meaning who had
ever seen q woman in the eXaltation
of love. A sour yet sad smile passed
over the old soldiers face, and there
was tenderness in his voice as, bending
to kiss her hand, he said:
"In joy and sorrow, in good times
and bad, God save your royal high
ness!'
He paused and added, glancing at
me and drawing himself up to military
erectness:
"But before all comes the king-God
save the king!"
And Flavia caught at my hand and
kissed it, murmuring:
"Amen! Good God, amen"
We went into the ballroom again.
Forced to receive adieus, was sep
arated from Flavia. Every one when
he left me went to her. Sapt was out
and in of the throng, and where be
had been glances, smiles and whls-
pers were rife I doubted not that,
true to his relentless purpose he was
spreading the news that he had learn
ed. To uphold the crown and beat
Black Michael-that was his one re
solve. Flavia, myself-aye, and the
real king In Zenda-were pieces In his
game, and pawns have no business
with passions. Not even at the walls
Of the palace did he STOP for when al
~ last l handed Flavia down the broad
marble steps and into her carriage
there was great crowd awaiting US
and we were welcomed with deafening
cheers. What could l do? Had
spoken then they would have refused
to believe that was not the king; they
might have believed that the king had
run mad. BY Sapts devices and my
own ungoverned passion I had been
forced on, and the way back had
closed behind me, and the passion still
drove me in the same direction as the
devices seduced me. faced all Strel
sau that night as the king and the &C
cepted sutton Of the Princess Flayia.
At last, at 8 in the morning, when
the cold light of dawning day began tc
steal in. 1 was in my dressing room
and Sapt alone was with me. l sat
like a man dazed, staring into the fire
He pulled at his pipe. Fritz was gone
to bed. having almost refused to speah
to me. On the table by me lay rose
It had been in Flavia's dress, and al