davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19

princess, you know. He talks of moth
ing but cutting the play actors throat"
Didn't he, indeed?
'And if do it for him. what do you
think he's promised me:'
The unhappy woman raised her
hands above her head, in prayer or in
despair. i.i
But ] detest waiting" said Rupert,
and l saw that he was about to lay
his hand on her again when there was
a noise of door in the room opening,
and harsh voice cried:
'Nhat are you doing here. sir?"
Rupert turned his back to the win
dow, bowed low and said in his loud,
merry tones:
"Apologizing for your absence, sir.
| Could leave the lady aloneT
The newcomer must be Black Mi
chael. | SAW him directly as he adj
vanced toward the window. He caught
young Rupert by the arm.
1.-The moat would hold more than the
king" said he. with significant ges-
ture.
Does your highness threaten me?"
asked Rupert
a threat is more warming than most
men get from me-"
"Yet," observed Rupert. Rudolf RaS-
sendyll has been much threatened and
| yet lives
Am in fault because my servants
bungle?" asked Michael scornfully.
Your hishness has run no risk OF
| bungling," sneered Rupert
| 1t was telling the duke that he shirk-
| ed danger as plain as ever l have
| heard man told Black Michael had
| self control | dare say he scowled-it
| was a great regret TO me that 1 could
not see their faces better-but his
| voice was even and calm as he an
| swered:
| Enough. enough, We mustn't quar-
rel, Rupert. Are Detchard and Berso
min at their posts?'
| 'They are, sir" - = 1900
| Il need you no more
| "Nay. I'm not oppressed with ia
tigue,' said Rupert.
| pray. sir, leave u.s. said Michael
more impatiently. 'In ten minutes the
| drawbridge will be drawn back, and
| presume you have no wish to swim &c
| your bed
Ruperts figure disappeared. heard
the door open and shut again. Mi
/ chael and Antoinette de Mauban were
left together. To my chagrin, the duke
laid his hand on the window and closeG
it. He stood talking to Antoinette fol
a moment or two. She shook her head
and he turned impatiently away. Sh'
left the window. The door sounded
again, and Black Michael closed the
shutters.
de Gautet, De Gautet, man. sound
ed from the drawbridge. "Unless yol
want bath before your bed, com'
alongr'
1t was Rupert's voice. coming from
the end of the drawbridge. 4 momen
later he and De Gautet stepped out OIL
the bridge. Rupert's arm was through
De Gautets, and in the middle of tn
bridge he detained his companion an,
leaned over l dropped beside the shel
ter of Jacobs ladder.
Then Master Rupert had a littl
sport. He took from De Gautet n bot
tie which he carried and put it to hi
lips.
Hardly DROP he cried discomfort
edly and flung il in the mOat.
| 1t fell, as l judged from the SCUM
and the circles on the water. within
!: yard of the pipe. And Rupert. takin
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19

al
end. / marked the effect on the garri-
son of Zenda. They ceased to be seen
abroad, and any of my men who went
near the castle reported that the ut
most vigilance prevailed there. Touch
ed as | was by Nine. de Mauban's ap-
peal, seemed as powerless to befriend
her as l had proved to help the king.
Michael babe me defiance, and, al
though he, too, had been seen outside
the walls, with more disregard for ap-
pearances than he had hitherto shown,
he did not take the trouble to send any
excuse for his failure to wait on the
king.
Time ran on in inactivity when every
moment was pressing, for not only
Witch the stir about my own disap-
pearance brought on me. but great
murmurs had arisen in Strelsau ut my
continued absence from the city. They
had been greater but for the knowl-
edge that Flavia was with me, and
for this reason l suffered her to stay.
though | hated to have her where dan
ger was and though every day or oul
present sweet intercourse strained my
endurance almost to breaking. AS q
final blow nothing would content my
advisers, Strakencz and the chancellor
who came out from Strelsau to make
an urgent representation to me. save
that I should appoint day for the
public solemniZation of my betrothal
ceremony which in Ruritania is vel
nigh as binding and great q thing as
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19
DR.. A. w. chase's
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Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19
BACK.AChE

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Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19

"Vedr that ring cUCn though gOu lUedr
another aUhen you arc queen"
and put on her finger and signed to her
to let me go. And she. understanding,
stood away and watched me with
dimmed eyes.
Wear that ring even though you
wear another when you are queen" l
said.
whatever else 1 wear, this l will
wear till l die and after" said she as
she kissed the ring
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19
CHAPTER WI.

a s had ridden publicly in Zen
IA da and had talked with Ru-
2Eeswss pert HentZau. of course all
k&gSsSl pretense of illness was at an
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-19
CHAPTER XVII.

~ HE night came fine and clear.
had prayed for dirty weather
's=yTS9 such as had favored my pre-
vious voyage in the moat, but
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08
CHAPTER XXI.

Christine Jerome smiled al Molly with an
expression OF unalloyed JOY. They were
sitting in the seclusion OF her boudoir two
days after the ambassadors great funeral,
when all the world had done him honor
MY dear Molly she said, don't tell me
IL wasn't my lucky day; il was Think OF
the gigantic luck of taking her in at just
the right moment. Sam raved about my
doing IL. too: he thought II lust made us
conspicuous for nothing l wish you could
gee him walt on her now. Didn't she look
beautiful the other day in her mourning?
She s Ike tall, slender hly-and they say
he has left her a cool mill!on-the old sin
nerl He knew she was his daughter all
the time Col. FoXboro declares he doesn't
believe II was a bona tide marriage, but
rather ChaudieTe Is standing by her Ike q
trump: that's one thing | like about those
Roman Catholic priests, they'll stick
through the thick OF 1t. BY the way, what
is she?'
Moliys brows and shoulders went up to-
gether. The Lord knows she said pa
thetically; of course it's fashionable TO be
either Anglican or Roman. but l can't ind
out that shes anything They brought her
up in convent-sChool, and fancy she got
an overdose. Look here. Christine do YOU
know how she feels about me? Mamma
made stupid mess and cut her because OF
Mrs. kennetts talk and that old Syrene
woman. | brought around shovelful Of
cards and some orchids yesterday, but I'm
scared TO death, Of course, she'll pay US
up"
We'll. l should" Christine admitted ami
ably, but she's the queerest creature you
can't tell what she'll do: I'm sure she's re-
fused Lawrence Ryland; perhaps she's
looking for a prince now that she's got q
title; only think of old Whiting, They say
she paid that fadding girl to go back to
Pennsylvania. or somewhere, and that she S
on a gridiron about Mary; you know she
turned her out neck and heels as a nobody
an impostor, And her real name is a yard
long. besides the title
Molly's expression was hopeless. I've
been such fool!" she said; Its awfully
stupid to run like rat at the first signal
OF distress. l know It. / never should have
done II: it's all mammals fault and that
hateful Frances Fennel; she cooked this
up out of spite
Christine smiled benignly My dear"
she observed, lit is never worth while to
snub a pretty woman; / found that out
ages ago; they'r re sure TO get ahead of you
in some way; they either marry money and
snub you or they run of with your hus-
band. I've always said that a beauty Is
as dangerous as dynamite bomb. and she
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08
THE IMPERSONATOR

is. OF course I'm all right. thanks to my
own wits: If I'd listened to Sam or your
mother
Il wish l hadn't" replied Molly. as she
rose to go; of course she did seem to be
pretty well down. and the mistake wasn't
unnatural Do please give her my dearest
love. and tell her that the auto is at her
disposal any day if 1 can take her any
where"
Christine gave a shrll little laugh Good
gracious. Molly. she's got the ambassador 8
big motor-car and two fOotmen."
Molly laughed ruefully. I'm afraid I'm
done for" she said
Mrs Jerome nodded wisely. Don't send
her forget-me nots, Molly" she said ma
liciously: Mrs. kennett did; 1 wish you
could have seen her facet ran out of the
room. And that poor, little, miserable
Leonard Bishop; You know he was in love
with her. He came here and positively
sniveled because the countess wouldn't
See him. Sam wanted to kick him; | had
to get him out and make excuses. It's a
fact. Molly dear, there's a stack of cards
In the library for her and she simply hasn't
looked at one of them. She won't see any
one but Harriet Cheever, the chancellor of
the embassy and Father Chaudiere. I'm
aWlully sorry, but ! can't help 1t, dear
perhaps she'll come around, but she's got
lot of her father in her and he was the
coolest, proudest old man l ever saw"
To Mary the three days which had inter-
Nened between that awe-stricken scene in
the bedroom at the embassy and the great
ceremonial funeral, when She had figured as
chief mourner, had been like the prolonga-
ton OF nightmare. AS the dead face of the
ambassador had softened and Lecame peace
full and even youthful under the touch Of
that great tranQuilliZar, she had seen her
own face reflected feature by feature and
the mystery of their sympathy, the older
mystery of her mothers ret!cence. had
gradually grown clear to her, and death
whose silences have mystfied many, an
swered the questions Of her youth.
She had remained beside him as he lay
there. tranquil and beautiful, like the
shadow OF himself, and her longing to
sp ALI to him again had been intense: if
she could only have realized the sacred
ness of the tie between them. but 1t had
seemed impossible. and at the very moment
of recognition he had eluded her and
passed-"to where beyond these voices
there is peace
The changed aspect of her fortune was
indeed almost amusing to one who had 50
recently suffered its "slings and arrows"
One day the world had ignored her, the
next It was fawning at her feet, and the
marvellous synchronism of the two events
the publication Of the ambassadors be-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08
Bilked.

frtz Hirschmann. New York's sealer Of
"eishts ana measures, says that the putfio
OF the state loses $4,000, coo a year in short
weight.
When the public thinks of this" said
MI Hlrschmann recently, Its blood bolts.
Here' though. is an incident that shouldt
cool the public's blood a little.
III preface the incident with the state-
ment that very. very few of our dealers
are dishonest and that SIG, 600 900 is a very
small percentage Of the annual expenditure
of the people Of this state.
Now to resume.
"A man told me the other day how be
said to his son with groan:
Jerome, Bylk, the grocer tells me that
ne has had to discharge you for swindling
him. This is a terrible disgrace to bring
on the family, Jerome
THE boy flushed.
1T was all a mistake, father he said.
l didn't mean to do It, really. Mr.. Bylk
gave me some beeswax to put under the
scales and put it on the wrong side"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

quest and the return of her popularity, had
the effect of increasing her scornful indir-
ference. She was no longer fooled into
happiness by the gay adulatton of society,
she no longer reJoiced in the beauty and
the lights and the music; she saw below
all this the triviaity Of the triumph which
mad been hers; f1attery palled upon her,
professions of friendship which she knew
10 De insincere no longer moved. her The
procession of messenger boys and footmen
bearing notes and flowers, the inundation
or cards OF sympathy evoked only q keener
realization OF that brief season of social
ostraclsm when she had been made to feel
her shortcomings and to suffer for sins
that were not hers. The lesson had sunk
deep and embittered the well-sprngs of her
heart: she realized that her beauty was a
perilous gift. which by raising her at once
above the fellowship OF her kind and iso-
!ating her, made her a mark for envy while
II lacked that most essential OF all values
the power to give its possessor permanent
happiness; the admiration 1t attracted was
as evanescent as its own qualities, which
depended on youth. health and happiness
for their brief preservation. Meney-hate-
ful. sordid and ugly. compared with her
personality-had a purchase power of more
permanence and wider scope; the hei-ass
could buy everything but love, and not
even beauty, 1t seemed, could hold that in
the face OF misfortune; money. therefore,
was power. and money had been poured
into her lap by the prodigal hand of a
destiny as strange as tnat of the heroine Of
fairybook
She had had long and dreary interviews
with the lawyers. and the only fact that
their Difference and alacrity impressed upon
her was a vivid realization Of the change
In her own position in life: she was an
heiress. and as such she could command
where. a week before, it would have been
vain to entreat. To Mary herself Chris
tines small retalations seemed too trivial
she was not willing to allow herself to sink
to the level OF lying awake nights to think
up an opportunity to return a snub, or of
waiting in conspicuous tearoom to cut
an offender with frozen stare but she
was not to escape. unscathed. the RESPONSE
blfities of her position.
She was returning from a long interview
with Portucarrero's chancellor, after sign
Ing many papers and looking over the am
bassadors personal effects, to separate
those which were to pass into her hands
from the others. and she had the tagged
look of a woman who has borne a strain
too great for her sensiblities, when she
entered Christmas drawing room and
found the tea-table just deserted by that
tireless hostess Christine had gone out
with friend to motor to the Chevy Chase
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

Mrs. Whiting snorted angrily. II sent
her packng!' she said rising and gather
! ing up her parasol. Il see how you feel
but you're very foolish she added. u
can do more for you than Christine Jerome
and l came to ask you to stay with me
again, so as to silence all this talk
Mary leaned back in her chair with a
languid smile. MY dear Mrs. Whiting,
she replied, Il wouldn't dare-I might be
tempted-by the spoons!'
xXXII.
Mary. he will never come back unless
you send for him." Harriet laid her soft
hand on the girls arm in a frightened way
a. she said this. Out of the depths Of her
own heart hunger Harriet realized the
danger Of total bereavement, the aching
pain of renunciation, Of losing all for a
mere whim. the lack Of a word 1t fright
ened her and her face paled at the thought
Lawrence is like that" she went on gent
ly; you refused him in your hour of need
and now. when everything is changed, he
will not ask you"
You wouldn't have me ask him, IIar-
rlet?' Mary retorted quietly, shadow In
her own eyes. for she had grown lately to
realize her loneliness. After all she had
no one. no rooted place to cling TO, no
home. no shelter Of safe love. and the In
stincts of her nature were all for affection.
companionship, safety.
Harriet could not 20 that far; she was
conventional: down In the bottom of her
soul she felt that life was intended to pro-
coed along one safe and narrow path, but
tressed by a good cook and family pew
and dinner to the bishop once a month.
Lawrence loves you, I'm sure of that"
she said pathetically. sorry that she could
not interfere. for the mating instinct is
predominant in unhappily married women,
"and he will suffer for 1t. You know what
a Puritan he is. Mary: 1 don't believe he's
ever been in love before, and it will go
harder for that: and you'll wish l could
make you out!''
Mary looked at her and smiled the level
glance of her eyes under their straight
lashes never betrayed her. Dear Harriet"
she said. mo one ever has"
Mrs. Cheever sighed profoundly: when
are you going?" she asked helplessly
about the 1st Of May" Mary replied
with great composure; lit will be some
time before these money matters are set
tied and my own purse is slim. 1 shall go
straight to Paris to the convent"
Couldn't lend you Harriet began
and broke off blushing.
Mary shook her head with a smile "A
good many are willing to do that now"
she said dryly: my securities are excep-
tional: even Col. Foxboro is cordial"
II don't think he meant to be unkind"
Mrs Cheever said thoughtfully; "he is only
meddlesome and old womanish. poor old
ALL"
Mary rose and put on her hat. 1t was
Sunday and she had been lunching alone
with Harriet. The latter watched her with
regretful eyes. The girl had never looked
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

Club, and Mary sat down to make herself
cup of tea while the butler went for more
| hot water and lit the lamp under the urn.
! Mary took off her hat and with light
| dexterous touch, smoothed her soft, brigh,
! hair, which was thrown into high relief
by the somberness Of her morning gar
| ments. She had never looked more distin-
guiShed nor more Indifferent than when
the door opened to admit Mrs. Whiting
The usual violet satin. heavily embroid-
cred with beads and spangles. rustled and
creaked into the room. and Its wearer laid
her gold-handled parasol on a convenient
chair.
MY dear Mary" she said with her ut
most suavity, i've been intending to write
you, but l thought I'd better come myself
to express my sympathy. Count Portucar-
always admired him: I see by the papers
that both the British and the French pre-
miers have expressed their appre citation of
hisS character and his brilliant qualities.
I'm no longer at a loss to understand your
familiar profile; you inherited it from your
father"
You see likeness them" Mary said I'M
moved. proceeding to measure the tea from
Christine's Japanese caddy.
Decidedly, you have his profile; the ex-
preston OF your face. though. must be your
mothers" Mrs. Whiting sat down as she
spoke, painfully aware that she had not
been invited to a seat. but unabashed in
the consciousness of her own Importance.
even at the eleventh hour. to this girls So
ctal reha Utilization.
MY mother was very beautiful" Mary
remarked calmly; my father gave me, be-
fore his last illness. miniature Of her.
Mrs. Writings eyebrows rose and she
raised her lorgnon. ''In my house? Then
you knew he was your father?" she asked
hastily her color deepening to a perceptdble
purple.
II had some such intuition Mary replied
gravely; Il was. of course, only a forlorn
girl, and had neither the power nor the
skill to learn the truth. From the first,
however, he let me feel that there was
bond between us"
"Ah!" said Mrs. Whiting. Il see-you
feared you We're illegitimate.'
The girls face lost every vestlge OF color,
her beautiful eyes turned a gaze of tran
quill scorn on her visitor. Il feared moth
ing Of the kind, nor did doubt my
mothers honor" she said superbly.
Mrs. Whiting creaked uncomfortably in
her chair the opening was not propitious.
but Mary had relapsed into silence that
promised to be unbroken:
Il did not intend any reflection upon
your mother" the older woman said apollo
getically,, with a notable shortness Of
breath. but we are all young once
Yes said Mary maliciously, land the
world Is so anxious to cast the first stone
BY the way. where is your nlece2'
Il suppose you allude to that common
girl who intruded herself upon us at such
an inOpportune moment?''
shes a perfectly moral young person"
said Mary amusedly, and she IS your only
brothers child"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08

| back of his chair, her flmy draper,eA
| brushed against his shoulder, the perfume
| OF the vic cts that she wore suddenly filled
| the room with fragrance. al have come. .
| she said softly.
| He started up and met her eyes. his own
| face whitening. Il understood that We
were never to see each other again he
| said pontedly.
| She drew another long breath and the
| color rose painfully to her forehead "Cir-
cumstances alter lives she said sem
tentlously; when l said that was in the
depths Of despair, the castle in Spain had
crumbled over a precIpice-I-I think Won
are very unmerciful," she finished wifi
trembling lips.
No" he said gently. "only just. 1 re.
ceived my dismissal with patience; do YOU
recall me again to coquette with the SAND
hope! Sometimes 1 have thought yob
There was note of passion In his voice
new to her. for he was self-contained man
always. For the moment her courage
like child who had been at fault
Il am going away" she said finally, It
am going back to the convent for awhile.
afterward-I can't think Of it"
Il ought to congratulate YOU" he replied
graVely; of course II Is superiiuous to of.
Ter condolences, for you can scarcely feel
that 1t Is anything but dream. After all
in Spain"
She smiled family, but her lips still trom,
bled Il wish it were!' she cried involun-
tarily.
He turned and looked at her. his face
Swallowed. You never believed in me-" he
said, you always counted my friendship
too lightly to trust me; l might have
hedged you In from many things | might
have shielded you If you had let me-"
Il always told you the truth" she re-
piled. Il want you to know that; If there
was any artifice, 1t was never used to YOU.
l chung to the truth then, / hated to have
you misjudge me, to count me as a poor
actress, as the others did; I wanted you to
believe in me-
Why he asked. deeply moved. more
by her tone than her words, which were
broken and insufficient.
She turned toward him. the sun behind
her made a glorious nimbus of the soft
waves Of her hair, the lovely oval of her
face seemed. suddenly TRANSPORTED no
longer troubled, but tender and sweet with
resolution she raised her eyes to his and he
them in all their beauty and their
luminous earnestness. "Because-I loved
you"' she said quite simply. for at such SUI
preme moments the utterance of the heart
is chaste.
1t was then that his scruples were swent
away, that neither changes of condition
nor of fortune seemed of any great mo-
ment. but only the eternal purposes of than
Providence which made them man and
woman in the Garden of Eden.
Mary he said, and in that single word
the fulness of his heart found an express
sion which gave ner the final assurance OF
his love and of his faith.
(The end)