The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-06

been looking forward to this audience 1 with feverish eagerness. But now, a the crucial moment, when grace oi | bearing and huency of speech would 1 perhaps serve to win me a smile from | those perfect lips, I stood gaping lfk' | a clown in the midst of her lackeys. My feet refused to move. my kneeI 1 trembled. the scroll In my hand shook my tongue cIove to the roof of my mouth. There was a muff1ed giggle or my right. Then a clear, exqultely modulated voice smote the air like the notes of golden harp.
 'Methinks," said the Queen. flashing laughter from her violet eyes. that the messenger of our fair cousin, the Czar Is unduly overawed by our presence. Be not afraid to approach, Sir Herald we are quite harmless.
 Again came that subdued giggle. all the more maddening that 1t had about 1t baffiing familiarity; but at al frown from the Queen it was quickly sup pressed.
 Summoning all my will power, plunged desperately forward, and in a moment was kneeling at the foot of the throne between the two pages.
 "The humble as well as the great. Your Majesty" I faltered, "are over- come by the spell of beauty"
 She smiled. and, indicating by ges- ture that I was to rise, took the scroll, and, unroIling it, hastily scanned It's contents.
 A change, swift and terrible, came over her countenance. Her eyes flashed. Her cheeks paled Her lips straight ened to a scarlet line. Tearing the parchment thrice across, she cast 1t at my feet, and hissed in a low tone of concentrated fury: That, varlet, Is my answer to your master! See that you deliver it to him with all possible haste. Out of my sight! BegoneP
 Then again her wonderful voice rang out in all It's clearness:
 Men of Bodalva," she said. never while Sylvia lives shall you bend your neck beneath the yoke of the Russian tyrantr'
 Long live Queen Sylvia" shouted the courtlers. And from somewhere in the distance came the sound of tumult- uous applause-clapping stamping, and cries of Brava Brava!
 Mechanically I backed down the red velvet path, unheeding the misses and black looks which beset me on either side, and presently found myself In small anteroom, the walls of which were hung with doublets. hose, cloaks, plumed hats and various articles or armor. Almost immediately I was con fronted by a tall. thin, fiashly dressed man, who eyed me with an expression of extreme disfavor.
 See here,' he said, i've don't want supers in this company to forget their cues. and occupy the center of the stage for ten minutes. and we don't want any lines thrown in, either. The men who wrote the play can attend to that"
 But" I stammered. the Queen Miss EIsworth--said something to me that wasn't h.
 "What's that to you?" he interrupted sarcasticaliy. You're not star just vet. are you? What are you. anyway? One of them young chaps from the col" lege ain't you?"
 I nodded.
 Again I nodded. He shrugged hls shoulders
 "WeT. 1 won't report you if you look sharp for the rest of the performance. Luckily for you. the boss is away to- night. What are you doing it for. any way? Stagetruck or Ellsworth struck?''
 q did not deign to answer, and with a derisive guffaw he went out, slam ming the door behind him.
 had been alone scarcely a minute when that irritating giggle again fell upon my ears.
 the door and peering into the dimly lighted corridor.
 ssh Go back" whispered a feminine voice Aud as I obeyed its command the doorway framed a petite golden haired dsmsel. resplendent in pink sat In and a court train.
 I seized her hands, and drew her to