West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-04-04

''rhat for just a day or two after
after last n~ight-you might be happy
without much gayety." and she turned
pettishly from me as she added. II
hope the boars will be more engross.
Ing"
"l'm going after a very big boar"
said 1; and. because 1 could not help
II, l began TO play with her hair. but
she moved her head away.
Are you offended with meT" / ask
ed I'm felgned surprise, for I could not
resist ~tormenting her a little. I had
never seen her angry. and every fresh
aspect OF her was a delight to me.
What right have I to be offendedY
True. you said last night h a every
hour away from me was wasted. But
a very big boar-that's a different
thlngl"
Perhaps the boar will hunt me-" 1
suggested. Perhaps. Flavia. he'll
catch me-
She made no answer.
"You are not touched even by that
dangeri"
Still she said nothing, and /. stealing
round. found her eyes full OF tears.
You weep for my danger?"
hen n spoke very low:
This IL like what you used 10 be,
but not like the king-the king II
have come to love!"
With a sudden great groan 1 caught
her TO my heart.
my darling" / cried, forgetting ev-
orything In. her, did you dream that
l left you T. 20 huntingT"
What thcl. Rudolf All, you're not
golns"-
well. 1t Is hunting. 1 20 to seek
Michael in his lair"
She had turned very pale.
$50, you see. sweet, / was not so
poor n lover as you thought me. /
shall not be gone long"
"You will write to me, RudolfT'
l was weak, but 1 could not say q
word to stir suspicion In her.
IN send you all my heart every
day" said L.
And you'll run no dangerT"
None that / need not"
And when will you be back1 All,
how long IL will be!'
hueu Suull Il De DICK Il Tepeutcu.
eyes, yesl Don't be long, dear; don't
be long. 1 shan't sleep while you're
away"
81 don't know when 1 shall be back"
said L.
"Soon, Rudolf, soon?"
God knows, my darling. But IL
never
Hush, hushw and she pressed her
lips to mine.
"If never" l whispered, you must
take my place. You'll be the only one
OF the house then. You must reign
and not weep for me-"
For n moment she drew herself up
like n very queen.
YES, 1 will!' she said. II will reign.
1 will 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:
Come soon! Come soonvt
Carried away, l cried loudly:
"As God lives, I-yes, 1 myself-wlll
see you once more before 1 die"
What do you mean2" she exclalm-
ed with wondering eyes, but / had no
answer for her. and she gazed at me
with her wondering eyes.
/ dared not ask her to forget. She
would have found II an Insult. I could
not tell her then who and what 1 was.
She was weeping. and / had but TO
dry her tears.
shall n man not come back to the
loveliest lady in all the wide worldf"
said /. "a thousand MIchaels should
not keep me from your
She chung TO me n little comforted.
You won't let Michael hurt your"
mo, sweetheart"
"Or keep you from meT'
mo, sweetheart"
Nor any one elsef"
And again / answered.:
mo, sweetheart"
Yet there was one-not Michael
who IL he lived must keep me from
her and for whose life l was going
forth to stake my own. And his fig
ure-the 1.-THE, buoyant figure 1 had
met in the woods OF Zenda; the dull.
inert mass 1 had left in the cellar Of
the shooting lodge-seemed to rise,
double shaped, before me and to come
between us, thrusting Itself In even
where she lay, pale, exhausted. faint
Ing, In my arms Ind yet looking up at
me with those eyes that bore such love
as l have never seen, and haunt me
now and will till the ground closes over
me-and Cwho knowsD perhaps beyond.