Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-09

You must maze love to her tonight,
you know"
81 think it very likely l shall If 1 see
her alone" said l. Hang it, Sapt, you
don't suppose I find it difficulty"
Fritz whistled bar or two; then he
said: you'll find it only too easy.
Look here. hate telling you this. but
must. The Countess Helga told me
that the princess had become most at
tached to the king. Since the corona
tion her feelings have undergone
marked development. It's quite true
that she is deeply wounded by the
kings apparent neglect"
Here's Il kettle of fishv' | groaned.
Tut, tut" said Sapt 81 suppose
you've made pretty speeches to a girl
before now. That's all she wants."
Fritz, himself lover. understood bet
fer my distress. He laid his hand on
my shoulder. but said nothing.
II think, though" pursued that cold
blooded old Sapt, that you'd better
make your offer tonight"
Good heavenS.'
Cor. ut any rate. go near to 1t, and |
shall send a semiotficial to the papers"
I'll do nothing of the sort-no more
will YOU said l. Il utterly refuse to
take part in making a fool of the prin-
cess.
Sapt looked at me with his small
keen eyes. y slow, cunning smile pass
ed over his face.
"All right lad: all right" said he.
We mustn't press you too hard.
SoOthe her down bit. if you can. you
know. Now for Michaelr'
"Oh. hang Michael said l. Hell
10 tomorrow. Here, Fritz, come for a
stroll in the garden
Sapt at once yielded. His rough
manner covered Il wonderful tact and.
as | came to recognize more and more.
a remarkable knowledge of human ma
ture. Why did he urge me so little
about the princess? Because he knew
that her beauty and my ardor would
carry me further than all his argu-
mpnts and that the less | thought
about the thing the more likely was |
to do it. lie must have seen the I'M
happiness he might bring on the prin-
cess. but that went for nothing with
him. Can | say confidently that he
was wrong? If the king We're rcstOr-
ed. the princess must turn to him.
either knowing o. not knowing the
change. Aud if the king We're not re-
stored to US? 1t was Il subject that
we had never yet spoken of. But !
had IN idea that in such a case Sapt
meant to seat me on the throne of
Iuritania for the term of my life. He
would have set Satan himself there
sooner than that pupil of his. Black
Michael
The ball was SumptuouS affair. /
opened it by dancing n quadrille with
FIava. Then ! waltzed with her
Curious eyes and eager whispers at
halfway through |. half mad by then
for her glance had answered mine and
her quick breathing met my stalnmcr-
ed sentences. | rose in my place before
all the brilliant crowd and, taking the
red rose that | Wore. flung the ribbon
with its jeweled badge round her neck
In a tumult of applause | sat down.
l saw Sapt smiling over his wine and
Fritz frownng. The rest of the meal
passed in silence; neither Flavia nor
/ could speak. Fritz touched me on
the shoulder. and | rose. gave her my
arm and walked down the hall into a
little room, where coffee was served to
us. The gentlemen and ladies in at
tendance withdrew, and we were
alone
The little room had French windows
opening on the gardens. The night
was fine. cool and fragrant Flavia
sat down. and ] stood opposite her /
was struggling with myself If she
had not looked at me. believe that
| even then | should have won my fight.
but suddenly involuntarily she gave
| me one brief glance-a glance of uues-
| ton, hurriedly turned aside. a blush
| that the question had overcome spread
over her check, and she caught her
| breath.
| All. if you had seen her! l forgot
the king in Zenda. / forgot the king
| in Strelsau. She was princess-and |
an impOstor. Do you think remem-
| bered that? I threw myself on nv
| knee and seized her hands in mine. I
said nothing. Why should I? The soft
| sounds of the night set my wooing to a
wordless melody as pressed my kisses
| on her lips.
She pushed me from her, crying sud-
| denly:
"Ah, is it true, or is 1t only because
| you must?'
Its true" l said in low, smothered
| tones-"true that love you more than
| life or truth or honor"'
She set no meaning to my words,
| treating them as one of loves sweet
| extraSagances. She came close to me
and whispered:
"Oh. if you were not the king, then
I could show you how l love you
How is it that 1 love you now Ru.
dolf?"
| "Now?"