The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-28

quickly: God forgive me for Ginning
in with your bitter humor. as if she'd
played game BY. simply being her.
self she has won me. such as l am,
She's proved that if she cares at all
it's for the man and not the emperor
since she called the offer you think so
magnificent an insult. .Yes.t chancel
Ior. that was the word she used. and
| it was almost the last she said to me,
which is the reason I'm travelling to-
day. And none Of your boasted proofs
can hold me back"
by heaven. your majesty must look
upon yourself from the point of view
you credit to the girl. You forget the
emperor in the man."
"The two need not be separated"
Love indeed makes men blind and
spares not the eyes of emperors."
| "I've pledged myself to bear with
you, chancellor"
,"And know you'll keep your word
must speak for Rhaetia and your
better self. You are following this
lady to give her your empire for q
toy"
"She must first accept the emperor
as her husband"
"a lady who has so poor a name of
her own that she steals one which
doesn't belong to her-the nation won't
bear it"
You speak for yourself, not for
Rhaetia," said Leopold. Though I'm
not SO old as you by half your years,
believe can Judge my people better
than you do The law which bids an
emperor of Rhaetia match with royal
ty is an unwritten law. law solely of
customs handed down through the gen.
erations. I'll not spoil my lifecby sub
hitting to it's yoke, since by breaking
it the nation gains, as do. / could
20 to the worlds end and not find a
woman as worthy to be my wife and
empress of Rhaetia as Helen Now
bray"
You have never seen Princess Vir-
ginia."
"T've no wish to see her. There's but
one woman for me, and | swear to you
if l lose her III so to my grave un-
married. Let the crown fall to my
uncle's son. I'll not perjure myself
even for Rhaetia."
The chancellor bowed his head and
held up his hands, for by that gesture
alone could he express his despair.
"If my people love me they'll love
my wife and rejoice in my happiness"
Leopold went on sharply. IF they
complain. why, we shall see who's
master-whether or not the emperor Of
Rbaetia is mere fgurehead. In some
countries royalty is but an ornamental
survival of picturesque past; king
or queen is a/mere puppet which the
nation loads with luxury to do itself
honor. That's not true Of Rhaeda,
though. as I'm ready to prove, If prove
it | must. But I believe l shall be
spared the trouble. We Rhaetians love
romance-you are perhaps the one ex-
ception-while, as for the story you've
told nfe. | would not give that for it!'
And the emperor snapped his fingers.
"You still believe the ladies have a
right to the name of Mowbray"
81 believe that they are of stainless
reputation and that any seeming mys-
terry can be explained. Miss Mowbray
is herself That's enough for me. Per-
haps, chancellor, there are two Lady
Mowbrays."
"Only one is mentioned in Burke"
Burke isn't gospel
Pardon me. It's the gospel of the
British peerage. 1t can no more be
guilty of error than Euclid"
"Nor can Miss Mowbray be guilty of
wrong l should still stake my life on
that even had your conclusions not
been lame ones"
The old man accepted this rebuff In
silence. But it was not the silence OF
absolute hopelessness; it was only such
a pause as a prize fighter makes be-
tween rounds.
"Your majesty will not be in toe
great haste. at all events, l trust" he
said at last-"at least little refec'
ton, little patience, to cool the blood
have not laid down al my cards yet. y