Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-07-10

dcsS you viii Always De. but I,le EN-
press Of Rhaetia even my love ism
powerful enough to make you. II
am to you only half what you are &c
me you'll be satisfied with the empire
of my heart"
Suddenly the warm blood of VIr
ginia's veins grew chill. 1t was as II
depths of the lake to strike like Ice In.
to her soul An instant more and he
would have known that she was q
princess OF the blood. and through his
whole life she could have gone on wor.
Shipping him because he had been ready
to break down all barriers for her
love before he guessed there need be
none to break Now her warm i'm
pulse of gratitude WAS frozen by the
biting blast of disillusionment, but
still there was hope left 1t might
be that she misunderstood him. She
would not judge him yet
The empire of your heart" she
echoed. IF that were mine l should
he richer than with all the treasures
Of the earth. If YOU We're Leo. the
chamois hunter, l would love you as
love you now. because In yourself you
are the one man for me. and I'd go
with you to the end of the world as
your wife But you're not the chamois
hunter: you are the man | love, yet
you are the emperor. Being the en-
peror had you talked OF hopeless
love ana a promise not to forget, hay
Ing nothing else TO give me because OF
your high destiny and my humber
one. could still have been happy.
Yet you speak Of more than that. You
speak Of something can't understand.
It seems to me that what a royal man
offers the woman he loves should he
all or nothing"
Il do offer you ALL" said Leopold.
"all myself. my life. the heart and
soul of me-all that's my own to give.
The rest-belongs to Rhaetia"
'Then what do you mean by
Don't you understand. my sweet,
that I've asked you to be my wife?
What can Il man ask more of wom-
am"
"YOur wife. but not the empress.
How can the two be apart"
He tried to take her once more In
his arms. but when he saw that she
would not have 1t so he held his love
In check and waited. He was sure
no IN
for not only had he laid his love ut her
feet. but had pledged himself to n ire
mendous sacrifice on loves altar.
The step which In a moment Of pas
sion he had now resolved to take would
create dissension among his people,
ALLEVIATE one who had been his second
father, rouse England. America and
Germany to anger because OF the prin-
cess whose name rumOr had already
coupled with his and raise In every d.
rection storm of disapproval. When
this girl whom he loved realized the
immensely of the concession he was
making because Of his reverent love
for her she would give hor life to him
now and forever
Tendcrly he took her hand and lifted
1t to his lips. Then when she did not
draw 1t away. because he was to have
his chance Of explanation. he held 1t
between both his own as he talked on.
Dearest one" he said, "when first
knew l loved you-loved you as
didn't dream l could love woman
for your sake and my own, l would
have avoided meeting you too often.
This l tell you frankly. I didn't see
how In honor such love could end ex-
cept In despair for me and sorrow even
for you II you should come to care.
Had you and Lady MOwbray stayed
OH ut the hotel in Kronburg l think I
could have held to my resolve. But
when Baroness Won Lyndal suggested
your coming here my heart leaped up.
said In my mind: AT least l shall
have the JOY Of seeing her every day
for time without doing anything to
darken her future. Afterward, when
she has gone out Of my life. I shall
have that radiance to remember. And
30 no harm will be done in the end.
except that shall have to pay by suf-
fering.' Still l had no thought Of the
future without a parting. Ifelt that in
evitable. And the suffering came hand
In hand with the joy, for not night
here at Lyndalberg have slept. II
had been weak should have groaned
aloud In the agony Of Remuneration.
MY rooms open on n lawn. More
than once I've come out into the dark
ness when all the household was sleep
Ing. Sometimes have walked to this