The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-06-24

W ana to the princess those
T. n lei five minutes moments
the most tremendous,
the most vital Of her llfc-were after
ward In memory like n dream.
She had seen that a man was ghast-
ly pale; she had caught n CLEAN of
fear In his eye; she had felt tIgerish
qulVcr run through his frame as the
crowd pressed him against her. In.
stinct-and love-had told her the rest
and taught her how to net.
vaguely she recalled later that she
had thrown herself forward and struck
up the knife. An impression OF that
knife as the light cleaned on 1t alone
was clear Sickcning, she had thought
OF the dull sound 1t would make I'm
falling, Of the blood that would spout
from rent in the white coat among
the jewelcd orders. She had thought
rs one thinks I'm dying. of existence In
world empty of Leopold, and she had
known that unless lie could be saved
her one wish was to go out OF the
world with him.
More than this she had not thought
or known. What she did was done
scarcely by her own volition, and she
seemed to wake wih start ut last,
to hear herself sobbing and to feel the
throb, throb, of n hot pain in her arm.
y hundred hands-not quick enough
to save, yet quick enough to follow the
lead given by her-had fought to seize
inc man In gray and stop n second
blow. They had borne him away,
While, as for Virginia, her work done,
she forgot everything and every one
but Leopold.
Rcviving, she had heard him speak
to the crowd and told herself dreamily
that were she dying his voice could
bring her back If he called. She even
listened to each word that rang out
like cathedral bell above the babel.
Sun he held her, and when the cheers
came she scarcely understood that
they were for her as we'll as for Leo
polo, the emperor. Afterward, the ne.
ccSsity for public action over, he bent
his head close enough to whisper,
THANK YOU" and then for Virginia
every syllable was clear.
You nre the bravest woman alive" I"
he said. ~ had to keep them from
killing the rufiian, bu, now I can
speak to you alone. thank you for
what You did with my whole heart,
and pray heaven you're not seriously
hurt"
NO. not hurt and very happy" the
princess answered, hardly knowing
what she said. She felt like soul re-
leased from It's body, floating in blue
ether What could it matter II that
body achcd or bled2 Leopold was
safe, and she had saved him.
lie pointed to her sleeve. THE knife
struck YOU. Your arms bleeding. and
The wound must be seen immediately
w my own surgeon. Would that could
go with you myself, but duty keeps
me here. You understand that. Baron
Won Iyndal and his wife will Mt once
take you home, wherever you may no
staying. They
"But | would rather stop and see
the rest" said Virginia. 'I'm quite
we'll now, not even weak, and / can
go down to my frlend"-
"lf you're able so stop, 1t must be
here with me-" answered Leopold
After the service you have done for
me and for the country 1t Is your
place"
The ladies of the court, who, with
their husbands, had been waiting to
congratulate Leopold, crowded round
the girl as the emperor turned to them
with n look and gesture Of invitation.
n seat was given her, and the arm In
It's blood stained sleeve was hastily
bound up. She was the heroine Of the
day, dividing honors with Its hero.
There was scarcely n grande dame
among the brilliant assemblage on the
emperors platform to whom Lady
Mowbray and her daughter had not
letter of Introduction from their inyal-
liable friend. But no one knew at
this moment OF any tito to their recog-
milton possessed by the girl other than
the right she had earned by her splen-
did deed. All smiled on her through
grateful tears, though there were some
who would have given their ten fin
gers to have stepped into her place.
Thus Virginia sat through the cere.
monies, careless that thousands OF eyes
were on her face. thinking only Of one
pair OF eyes, which spared n glance for
her now and then, hardly seeing the
statue of Rhaetia. whose glorious mar
bic womanhood unveiled reused a
storm Of enthusiasm from the crowd,
hearing only the short, stirring speech
made by Leopold.
When everything was over and the
people had no excuse to llnger save to
see the emperor ride away and the
great personagcs dlspersc. Leopold
turned again 20 Virginia.
All the world was listening. OF