Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-07-31

"So"-and the emperor threw aside
the second il of laper-'it is on such
(, .'t @r.!p.,s rs these that man Of
t''.' vor'l can label two ladies 'ad-
y,uturesS,e
The chanceiI"r was bitterly disap-
pointed. He had counted on the I'M
preston which these kilograms must
make. and unless Leopold were act
tug II was now certain that love had
driven him out Of his senses.
But II the emperor were mad he
must bc treated accordingly, and the
Old statesman condescended to bluff"
There Is still more to TELL" he said.
If your majesty has not heard enough.
but l think when you have reflected
YOU Will not wish for more. 1t is clear
that the women calling themselves
Mowbrays have had the audacity to
present themselves here under false
colors. They have either deceived
Lady Lambert, who introduced them
10 Rhaetian society. or. still more like
ly. they have cleverly forged their let
tiers of introduction"
why didn't you telegraph to Lady
Lambert while your hand was In"
sneered Leopold.
Il did. your majesty. or. rather. not
knowing her present address, l wired
n friend Of mine. an acquaintance Of
hers, begging him to make inquiries
without using my name. but l have
not yet received an answer to that tele-
gram"
Until you do I should think that
even Il cynic like yourself might give
two defenseless. inofrensive ladies the
benefit OF the doubt"
''Inoffensive," echoed Won Brett
stein-"inohensive when they came to
this country to ensnare your majesty
through the girls beauty! But, great
heaven. II Is true that l am growing
old. l have forgotten to ask your maj
esty whether you have gone so far as
to mention the word marriage to Miss
Slowbray"
"Ill answer that question by another.
Do you really believe that Miss Now
bray came to Rhaetia to 'entrap' me"
w, NtlouSI SNdICCIN kLdI
even her ambition flew as high as you
are encouraging it to soar"
"In case you're right she would have
been Overjoyed with an offer Of NOR
ganatic marriage"
"Overjoyed is a poor word. Over
whelmed might be nearer"
"Yet / tell you she refused me last
night and is leaving Rhaetia today
rather than listen to further sntrea-
ties"
Leopold bent forward to launch this
thunderbolt. his brown hands on his
knees. his eyes eager. The memories.
half bitter. half sweet, called up by
his own words caused Virginia to ap-
pear more beautiful. more desirable,
ever than before.
He was delighted with the express
sion Of the chancellor's face. Now,
what arguments have you leftT he
broke out in the brief silence.
"All l had before and many new
ones. for what your majesty has said
shows the lady more ambitious. more
astute, therefore more dangerous. than
I had guessed. She staked everything
on the power of her charms, and she
might have won had you not an old
servant who wouldn't he fooled by the
witcheries Of fair Helen"
"She has won," said Leopold, then
quickly: God forgive me for Ginning
In with your bitter humor. as II she'd
played game. BY simply being her
self she has won me, such as I 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. chancel-
lor. that was the word she used. and
1t was almost the last she said to me,
which is the reason I'm travelling to-
day. And none Of your boosted 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."
1.-THE two need not be separated"
Love indeed makes men blind and
spares not the eyes Of emperors."
''rve pledged myself to bear with
yOu. chancellor
and know you'll keep your word.
l must speak for Rhaetia and your
better self. You are following this
lady to give her your empire for
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.
l believe I 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 life by sub
hitting to its yoke. since by breaking
1t the nation gains, as l do. I could
go 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."
1--WE no wish to see her. There's but
one woman for me. and swear to you
II l lose her I'll go to my grave IN
| married. Let the crown fall to my
uncles 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
whether or not the emperor Of
Rhaetia is mere figurehead. In some
countries royalty is but an ornamental
| survival Of n DicturaSoua poct. N lrfrs~