The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-07-29

here was more of pain than anger
though never before in all his life per
haps had he been thwarted in any
strong desire Passion urged him for
ward, but pride held him back, for
Leopold was Il proud man, and to have
his love thrown in his face was to re-
ccivc an Icy douchc with the blood at
fever heat
For this girls sake iIr had in ii few
days changed the habits Of n lifetime.
Pride, reserve, self control, the wish
not only to appear but to be man
above the frailties of common men, the
ambition to be placed and worthily
placed on Il pedestal by his subjects
nll these he had thrown away for
Helen Mowbray
He was 10 Just man not to admit
that If one OF his royal cousins OF
younger branches had contemplated
such folly as this he would have done
his best To nip that folly while 1T was
In bud. "IIc icSts ut scars who never
felt Il wound" and until Leopold had
learned by his own unlocked for ex-
pcrlcnCc what love can mean, what
men VIII do for love while the sweet
madness Is on them, he would have
been utterly unable to understand the
state of mind.
a cousin inclined to act as he was
now bent on acting would but n month
ago have found all the cmperors nfu-
ence, even force perhaps, brought to
bear In restraining himc Leopold saw
the change in himself, was startled
ana Shamcd by it, Nevertheless he
would have pcrscVcrcd, trampling
down every obstacle that rose in his
way, If only the girl had seen things
with his eyes.
She had accused him OF insulting
her. not stopping to consider that even
to make her morganatlcally his wife
he must give great cause for com
paint not only to his ministers, but to
his people, for he was expected to
marry n girl of royal blood that the
country might have an heir. If Helen
Mowbray had accepted the position he
oTcrcd her, he could never have bro.
Ken her heart by making another mar
riagc.
Not only would it be difficult in these
days to find a princess willing to toler-
ate such rival, but 1t would have
been impossible for him to desecratc
the bond between himself and the one
ndored woman.
This being the case, with Helen
Mowbray rs his morganatlc wife,
there could be no direct heir to the
throne. At his death the son Of his
uncle, the Archduke Joseph, would
succeed, and during his life the popu-
larity which was dear to him would
be hopelcssiy forfeited. Rhactia would
never forgive him for selfishly prefer
ring his own private happiness to the
good of the nation
He could fancy how old Iron Heart
Won Breitstein would present this point
of view to him with fierce clouuencc
temples tlrobbing like the ticking of n
watch, eyes ncttcd with Dloodshot
veins But. on the other hand, he could
picture himself standing calmly to
face the storm, steadfast in his own
hdomitable will, happy with love to
hphold him.
But now the will which had borne
MIN through life in n triumphal march
had been powcrlcss against that OF
this young girl. She would have none
of him. a woman whose face was her
fortune, whose place in life was hard
~ as high rs the first stop OF n throne,
had refused--an emperor.
Hardly could Leopold believe the
thing that had happened to him. lie
had spoken of doubling that he had
won her love, and he had doubted
But he had allowed himself to hope,
because he had confidence In his star
and because perhaps 1T had scarcely
been known in the annals of history
that an empcror's suit should be re-
pulsed
Besides, he had loved the girl so pas
sionatcly that 1t seemed she could not
remain cold. And he hoped still that
when she had passed a long night In
reflection, in thinking over the situa-
ton, perhaps taking counsel with that
comparatively commonplace yet prac-
tical little lady, her mother, she might
be ready to change her mind.
For the first few moments after the
stlnging rebun he had endured Leo.
pold felt that If she did 1t would be her
turn to suffer, for he could never hum
bic himself to implOrc for the second
time. But as he stood i'm the soft stil.
ness of the night, gazing toward the
lights Of the house thoughts OF Ylr.
ginia-hcr youth, her sweetness, her
beauty dimmcd with ef-Ovcrwhelm.
ed him. Could he have reached her he
would have fallen on his knees and
kissed her gown.
by and by vast tenderness breath
ed its calm over the thwarted passion
in bis breast, and plans to win her