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

hiollo" Hc "Oulu see Der ana show
all the depths of that great love which
she had thought to throw away. She
could not go on withstanding him for
ever, and, now that he had burned his
boats behind him, he would never
think of turning back. He would per
severe till she should yield.
Meanwhile Virginia had hurried
blindly toward the house, and 1t was
instinct rather than intention that led
her to the open window of the music
room, by which she had come out.
Tears burned her cyelids, but they
did not fall until she stood once more
In the room where she and Ieopold
had been happy together. There she
had sat at the piano, and he had bent
Over h"r. love IN his nyas-hnnast lovo
she had thought, her heart full of
thanksgiving. How little she had
guessed then the humiliation in store
Tor her and the end OF all her hopesl
How could she bear her pain, and how
could she go on living out her life?
She paused In the window niche,
looking into the room through n mist
of tears, and Il sob choked her. Cruel
cruel" she whispered. "What agony.
what an insult!"
Ihen, dashlng away her tears, she
pushed back the dark curtains and
would have passed on into the room
had not the quick gesture brought her
arm Into contact with the buttons and
gold braid on mans breast.
Instantly she realized that some one
was hiding there, some one dressed in
military coat, and her first impulse
was for flight, anything to escape un.
recognized. But on second thoughts
she changed her mind.
Whoever 1t was had In all probabili-
ty hidden himself for the purpose OF
spying and was already aware TINT
Miss Mowbray had rushed into the
mousse weeping after n tete-u-tete with
the emperor In the garden. Perhaps he
had even caught n word or two of her
SoDDlng ejaculation. No; she must not
run away and leave the outcome of
this affair to chance. She must see
with whom she had to deal that she
might know what was best to do.
She had taken n step into the room
but quick as light she turned, pulled
away the screen Of curtains and faced
O'pN"ii Noll
1t was trying moment for him, and
the girls look stripped him OF all his
light nudacity. She had come to the
window by different path from the
one he had watched; therefore she had
taken him unawares before he had
time to escape, as he had planned. He
was caught fairly and must save him.
self as best he could without preparn-
tion.
If her reproach forestalled his ex-
cuse he was lost. He must step into
the breach at whatever risk. There
was no time to weigh words. He must
let loose the first that sprang to his
lips.
Il see what you think OF me-" he
said. 81 see YOU think was watching
you. swear I wasn't, though knew
you were In the garden with-the en-
peror. Wait-you must listen. You
must hear my justification. was
sent to this room to fetch you. For
your sake, how could l go back and
Say you had Misrepresentation I
looked out into the garden and saw
Nou-With him. | saw from ypur man
hcr that-he had made YOU suffer
was half mad with rage, guessing
guessing something which one word
YOU let drop as you came In told me
had happened. He is my sovereign,
but-he has insultcd you. Let me be
your knight, MS in days Of old. Let
me defend you, for | love you.
waited here to tell you this rs you
came, SO that If you would we might
announce an engagement
II Vlrginia's eyes had been daggers
he would have fallen Mt her feet pierc-
ed TO the heart For one long second
she looked nt him without speaking,
her face eloquent. Then she went by
him with the proud bearing OF n queen
Egon was stricken dumb. Duly he
watched her move across the room to
n door which led into corridor. lie
heard the whisper of her satin dress
and saw the changing lights and shad
ows on It's creamy folds under the
crystal chandeliers; he saw the white
reflection, like spirit, mirrored dcep
under the polished surface of the floor.
Never hatl she been more beautiful.
but she was beautiful in his ewes no
longer. He had hurt her pride, but she
had stabbed his vanity, and to wound
Egon Won Breltsteln's vanity was to
strike at his life He hated the girl
hated her so sharply that his nerves
ached with the intensity Of his hatred
and the only relief he could have
would be through reprlsal.
He had not been able to decoIve bor
she knew that he had been spying,
ana 1t was fortunate for his future, he
realized already, that she had broken