Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-11-13

heaven. 1t Is true that ! am growing
old! have forgotten to ask your maj
esty whether you have gone 20 far a.
to mention the word marriage to Miss
Mowbrayy"
'I'll answer that question by another.
Do you really believe that Miss Now t
bray came to Rhaetia to 'entrap' me?"
II do, though scarcely think that |
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 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 entrea.
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.
lie was delighted with the expires.
sion of the chancellor's face. "Now,
what arguments have you leftY' he
broke out in the brief silence.
Cali had before and many new
ones. for what your majesty has said
shows the lady more ambitious, more
astute, therefore more dangerous, than
l 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 be 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 If she'd
played a game. BY simply being her.
self she has won me, such as 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."
"The two need not be separated"
''Love indeed makes men blind and
spares not the eyes of emperors."
give pledged myself to bear with
you, chancellor"
"And I know you'll keep your word.
must speak for Rhaetia and your
better self. You are following this
lady to give her your empire for a
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
bear it."
"You speak for yourself, not for
Rhaetia," said Leopold. Though I'm
not so old as you by half your years,
believe | 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 it's yoke, since by breaking
it the nation gains, as l do. / could
go to the worlds end and not find
woman as worthy to be my wife and
empress of Rhaetia as Helen Now.
Bray"
"You have never seen Princess Vir-
ginia."
give no wish to see her. There's but
one woman for me, and swear to you
If lose her I'll go to my grave un.
married. Let the crown fall to my
uncle's 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.
"1f my people love me they'll love
my wife and rejoice in my happiness"
Leopold went on sharply. III they
complain. why, we shall see who's
MASTER whether or not the emperor Of
Rhaetia is mere fgurehead. In some
countries royalty is but an ornamental
survival of picturesque past; king
or queen is a mere puppet which the
nation loads with luxury to do itself
honor. That's not true of Rhaetia.
though, as I'm ready to prove. If prove
1t must. But ! believe shall be
spared the trouble We Rhaetians love
romance-you are perhaps the one ex-
ception-whie. as for the story you've
told me. would not give that for it!'
And the emperor snapped his fingers.
"You still believe the ladies have
ri oht to the name Of MnwhravI,,