Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-13
But listen" she pleaded. There

But listen" she pleaded. There
are some things-just few things
that long to tell you. Please let me.
Last night l wished to go into con-
vent. Oh, it was because l loved you
so much! l wanted you to seem per-
feet as my hero of romance, just as
you were already perfect as an en-
peror. To think that I should have
been far away out of Rhaetia by this
time if Miss Portman hadn't been I'LL
Dear Miss Portman. Maybe if we'd
gone nothing would ever have come
right Who can say?
"You know. my brother came to our
hotel this afternooa. When his card
arrived we couldn't tell whether he
knew our secret or not, but when We
had let him come up we had only to
see his face of surprise. He was an
CRY. too, as we'll as surprised, for he
blurted out that there were all sorts Of
horrid suspicious against us, and moth
er explained everything to him before
l could have stopped her even if I
cept you unless you could learn to love
me for myself and then how ! had
been disappointed. No, don't speak;
that's all over now. You've more than
atoned, thousand times more.
+ Dial explained things, too, then-yery
different things-about plan of the
chancellor's to disgust you with me
and how he Dab had played into the
chancellor's hands because, you see,
he thought he was acting wisely for
he had really supposed an actress he
knows was masquerading as Miss
Mowbray. Very imprudently he'd told
her that some day there might be
something between you and his sister.
She knew quite well, too, that the real
Mowbrays were our cousins; so, you
see. as she and he have quarreled, II
might have been an easy and clever
way for an INSCRIPTIONS woman to
take revenge. Dial would have gone
and perhaps have said dreadful things
to the chancellor, who was waiting
downstairs for news, but I begged him
not. From being the saddest girl in
the world I'd suddenly become the
happiest for the chancellor had told
Dial and Dial had told me that you had
followed Helen Mowbray to ask her TO
be the empress. That changed every.
thing. for then knew you really loved
her. but just to punish you for what ]
suffered through you last night long
ed TO put you 10 one more test. | said
Let the chancellor carry out his plot
Let me 90 with you to your hunting
lodge At first Dial wouldn't consent
but when | begged him he did, for
generally l can get my way with PEG
pie, warn you.
That's all, except that hadn't real.
lied how severe the test would be I'M
til you came in and l saw the look in
your eyes. 1t was a dagger Of ice in
my heart. I prayed heaven TO make
you believe in me without a word. oh,
how I prayed through all that dread
ful moment and how looked at you.
saying with my eyes. 4 love you; am
true" II you had failed me then II
would have killed me, but
There could be no but" the EN-.
peror broke in ITO doubt is not to
love. When a man loves he knows
Eves out OF darkness a light comes
and tells him"
Then you forgive me-for tonight,
and for everything. from the begin.
ningF"
Forgive your
And IL I'd been different. more like
other girls. content with a conventiona
affection. you wouldn't have loved me
mOre:"
He took her in his arms and held hei
as IL he would never let her 20.
IF you had been different wouldn't
have loved you at ALL" he said. But
II things had been different I couldn't
have helped loving you just the same.
should have been fated 10 fall In
love with Princess Virginia 81 Bau
menburg- Drippa at first sight. exactly
as fell in love with Helen Now
bray"
"Ah. but at best you'd have fallen
in love with Virginia because Il was
your duty. and you fell in love with
Helen Mcwbray betause il was your
duty not to. which makes it 50 much
nicer
1T was no question q duty. bat o.
destiny said the emperor. The STAR
ordained that should lore you
Then wfsh." and Virginia laugh
ed happily. as she could afTOri e.
laugh now. that the stars bad t0sd M
last sumner II w0uld have saved ms
a great deal Of trouble. And ret I
don't know she added thOgshtfuIIy
Its been 4 wO8derfuI adventure. We
shan often tax q il when we're OIL
We shall never be Cd. for We love
each otheE,- said tie emperor.
ZEE ExD.