The Marshall republican., 1908-08-21

not SO OH ~ ~ ny nlT your yea =. |
I hn''cre ! Judge my people better
Than ~, do iGw wllh IDS m
emIe ar Of Rh.r,ia t'n'"h with royal
ty Is M uhrritten law. y law solely OF
customs banded dovn through the gen. /
erations ~ not spoil my life by sub
hitting TO It's yoke. since by breaking
Il the nation gulns. ns I do. could
90 20 the worlds end and not Ind q
m as worthy to be my wife and
empress Of Rhaetia as Helen Now
bray"
you have never seen Princess vir-
GINA"
''I've no wish 4 zee her. There's but
one woman for me. and ! swear to you
II lose her I'll go to nv grave I'M
married. Let the crown fall to my
uncle's son. I'll not perjure myself
even for Rhaetla."
The chancellor bowed his head aud
held ar 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 Of sharply. III they
complain. why. we shall see who's
mnster-whether or not the emperor OF
Rhaetia Ia a mere fgurehead. In some
countries royalty II but an ornamental
survival Of q picturesque past: q king
or queen In q mere puppet which the
nation loeds with luxury TO do itself
honor. That's not true OF Rhaetia,
though. rs I'm ready TO prove. II prove
II I must. But ] believe ! shall be
spared the trouble. We Rbaetlans love
romance-you are perhaps the % ex-
ceptlop-wbilc. as for the story you've
told me. ! would not give that for III"
! And the emperor snapped his fingers.
you still believe the ladies' have q
| right to the name Of Mowbrayr
II believe that they are Of stainless
reputation and that any seeming mys-
terry can be explained. Miss Mowbrny
In herself. That's enough for me. Per-
laps. chancellor. there are two Lady
Mowbrays."
"only one In mentioned In Burke"
Burke isn't gospel"
Pardon inc. IT'S the gospel Of the
British pecrage. II can no more be
guilty OF error than Euclid"
"Nor can Miss Mowbray he guilty of
wrong. should still stake my life on
that even had your conclusions not
been lame ones"
The old man accepted this .rebuY In
silence. But Il was not the silence of
absolute hopelessness: II was only such
Q pause as a prize lighter makes be-
tween rounds.
"Your majesty will not be In toe
great haste. at all events. ! trust" hs
said at last-'at least a little renec
ton. q little patience. to cool the blood
have not laid down nii my cards yet
IT'S often bad policy not TO lead
trumps." replica Leopold.
soften. but not always. Time and
the end Of the play will show. ls you,
majesty's indulgence for the old maj
quite exhausted"
"Not quite. though rather strained.
confess" Leopold tempered his words
with a faint smile.
Then have one more lmportan,
question TO ask. venturing to remind
you frst that ! have acted solely ir
your interest. II such a step as 20,
contemplate should be my denthblov
II is because Of my love for you and
Rhaetia. Tell me. your majesty. thi,
one thing II II ere proved to 20,
that the lady you know az Miss Now
bray was not only not the person sh,
pretends to he. but In all other respect
unworthy Of your love. what woul'
you dor
you speak of impossibiiities..
But II they were not impossible
ties?"
"In such q case I should do as othe
men do-spcnd the rest OF my life h
trying to forget a lost IDEAL"
~ thank -FOUR majesty. That Is all
ask. suppose you vii, continue you
%journeyT'
Yes. a. Tar a. Felgarde where
hope TO fnd Lady Nowbrny and he
daughter"
Then. your majesty. when I've ex
pressed my gratitude for your fol
|. besrance. even though I've failed I
he convincing. I'll trouble you no lonl
. err"
The chancellor rose painfully. with
"Reminiscences Of govt. and Leopold
stared at him Ia surprise. What d
you mean?" he asked.
"Only that. 10 I can do no turtle
good here. with your permission ] wi
get out at the station we are comln
10 and 20 back home again"
The emperor realized what he hs
Z not noticed until this m~oment-that III
train was s%lackening speed as II al
proached the suburbs Of a town. III
D conversation with the chancellor ha
3 lasted for an hour. and he was ia
J from regretting the prospect OF bein
= left IN peace. More than once he ha
come p~erilously near to losing his ten
per. forgetting his gratitude and III
old mans years. How much longer B
. could have held out under a continue
. strain Of p~rovocation he did not know
: 30 he spoke no word Of dissuasion whe
Count Won Breitstein picked up his 80,