Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-23

done nothing toward 1t. It has just come to me-" Her tone took on a touch of entreaty, whether it were to him or to some unseen power which ruled her life and to which she might have to render an account,
 ''Yet it is welcome" he asked quiet ly. She was long in answering. He waited without impatience, in a con fidence devoid of doubt. She seemed to seek for the whole ezuth and to give 1t to him in gravest, fullest words.
 Tt is life, monseigneur," she said. "I cant see life without 1t now"
 He held out his hands, and very slow ly she laid hers in them.
 Tt is enough. and nothing else could have been enough from you to me and from me to you," he said gently. "Un- less we live 1t together think it can be no life for us now"
 The chain which had held Marie Fer kovitch motionless suddenly snapped. She rushed into the room and, forget full of everything in her agitation, seized the prince by the arm.
 "What do you mean" she cried. "What do you mean? Are you mad?"
 He was very fond of little Marie. He looked down at her now, with an af- fectionate, indulgent smile.
 Come you've heard what said, suppose, though it wasn't meant for your ears, you know! We'll, then, mean just what I said, Marie" .
 But what do you mean by it?" she persisted in feverish, almost childish, excitement. She turned on Sophy too. And what do you mean by it, So' phy?" she cried.
 Sophy passed a hand over her brow A slow smile relieved the enchanted tension of her face. She seemed to smile in a whimsical surprise at her self. Her answer to Marie came vague and almost dreamy. "I-I thought of nothing, dear Marie" she said. Then with a sudden low murmur of delight ed laughter, she laid her hands in the princess again. She had thought of nothing but of that life together and their love. *tF
 Shell share my life, Marie, and when the time comes, my throne," the prince said softly. He tried to per suade and soothe her with his gentle tones.
 Marie Zerkovitch would not have it Possessed by her old fear, her old fore boding. she flung away the arm she held, with an angry gesture. ''It's ruin" she cried "Ruin! Ruinw Hei voice rang out through the old room and seemed to fill all the castle of Pras lok with its dirgeful note.
 "No," said he firmly. Ruin will mol come through me nor through her. Il may be that ruin-what you call ruin will come. It may be that shall lose my life or my throne" He smiled little. Such changes and chances come as nothing new to Stefanovitch I have clever and bold men against me Let them try! We'll try too! But ruin will not be by her fault nor through this. And if it were, don't owe hel my life already? Should I refuse tc risk for her the life she has given?' He dropped his voice to homelier, more familiar tones and ended, with hali laugh: Come, little friend, you mustn't try to frighten Sergius Stefanovitch It's better the house should end than live on in a coward, you know"
 The plea was not perfect. There was wisdom as we'll as courage in ques tion. Yet he would have maintained himself to be right in point of wisdom too, had Marie pressed him on it. But her force was spent, her violence end ed, and with it her congratulations. Bul not her terror and dismay. She threw herself into a chair and covered hel face with her hands, sobbing bitterly.
 The prince gently caressed her shak ing shoulder, but he raised his eyes t Sophy, who had stood quiet through the scene.
 "Are you ready for what comes, So phy?" he asked.
 "Monseigneur. am ready" she said with head erect and her face set, bu the next instant she broke into a low ! yet rich and ringing laugh. It mingled strangely with Marie's sobs. which were gradually dying away, yet sound ed still, an undertone of discOrd with Sophy's mirth. She stretched out he; hands toward him again, whispering ir an amused pity, Poor child. sht thought that We should be afraid!'
 Out of the dusk of the quiet even ing came suddenly the blare of trum pet, blown from volseHl by a favorins breeze. It sounded every evening al nightfall to warn the herdsmen in thu hills of the closing of the gates ana had so sounded from time beyonC | mans memory.
 The prince raised his hand to bid hel : listen.
 ''In good volseni there is watch ana ward for us!'
 The echoes of the blast rang for aI | instant around the hills.
 And there is watch and ward ana the glad sound of a trumpet in mI heart. monseigneur," she said. l The sobs were still. laughter wal hushed, the echoes died away. In ut ter silence their hands and their eye met. Only in their hearts loves clarioI rang indomitable and maryelously glad ! EI -H