Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-28

 night chill out of the keen mountain air, and now it was close upon 12 The princess was hungry.
 In Nordeck. the frontier town ol Rhaetia as you come in from Ger many, she had bought rucksacks fol herself and Miss Portman, to be useo upon just such mountain excursions as this, and today the brown canvas bags were being tested for the frs, time Each rucksack stored an ade quate luncheon for its bearer, while oL top, secured by straps passed across the shoulders, lay folded wrap to be used in case of rain.
 Virginia's burden grew heavy as she mounted, though at first it's weight had seemed trifling. When she had waved passed out of Miss Pormans sight ii occurred to her that it would be clever to tighten the rucksack and satisfy hel appetite at the same time
 The one difficulty was that in her present position she could not safely unstrap the bag from her shoulders, open it, take out the parcel of luncheon and strap it on again. The way was too narrow and the rocks too slippery to attempt such liberties. At short distance, however, and only little oui of the path to the col she could see a small green plateau, the very place fol rest. But could she reach it? The girl stood still and looked wistfully across.
 The place could be gained only by scramble over ledge of formidable rocks and climbing in good earnest here and there, yet if the thing could be done at all it could be done in ten minutes, and to come back would be comparatively easy. Virginia was tempted.
 ''The dear Letitia will be eating Der own lunch by this time and won't mss me if my half hour is long one," she thought. And, anyway, I said half an hour or so. That means almost any thing when it comes to an argument"
 Another moment and the girl had started. She was brave at first, but when she had gone halfway-a way which was longer and far more diff ficult than she had fancied-she was conscious of certain sinking of the heart She even felt some qualms of sympathy with the sentiments and in- tentions Miss Portman had expressed and heartily wished herself back by that good lady's side, but it was against her principles to be conquered, especial ly when being conquered meant turn ing coward or something like 1t, and she scrambled on obstinately. her cheeks burning, her heart humping and her lips pressed together.
 What grim, remorseless giant the mountain was, and what mere creep ing fly upon its vast shoulder she! Lit tie cared the old mountain that she was royal princess and that the en- peror who ruled the land of which 1t was part had the intention of marry ing her. It would thwart that i'm perial intention without a qualm nor turn pebble if the poor little princess toppled over its cruel shoulder and fell in a small, crushed heap without ever having looked upon the face of the Rhaetian emperor.
 Then there came a later moment when. like Miss Portman. whom she so recently laughed to scorn. the princess felt that she could neither go on nor go back. She was horribly homesick. She wanted her mother and the garden at Hampton Court and would hardly have thrown a glance of interest at Leo pold if he had appeared before her eyes. There were tears in those eyes, and she was hating the mountain and all Rhaetia with her whole strength when from the mysterious distance around the corner of the plateau there came the sound of a mans voice cheer fully yodeling.
 Never had sound been so welcome or seemed so sweet Ii was to Vir- ginia as the voice of an angel. Help she called-"help"" first in English and then, on second thought. in Rhaetian.
 The yodeling abruptly stopped, and a man appeared round a corner of rock beyond the green plateau. The sun shone in his eyes. and he shaded them with his hand to look up at her. Nir- ginia stared hopefully. expectantly. A glance photographed a tall figure in a gray coat passemoiled with green. a soft green cap of felt. short trousers, bare knees. knitted stockings, nailed boots: thank heaven. no tourist. but evidently a mountain man. a guide or chamoiS hunter perhaps - at Fl events. one capable of coming to her rescue. These things she saw and thought in a flash. and then the brown hand that had shaded his eyes dropped. . She caught sight of his face. It was the emperor.
 \ moment ago she had felt that she . could look at him with indifference . and would a thousand times over pre- ! fer a glimpse of the dear old house at { Hampton Court. with an easy way to l reach it. but now everything was changed. There was no longer any . danger. He was there. He was com Ing to help her. \ power higher than his had arranged this as their first en- counter and would not have taken the trouble to bring him to her here If the meeting were to end in ignOminy or disaster.
 He had run aCToss the plateau Now the nailed boots were ringing on rock