The San Francisco call., 1908-03-01
APHY OPkRANCNIA 's e..ss s@ " n ass e: :::: :


to Dunstanbury. Yet curiOusly. though
he had pleaded so urgently with her.
though to him her death would mean
the loss of one OF. the beautiful things
from out the earth he was IN no dis
tress for. her and did. not dream OF at
tempting any constraint. She knew her
strength-she would choose right. IL
life was tolerable. she would take up
the burden. If not. she would IL lie
unified at her quiet feet.
His mood could not be Dunstanbury'
who had come TO count her presence
as the light of the life that was his.
Yet DunStanbury heard the message
quietly and quietly made every prepar-
alton in obedience to her bidding. That
DONE he sat in the little room of the
inn and smoked his pipe with Basil.
Henry Brown waited his word to take
the horses TO the door OF the church.
Basil Williamson had OWNED his
friends feeling for Sophy and wondered
at his caImness. =
IF / felt the doubt THAT you do I
shouldn't be calm" said Dunstanbury.
But I know her. She will be true TO
her love"
He could not be speaking OF that love
of hers which was finished. whose end
she was now mourning in the little
church. 1t must be of another love
that he spoke-of one bred in her na-
ture the outcome OF her temperament
and of her being the woman that she
was. The spirit which had brought
her to Slavna had made her play her
part there. had welcomed and caught
at every change and chance Of fortune,
had never laid down the sword till the
blow was struck--that spirit would
preserve her and give her back TO life
now-and some day give life back TO
her
He was right. When they came to
-. 81,
For the first time since monseigneur
had died her eyes were red with weep
ing; but her face was calm She gave
her hand to Dunstanbury
Come. let as mount" she said. Il
have said "goodby.'"
Lukoviteh knew Dunstanbury's plans.
He was waiting for them at the gate,
his arm in a sling. and with him were
the Zerkovitches. These last they
would see again; il was probably fare
well forever to gallant Lukovitch. He
kissed the silver ring on SOphy's finger.
II brought nothing INTO Kravonia.
she said, 'and ! carry nothing out. ex-
cept this ring which monseigneur put
on my fnger-the ring Of the bai4iffs
of VOlseni."
Keep it," said Lukovitch. IT think
there will be no more bailifs Of Volseni
s-or some prince, not Of our choosing,
will take the title by his own will. he
Will not De OQT DdIlALs. dS AAOhSCA5AC1A
was You Will be our .bailif, though
our eyes never see you. and you never
see our old gray walls again. Madame
have kindly place in your heart FOR
Volseni We shan't forget you nor the 8
blow we struck under your leadership
The fight at Miklevni may well be the
last that we shall fight as free men,
.''volseni is written on my heart. she
answered. It shall not forget
She bade her friends farewell, and
then ordered Lukovitch to- throw open
the gate. She and the three English
men rode through. Henry Brown Lead
ing the packhOrss by the bride. The
mountains were growing gray with tie
first approaches of dawn
As she rode through. SophT paused a.
. moment, leaned sideways in her saddle.
and kissed the ancient. lintti- OF. the
door.
Peace be on. this place. she: said.
and peace to the tomb were monseig-
neur lies buried"
Peace be on thy head and fortune
with thee answered Lukovitch in the
traditional words Of farewell. He
kissed her hand again, and they de-
parted.
1t was high morning when they rode
up the ascent to St. Peters pass and
came to the spot where their cross
track joined the main road over the
pass from Dobraya and the capital In
silence they mounted to the summit.
The road under their horses feet. was
trampled with the march of the thou
sands of men who had passed over it
in an irresistible advance on Slavna.
At the summit of the; pass they
stopped. and Sophy turned to look back
She sat there for a Ions while in 81
lence.
II have loved this land at last she
said. TT has given me much. and very
much it has taken away. Now the face
of it is to be changed But in my
heart the memory of it will not
change" She looked across the valley.
across the sparkling face OF Lake Talti
to the gray walls of Volseni. and kissed
her hand. Farewell monseigneur.'
she whispered. very low.
The day Of Kravonia was dsne The
head of the great snake had reached
Slavna. Countess Ellenburg and young
Alexis were in fight. Stenovics took
orders where he had looked to rule.
The death OF nonseigneur was indeed
avenged. But there was no place for
Sophy, the queen Of tempestu0us
hour.
They set their horses heads towards
the frontier. They began the descent
on the other side The lake was gone.
the familiar hills vanished; only in the
eye OF memory stood old Volseni still
set in its gray mountains. Sophy rode
forsh from Kravonia in her sheepskins
and her silver ring-the last queen OF
Kravonia. the last bailif OF Volseni.
the last chosen leader OF the mountain
men, But the memory Of the Red Star
lived after her-how she loved mon
seigneur and avenged him. how her
face was fairer than the face OF other
women, and more pale-and how the
Red star glowed in sorrow and in ioy.
in love and in clash OF arms. promising
TO some glory. and TO others death. In
the street of Volseni and in the cabins
among the hills you may hear the tale
of the Red Star vet.
AS she passed the border of the land
(which was so great in her life. bv a
freak of. memory Sophy recalled a pic
ture till now forgotten woman. un-
known. untraeed. unreckoned. who had
passed down the street of the Fountain.
weeping 0itterly-an obscure symbol OF
great woes. of the tribute life pays to
its unres ting enenies-
Yet to the unconqgerable heart life
sta nds unconGuered- Whas danger ha-