Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-04-11

PLAYED a game. BY simply being her
self she has won me, such as I am
She's proved that if she cares at ali
it's for the man and not the emperor
! since she called the offer you think so
| magnificent an insult. Yes. chancel
lor, that was the word she used. and
1t was almost the last she said to me-
which is the reason I'm travelling to-
day And none of your boosted proofs
can hold me back"
by heaven. your majesty must looR
upon yourself from the point of view
you credit to the girl. You forget the
emperor in the man."
"The two need not be separated"
"Love indeed makes men blind and
spares not the eyes of emperors."
"Fve pledged myself to bear with
! you, chancellor"
"And l know you'll keep your word.
l must speak for Rhaetia and your
| better self You are following this
lady to give her your empire for a
toy"
"She must first accept the emperor
! as her husband"
"a lady who has so poor name OF
her own that she steals one which
doesn't belong to her-the nation won't
/ bear It,"
you speak for yourself. not for
| Rhaeta," said Leopold. Though I'm
not so old as you by half your years.
! | believe l can judge my people better
/ than you do. The law which bids an
emperor of Rhaetia match with royal
| ty is an unwritten law, law solely OF
customs handed down through the gen.
erations. I'll not spoil my life by sub
hitting to it's yoke. since by breaking
| it the nation gains, as l do ] could
go to the worlds end and not find
woman as worthy to be my wife and
! empress of Rhaetia as Helen Now
bray"
you have never seen Princess vir-
ginia."
"Ive no wish to see her. There's but
one woman for me. and l swear to you
| if lose her I'll go to my grave UNI
married. Let the crown fall to my
uncle's son. I'll not perjure myself
even for Rhaetia."
The chancellor bowed his head and
held up his hands, for by that gesture
alone could he express his despair.
IF my people love me they'll love
my wife and rejoice in my happiness"
Leopold went on sharply. IF they
complain, why. we shall see who's
master--whether or not the emperor of
Rhaetia is a mere figurehead. In some
countries royalty Is but an ornamental
survival of a picturesque past; king
or queen is a mere puppet which the
nation loads with luxury to do itself
honor. That's not true of Rhaetia,
though, as I'm ready to prove. if prove
it l must. But ! believe l shall be
spared the trouble. We Rhaetians love
romance-you are perhaps the one ex-
ception-while. as for the story you've
told me. l would not give that for itv'
And the emperor snapped his fingers.
"You still believe the ladies have a
right to the name of MowbrayY
II believe that they are Of stainless
terry can be explained. Miss Mowbray
is herself. That's enough for me. Per.
haps, chancellor, there are two Lady
Mowbrays."
"Only one is mentioned in Burke"
Burke isn't gospel"
pardon me. It's the gospel Of the
British peerage. It can no more be
guilty Of error than Euclid"
"Nor can Miss Mowbray be guilty Of
wrong. should still stake my life on
that even had your conclusions not
been lame ones"
The old man accepted this rebuff In
silence. But it was not the silence Of
absolute hopelessness; 1t was only such
a pause as a prize fighter makes be-
tween rounds.
"Your majesty will not be in too
great haste. at all events. l trust" he
said at last-"at least little refiec.
ton, little patience, to cool the blood.
have not laid down all my cards yet"
ITS often bad policy not to lead
trumps." replied Leopold.
"Often. but not always Time and
the end Of the play will show. Is your
majesty's indulgence for the old man
quite exhausted?'
"Not quite. though rather strained, l
| ~SAAASSS. A<SOpciu tcIIpcTcu LIS WOEOS
with faint smile.
Then l have one more important
question to ask. venturing to remind
4 you first that l have acted solely in
your interest. If such a step as you
contemplate should be my deathblow
/ 1t Is because Of my love for you and
Rhaetia. Tell me. your majesty, this
one thing. II 1t were proved to you
that the lady you know as Miss Now
bray was not only not the person she
pretends to be. but In all other respects
unworthy of your love, what would
you dog"
"You speak Of impossibilities.
| But II they were not impossible.
ties?"
I'm such a case should do as other
men do-spend the rest OF my life In
trying to forget a lost ideal"