Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-08-04

! prince burst eagerly into the dining
room in the tower of Praslok, where
Sophy sat alone. He seemed full Of
triumphant excitement, almost boyish
IN his glee. 1t is at such moments that
! hesitations are forgotten and the last
reserves broken down.
"Nfy guns!" he cried. "My guns!
! They've started on their way. They're
, due in Slavna in month";
'Inf a month"; she murmurel softly.
"Ah, them
"Our company will be ready too.
Well march down to Slavna and meet
the guns!' He laughed. "Oh. I'll be
! very pleasant to Slavna now, just as
you advise me. Well meet them with
smiles on our faces" He came up to
her and laid his hand on hers. You've
done this for me-" he said. smiling still,
yet growing more grave.
/ It'll be the end of this wonderful
time, of this our time together!'
''Of our time at Praslok-not Of our
time together. What. Won't Lieuten-
! ant Baroness Dobrava march with her
battery?'
] She smiled doubtfully, gently shak-
i ing her head. Perhaps. But when we
get to Slayna- oh. I'm sorry that
this times so nearly done!"
He looked at her gravely for few
moments. making perhaps last quick
alculation-undergoin perhaps last
short struggle. But the red star glowed
/ against the pallor of her face. Her
eyes were cleaning beacons.
Neither the guns nor the men nor
| Slavna-no. nor the crown. when that
4 time comes-without your he said.
She rose slowly. tremblingly. from
her chair and stretched out her hands
in an instructive protest. "Monsei-
gneur!" Then she clasped her hands,
/! setting her eyes on his and whispering
again, yet lower. "Monseigneur!"
Marie Zerkovitch says fate sent you
to Kravonia. think she's right. Fate
did-my fate. l think it's sfated that
we are to be together to the end, So
| ply"
| A step creaked on the old stairs.
| Marie Zerkovitch was coming down
! from her room on The floor above. The
| door Of the dining room stood open.
but neither of them heard the step.
They We're engrossed, and the sound
passed unheeded.
Standing there. with hands still
clasped and eyes still bound to his, she
| spoke again. and Marie Zerkovitch
stood by the door and heard the quick
| yet clear words, herself fascinated, I'M
able to move or speak.
"I've meant nothing of it. I've
thought nothing of It. seem to have
done nothing toward it. 1t has just
| come to me-" Her tone took on a
touch of entreaty. whether 1t 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 welcomeY' he asked quiet
". She was long in answering. He
waited without Impotence. in con-
fidence devoid of doubt She seemed to
seek for the whole truth and to give it
to him in gravest, fullest words
ut is life, monseigneur." she said
II can't see life without it now"
| He held out his hands. and very slow
ly she laid hers in them.
ut 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 it together think 1t can
be>no life for us now"
1 The chain which had held Marie Ter
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 madY'
He was very fond of little Marie. He
looked down at her now, with an af-
fectionate, indulgent smile.
"Come. you've heard what l said, /
suppose. though it wasn't meant for
your ears. you know! Well, then, l
mean just what 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 1t, So
phy?" she cried.
Sophy passed 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. Ill thought of
nothing, dear Marie" she said. Then,
with sudden low murmur Of delight
ed laughter, she laid her hands in the
princes again. She had thought of
nothing but of that life together and
| their love.
| 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 1t.
Possessed by her old fear, her old fore
boding, she flung away the arm she
held, with an angry gesture. Its
ruin" she cried. Ruin! RUM! Her
voice rang out through the old room
and seemed to fill all the castle of Pras-
lok with it's dirgeful note.
4 NO" said he firmly. ruin will not
! come through me nor through her. 1t
may be that ruin-what you call ruin
will come. 1t may be that shall lose
my life or my throne He smiled a
little. Such changes and chances
come as nothing new to Stefanoyitch.
have clever and bold men against me.
Let them try! Well try too! But ruin
will not be by her fault nor through
this. And If 1t were. don't owe her
my life already? Should / refuse to
risk for her the life she has giyen?'
I Ha drnnnad his. ynina 70 hnmolior r,,or,