Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-01

turn fantastic and in no relation to the actual. Was that the air of Kravonia working on him or was it woman's voice, the pallid pride of woman's face?
 "In Slavna they call me witch" she said, ''and tell terrible tales about this little mark-my red star-but here in Volseni they like me-yes,s and can win over Slavna, too, if I get the op- portunity. No, I shan't be a weakness to monseigneur if he lives"
 You'll be-
 His wife?" she interrupted. "Yes." She smiled again-nay, almost laughed. "That seems worst of all-worse than anything else"
 Dunstanbury allowed himself to smile too. "Well, yes, of course that's true" he said. ''Out of Kravonia anyhow. Whats true in Kravonia I really don't know yet''
 "I suppose it's true in Kravonia, too, but what tell you is monseigneur's will about me-"
 
 him?" he asked.
 AS my life, and more," said Sophy simply.
 At last Dunstanbury ceased to look at her He laid his elbows on the bat dement's and stood there, his eyes roaming over the lake in the valley to the mountains beyond. Sophy left his side and began to walk slowly up and down the rugged, uneven, overgrown surface of the walls.
 The moon was sinking in the sky. There would be three or four dark hours before dawn. X man galloped up to the gate and gave countersign in return to a challenges; the heavy gates rolled open; he rode in; another rode out and cantered of along the road to- ward Praslok. There was watch and ward Volseni was not to be caught napring as Praslok had been. Wheth- CT the king lived or died, his Volsenians were on guard. Dunstanbury turned his back on the hills and came up to Sophy.
 We Essex folk ought to stand by one another" he said. Its the merest chance that has brought me here, but I'm glad of the chance now, and it's be- ginning to feel not the least strange. So long as you've need of help count me among your soldiers"
 But you oughtn't to mix yourself up
 Did you act on that principle when you came to Kravonia"
 With a smile Sophy gave him her hand. "So be it. accept your service for monseigneur."
 q give it to you," he persisted.
 'Yes. and all that is mine I give to monseigneur," said Sophy.
 Any man who meets or after an in- terval of time again meets an attractive woman only to find that her thoughts are pre-empted and totally preoccupied suffers an annoyance not the less real because he sees the absurdity of it. It is to find shut gate which with better luck might have been open. The un- usual circumstances of his new en- counter with Sophy did not save Dun- stanbury from this common form of chagrin. The tragic element in her situation gave it rather uncommon flavor. He would fain have appeared as the knight errant to rescue such beauty in such distress, but the nature of the distress did not seem favorable to the proper romantic sequel.
 He made his offer of service to her. She assigned him to the service of mon seigneur, He laughed at his own an- noyance and determined to serve mon- seigneur as well as he could. At the same time, while conceding most amply nay, even feeling-monseigneur's ex- cuse, he could not admire his policy in the choice of bride That was doubt less a sample of how things were done in Kravonia. He lived to feel the ex- cuse more strongly and to pronounce the judgment with greater hesitation.
 Sophy had given him her hand again CUTS name. He had not yet released it when she was called from the street below in a wOman's voice-a voice full of haste and alarm.
 Marie ZerkOvitch calls me! 1 must go at once" she said 'I expect mon- seigneur is awake" She hurried off, with a nod of farewell.
 Dunstanbury stayed T little while on the wall. smoking a cigarette. and then went down into inc street. The door of the guardhouse was shut. All was very quiet as he passed along to the market place. where the inn was situ- ated He went up to his room over. looking the street and. taking of his coat only. flung himself on the bed. He was minded thus to await Basil WilliamsOn's return with news of the king. but the excitement of the day had wearied him. Ih ten minutes he was sound asleep.
 He was aroused by Basil William sons hand on his shoulder. The young doctor. a slim built. dark. wiry fellow. looked very weary and sad.
 How has 1t gOne?' asked Dunstan- bury. sitting ID.
 Its been a terrible night. I'm glad you've had some sleep. He awoke aft CT an hour The hemOrrhaze had set fin again I had 10 tell him it was a thousand to one against him. He sent for her and made me leave them alone together. There was only one other room. and I waited there with a little wOman-a Mime. ZerkOvitch-whoc cried terribly. Then he sent for Lukoviteh.