The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-07-08
CrouOn Us. Cupid

calm OF eventide wrapped the little
world of Isehnwohld in it's embrace.
On this delightful August evening
the town was en- fete At the Schloss
. reception was being held in honor
of Prince Oscars eightieth birthday,
to which the American consul had pro
cured invitations for many of the
guests at the hotel. Toward o'clock
the streets suddenly became animated
and gay throng of men and women,
in carriages and on foot, might be
seen vending their way to the now
brilliantly lighted Schloss.
An hour later tall, dark figure clad
in flowing draper1es emerged from the
hotel and glided swiftly and gracefully
down the high street to the beach be-
low.
On the beach the woman threw
back the long dark cloak which had
been so closely wrapped about her,
disclosing a slender, graceful form,
with fair girlish face above full Of
youth and sentiemnt She stood part
ly in the shadow of a great rock yet
with the moonbeams falling directly
on her. lending an added charm to her
tender beauty, and as she waited thus
another figure came quickly across the
sands toward her.
She did not see the man approach,
for her gaze was fixed on the distant
horizon veiled in shimmering mist.
He came quite close to her.
Helen" he whispered softly, and
she turned with cry of glad surprise,
extending both hands toward him.
81 was beginning to, fear that your
duties as aide-de-camp would prevent
you from coming tonight" she said,
and, as he did not speak, went on,
but perhaps l should not have writ
ten to tell you of our arrival until
after this state function. Are you
cross because l didn't wait, Carl?"
Not at all. my dear girl" replied
the young German in English, which
he spoke fiuently. 81 could not be
cross with you if l would. But tell
me, Liebschen, why are you not at
the palace tonight? l saw several Of
your people there with the American
consul"
MY aunt wanted me to go, and I'm
almost sorry now that / didn't since
you regret having come here to see
me-" The girls answer was full of
reproach, and the man felt how bru-
tally cold he had been.
at is because you do not understand
all that you say these things" he said,
throwing his arm passionately about
her shoulders. You have been con-
met you in Rome, at Signor Rosetti's S
studio. Do you remember it. Helen?''
Eyes, perfectly. | had been watch
ing you from the window as you came
along on the terrace below and then
saw you stop to speak to the ragged
little flower girl with the basket OF
violets. She was beautiful, too, and
as YOU talked to her SO interestedly, l
mentally compared you to King Cophe-
tua and the beggar maid. Then you
came in, and the old professor intro
duced us. He said we were his rival
pupils in Italian, and after that we
grew to be great friends, didn't we?'
Eyes, great friends" he answered.
withdrawing his arm from her shoul'
ders, "but why did you compare me to
King Cophetua?"
The girl shivered slightly as though
suddenly struck by a cold breeze.
"To be strictly truthful, l did not
stop to consider the adaptability OF
the simile, at the time. l was only
a romantic school girl out for my first
holiday and naturally my mind was
alert to anything unusual which might
happen around me. Seeing a well
dressed and apparently well-bred
Young man conversing with a ragged
vet beautiful girl reminded me of the
legend of King Cophetua and his beg
gar maid. Hence you see, the com
parison was but the fanciful creation
of a romantic brain"
well DONE" laughed Carl Won
Schreiner. "You have proved 1t ike
a proposition in Euclid" But despite
his iocularity there was a mirthless-
ness in his tones which grated oA
Helen Wentworth's ear.
He turned from her and looked out
over the broad expanse or the sea- no
longer tranquil, for the incoming tide
was advancing, and in few moments
would be at their feet. The pale llsh'
of the moon fell on his handsome
figure wearing the uniform OF the
Isebnwohld army, and showed to per
fection the clean-cut outline of his pro-
file. His usually firm mouth had re-
laxed into gentle curves, and his Whole
EXPRESSION was almost womanly IN l,S
tenderness. She thought OF that Aprii
dav in Rome on the hotel piazza over
looking the Tiber when he had come
to say goodbye. So this was 'nen @
meeting. but he was no longer DoS
and the old feeling of good comraue.
ship had given place to an alho''
na;n,ullv constrained cordially.
at is growing late and 1 mus. ~
h.ck" she said at length. Her Voice
was soft and subdued, but he did not
look at her. o wear.
"Whot a pretty rose you are wear, +
,,r Carl, May I not have it as a
memento of to-night?
He unfastened the rose from MS