Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09

ness her demeanOr tnat ne naQ nOl1Ceu Wnen
he saw her standing in the lobby.
May l have word with your Majesty IN
private?" she asked.
He surprised; but again he believed she
was probably bringing message from Joan:
here, he said. What is it,"
She held out letter, and he that her
hand shook. "Mademoiselle asked me to give
you this, your Majesty" she said. Il was to
take care that you were alone when you re-
ceived it"
"Something important then,' he said with a
laugh.
Crossing the room to the table on which
stood the lamp by whose light he had scrubbed
alexis r. on the papers 1ntrusted to Bosko,
he opened the envelop, which bore in Joan's
handwriting the simple superscriptlon, Alec,
and began to read:
MY DEAR ONE-When Pauline gives you
this shall have left you forever. l am going
from Delgratz, and shall never see you again
| cannot marry you-but, oh, my dear, my
dear, shall love you all my life! Try and tor
get me. am acting for the best. Do not write
to Paris endeavor to find me. If 1t is Gods
WILL we shall never meet again. can scarcely
what l am writing for my tears. so goodby,
nv Alec! Be brave Forgive me, and, IN the
years to come try to forget our few days OF
happiness together. Yours ever, JOAN.
He stood there stricken. almost paralyzed
with the suddenness of the blow, wondering
dumbly why loans hand should have inflicted
it. The frightened Frenchwoman dared not
speak move. She watched him with that
impersonal fear SO readily aroused IN one OF her
class by the terrifying spectacle OF strong
man in his agony. At last he moved llstlessly,
as though his limbs had just been released from
the rack He held the letter under the lamp
again and read it second time, word tor word
He seemed to be forcing himself to accept it as
truth. This young King, so valiant. SO re-
sourceful, prompt in action and Judgment,
could devise no plan, no means OF rescue from
the abyss.
hot, fhar he MOI
the woman could measure, he turned his
strained, staring eyes on the shrinking Pauline.
Have ever done you any harm!' he said
in the low voice of utmost despair
Me MONSIEUR she gaSped. You harm
me- No. indeed! l only too proud to
think my dear mistress should have won such
husband
Then you will answer my questions truly
he went on his eyes devouring the womans
homely features as though he would fam seek
some comfort therein.
''Oh. YES indeed monsieur. Ask any
thing. 1t is not that | have much to tell.
Mademoiselle said, Give this letter to the King
himself Let it touch no other hand. That IS
ALL monsieur She weeping when she wrote
it. Monsieur Poluski told me what to do to-
morrow about my own journey. See, here are
my tickets"
.Poluski!'' said Alec. and the words came
DULY Has he too betrayed me-
He has gone with my mistress" sobbed
Pauline 1T is not that they have betrayed
die, and | have never seen anyone more dis
turbed than Monsieur Pouski. He raved like
a maniac when asked him for one word of ex-
PLANTATION"
But what does it mean woman? Do you
understand what has happened? NV promised
wife has fled, bidding me not to dream of see
ing her again. and with her has gone one of the
few men alive in whom l had confidence.
What is that but betrayal!
Il do not profess to understand the ways OF
courts, monsieur" said Pauline, gathering
little courage. since the King appealed to her
as a fellow mortal; but in your case do not
think should blame Mademoiselle Joan. She
did not go because she had ceased to love you
monsieur. Sometimes woman can love
man so we'll that she will leave him if she thinks
it is for his good"
A light broke in on the darkness. Was Joan
the victim of some deadly intrigue such as had
sullied too often the records of the Kosnovian
monarchy? How strange it was that he should
come from that eventful meeting of the Cabinet
and receive within hour Joan's pathetic
message of farewell! He stood and thought
deeply again for many minutes, striving to con-
quer his laboring heart and throbbing brain;
then he turned to the trembling Frenchwoman
and said with almost uncanny gentleness:
"You have done what your mistress asked,
Pauline. Come to me tomorrow before you
go and will reward you for your faithful serv-
ice. Leave me now; but tell none what has