Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-01
CHAPTER XXI.
you Will Be Mrs. King"


state chamber to be made baron, and
the prince completed the American
reward by presenting him with an an
cient gold seal ring. one of the crown
jewels.
Late that night it was reported at
the castle that a large force of men
were encamped on the opposite side
of the river A hundred campfires
were cleaning against the distant up
lands.
The Grand Duke Paulus!" eXclaim-
ed Count Halfont. Thank God he did
not come day earlier. We owe him
nothing today, but yesterday-ah, he
could have demanded much Of us.'
In one of the wrecked approaches to
the terrace, surrounded by fragments
of stone and confronted by ugly de-
struction, sat young man and a slen-
der girl There We're no lights near
them. The shadows were black and
forbidding.
His arm was about her: her head
nestled securely against his shoulder,
and her slim hands were willing pris-
oners in one of his.
She was saying: "TruXton, dear, /
did not love Eric Vos Engo. l just
thought it was love. l never really
knew what love was until you came
into my life. That's what made 1t so
hard. | had let MIN believe that l
might care for him some day. And /
did like him. So =
You will never, never know how
happy | am, Loraine." he breathed in
to her ear.
Il hope | shall always bring happi-
ness to you, Truxton," she murmured,
faint with the joy of loving.
You will make me very unhappy If
you don't marry me tomorrow"
Il will marry you, Truxton, wnen
we get to New York." she said, but
not very firmly He saw his advan-
tage.
He held her close for a long time,
his face buried in her hair. Listen,
darling! Won't you say you'll be my
wife before / leave Graustark?
want you so much. | can't go away
without you"
She hesitated when are you go
ing, Truxton? YOu-you haven't told
me-"
1t was what he wanted. II am go
ing next Monday" he said promptly.
AS a matter of fact, he had forgotten
the day of the week they were now
living in.
Monday? Oh, dear!"
II must cable home first" she
faltered.
That's mere detail, darling. Gable
afterward 1t will beat us home by
three weeks. They'll know we're COM
ing"
Il must ask John, really l must,
Truxton," she protested family.
"Hurray," he shouted-in whisper.
He is SO desperately in love he won't
think of refusing anything we ask.
Shall we set 1t for Saturday,"
They set it for Saturday without
consulting John Tullis and then fell to
discussing him. He is very much in
love with her." she said wistfully.
And she loves him. Lorraine. They
will be very happy. She's wonderful"
We'll. so Is John. He's the most
wonderful man in all tEis world
Il am sure of it," he agreed mag
unanimously Il saw him talking with
her and the Duke of Persc as | came
out awhile ago. They were going to
the dukes rooms up there. The duke
will offer no objections. He'll permit
his daughter to select his next -son-in-
law"
Il shall be sorry to leave Graustark." "
she said dreamily after long period
of silent retrosprctiOn. I've had the
happiest year Of my life here"
i've had the busiest month of my
life here. I'll never again say that the
world is a dull place. | snudder when
| think of what might have happened
to you. my princess sweetheart, If |
hadn't come to Edelweiss. | would not
have found you" Feeling her tremb-
ling in his arms, he went on with
whimsical good humOr: You would
have been eaten up by the ogre long
before this. or perhaps you would have
succeeded in becoming countess"
"As it is, l snail be a baroness"
I'm Graustark. but not in New York.
That reminds me. You'll be more than
baroneSs-mOre than princess.
You will be a queen. Don't you catch
the point?, You will be Mrs. King"
The Grand Duke Paulus was dis
tinctly annoyed. He had travelled
many miles. endured quite Il number
of hardships, and all to no purpose.
When dawn came his emissaries re-
turned from the city with the lament
able information that the government
had righted itself that MarlanX's SEN
Satiunal revolution was at an end and
that the regents would be highly hon.
ured if his eXcellcncy could overlook
tn" diStrrssingly chaotic conditions at
court and condescend to pay the cas-
tie Il visit.
The grand duke resolved that he
would visit the castle in Il very in
formal way. extend his congratulations
and offer his services, which he knew
would be declined with thanks. Incl
dcntally he would mention the bond
issue: also he would find the oppur-
tunity To suggest to the ministry that
his government still was willing to
make large grants and stup"nd"us
promises if any sort of arrangement
could be made by which the system
might be operated in conjunction with
branch lines of the imperial roads.
And so it was that at midday he
rode i'm pomp and splend"r through
the. city gates. attended by his staff
and a rather overpowcrinS bodyguard.
The grand duke, with all the arr"-
gancc Of real parsonage. WAS late. 1t
WAS not for him to consider the con-