The Washington times., 1911-09-26
cHAprER xxyuI tcontinuedI) !.

r n the state bedroom the small group
of watchers surrounded the bed.
i The SLOW minutes fled away In
dreary procession. -
Another hour passed. Then the fe-
ure on the bed, hitherto so motionless,
twitched and moved; the lips parted.
There is hope" said the doctor. and
administered a stimulant
II quarter of an hour the patient
had regained consciousness. For the
ten thonsandth time in the history of
medicine a sound constitution had ac-
complished miracle Impossible to the
accumulated medical skill OF centuries.
In due course the doctor left, saying
that Prince Eugen was ION the high
road to recovery" and promising to
come again within a few hours.
Morning had dawned. Nella drew the
great curtains and let in a Hood of
sunlight
Old Hans, overcome by fatigue. dozed
In chair In a far Corner of the room.
Inc reaction had been too much for
Nella and Prince AriBert looked at
each other. They had not exchanged a
word about themselves, yet each knew
what the other had been thinking.
They clasped hands with a perfect
had been Of the silent kind, and II was
silent now.
No word was uttered. A shadow had
passed from over them, but only their
eyes expressed relief and Joy.
"Aribert!'
The faint call came from the bed
Aribert went TO the bedside, while Nella
remained near the window.
What is 1t, Eugen?" he said. You
are better now"
Ent
Il want you to forgive me for all this,
Aribert. / must have caused you an
intolerable trouble. I did II so ciumsily:
that Is what annoys me. Laudanum
think OF nothing else, and daren't ask
anyone for advice. I was obliged to go
out and buy the stun for myself 1t
was all very awkward. But, thank
goodness, II has not been Intellectual"
What do you mean, Eugen? You are
better. In day or SO you will be per-
fectly recovered"
II am dying said Eugen, quietly.
DO not be deceived. l die because i
wish to die. 1t Is bound to be so.
hours It will be over. The throne Of
Posen will be yours, Arfbert. You will
ill 1t more worthily than have done.
Don't let them know over there that
l poisoned myself. Swear Hans to Sc
crecy; swear the doctors to secrecy. and
breathe no word yourself. ! have been
a fool. but do not wish n 10 be known
that / was also a coward. Perhaps II
is not eowardice: perhaps 1t is courage
after all-courage to cut the knot.
Il could not have survived the dis
grace Of any revelations, Aribert, and
revelations would have been sure to
come. I have made a fool Of myself. but
| am ready to pay for II. We of Pesen-
we always pay-everything except our
.:Ah, those debts! Had 1t not been
for those, / could have faced her who
was TO have been my wife, to have
den my past and begun again. With
her help / really could have begun
again. But fate has been against me
always"
Old Hans had slipped from his chair
to the floor. He picked himself up.
dazed, and crept shamefacedly out OF
the room.
Nonsense, Eugen. You are dream
ing. You will be all right soon. Pull
yourself together"
IAN because of a mf1lion.'' the sick
man moaned. ''one miserable million
of Posen is fifty millions, and 1. Prince
of Posen, couldn't borrow one. II
could have got II, I might have held
my head up again. Good-by' Arfoert
Who Is that gfrl?'
Aribert looked up. Nella was stand
ing. silent. at the foot of the bed, her
eyes moist.
She came round to the bedside and
put her hand on the patients heart.
Scarcely could she feel its puIsation.
and to Arihert her eyes expressed de-
spair.
At that moment Hans re-entered the
room and beCkoned to her.
II have heard that Herr Racksole II
returned to the hotel" he whispered,
''and that he has captured that man
Jules, who they say is such a villain.
Several times during the night Nella
had inquired for her father, but could
gain no knowledge of his Whereabouts.
Now at $50 in the morning
rumor had mysteriously spread among
the servants of the hotel about the hap
penings Of the night before.
How IL had originated no one could
say, but II had originated.