Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-07

Rodoslav. @You will hear some of the songs
that have put heart into my people even in
defeat"
The words of the chant that followed
| were incomprehensible; but even had Rodo
slav not ever and again dropped a low voiced
comment, they would have known that the
old man sang of epic things. Like the dance,
| the music was its own interpreter, and to
Ann, knowing what she did of the man at
her side profoundly moving. She needed
not to be told when the minstrel mourned
| the loss of Servian freedom. For the mo-
ment she was a Servian herself, mourning
| too. She was Servian also when the theme
| changed from lament to a Wanting recital
of the power and glory of the fallen Empire,
and, as the song in fiery climax sWelled to
prophecy that the Car should rule again,
her heart thrilled to it's heroic summons
Was it not her cause too? If the Empire
rose again from it's ashes, if the united
Servians raised Rodoslav to the throne of
his fathers, would it not be in part her work?
HER lashes we're wet as the song reached
IL it's end and Rodoslav, who had missed
nothing her face had to tell, contrived to get
a word with her as they strolled back
toward the guardroom.
Il saw that it was your song as well as
mine," he murmured "You realized what
it meant to me here and now. Listen, my
ally! There are things l must say to you
before we sleep. When the opportunity
comes, take advantage of it..
"Will not tomorrow do?" she asked.
mo, no." he replied. II cannot wait till
tomorrow. 1t must be tonight
She did not wonder to see him so strongly
moved. The marvel was that he betrayed
Hold no fr,I
dreaming what he dreamed, planning what
he planned, she felt that the epic chant
would have unmasked her heart to the dull
est eye.
The chance she was to seize had not pre-
sented itself when the party broke up for the
night. At the last moment, however, Rodo-
slav made the carving of the chimneypiece
a pretext to draw her aside.
1.-THE Venetians stuck their lion every
where" he said for the benefit of the stock
broker; then, as Truscott moved away
toward the others at the far end of the hall,
he added hu1riedly, you'll see passage
almost opposite the door of your room. 1t
is dark, but safe Follow it till it branches,
and take the turning to the left. That will
bring you to door opening on a little court
you have not seen. | shall be waiting there.
"Surely tomorrow"
Il have told you l cannot wait. Are you
afraid of this rookery of mine?" His smile
Knocked her. 1Or are you thinking of the
conventions? Who will know But l do
you an injustice. You have proved yourself
superior to petty obstacles. You know too
that would not ask you to come if did not
need you Our time is short, my ally"
Every WE'LL she assented, touched by the
gravity of his final words, u will come"
IN the gray austerity of her bedroom she
1 had her misgivings; but the united COM
pulson of the place, the night, his personal
ity, and her own avid desire, now that the
end was at hand, to miss no more of the
great drama than she must, drew her ire
sistibly toward the secret interview.
Half eager. half afraid she waited in the
thick walled recess framing her door until
Rodoslav's guests and servants should have
disposed themselves for sleep. Satisfied at
last that no one was astir, she let herself out,
stole glance right and left, and slipped
across the dim corridor into the deeper OBJ
security of the passage. Such light as pene-
trated here came from rude lamp swinging
from the vaulting near her door, and, as it
merely tempered the darkness at the begin
ming of the passage, she had to distinguish
the turning by feeling. Once past the fork
ing of the way, however, she was guided by