Middletown transcript., 1912-09-21

imposing guard; escorted with due
honor through the gates, and up the
narrow street of the town.
As he climbed the winding high
way, my lord, the Marquis, bestowed
approving nod and smile this way and
that; it may be that he already felt
nearer afiliation with these people;
for his glance, gracious, condescend-
ing in passing, was that of a man
armed with the knowledge that he,
kinsman Of the King, might some day
be called upon to govern here. But
to these advances, the townspeople re-
sponded i'll, and the young noble's
brow went delicately up, as if little
amused! Mon dieui did not unfriend-
ly eyes peer from every lurking place
around the royal palaces and pleasure
grounds near Paris; and had they not
encountered them all the way to the
sea? People were the same every
where; must be treated like bad chill
dren, and, with relays of troops from
the capital to the sea, from the strand
to the Mounts high top, one could
afford to smile at their petty humors
Above all, when one had more mo-
mentous matter for consideration!
And my lord lifted his head higher
toward a rampant, where some one
had once bid him au revoir, and
where he might yet in fancy see a
duttering ribbon wave bright adieu!
But today my lady, the Princess Of
the Rock, was not there; waited
above. with her father, to receive
him-then-in the great Hall Of the
Chevaliers. Until that morning she
had not known Of the coming Of the
Marquis, an impatient suitor, follow
ing the courier and the .perfumed mis-
sive acquainting her with the mobiles
near approach. Certainly had she
shown surprise; but whether she was
pleased or not, his Excellency could
not tell.
He was still uncertain; standing,
near the raised gallery, in the ancient
sale des chevaliers, from time to
time regarded her furtivelyl Often
had she looked from one Of the round
windows, commanding a view Of the
shore and the sands; many times
turned away. At first sight Of the
company on the beach, the Governor
had seen the girls face alter and not
ed the involuntary start she had
given. Whereupon, moving toward one
Of the giant flre-places, had he sought
for the sake Of diplomacy and the
end in view, to turn their conversa-
ton into a channel that should have
interested her; spoke Of plans to be
made; preparations for festivities and
merrymaking commensurate with the
circumstances. But to these sugges-
tions Of gaieties, the prelude to a
stately ceremony, had she hardly
listened; paused absently before the
blazing logs; once or twice seemed
about to say something and stopped.
She was silent now, slender figure
beneath that great canopy Of stone
designed for the shelter Of a score
OF knights; nervously twining and ia,
tertwining her fingers, she looked out
at the shadows moving between the
columns, playing around the bases,
or melting in the vaulting.
'They should be almost here now"
observed his Excellency, again seek
ing to break that spell Of constraint,
when suddenly she stepped to him.
Mon pere," her voice sounded
strained, unnatural, 1T was you who
wanted this marTiase?"
Yes" he had answered in some
surprise; YES"
"And I have not opposed you-she
King"
"Opposed7 MOL Of course mott"
@Then," more hurriedly must You
DO something in return for mel do I