The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-11-18
CHAPTER xxx.
katharine.

. Two were alone once more, two
, whom fate had so strangely cast to-
/ gether in such scenes The tumult had
ceased Quiet and order now obtained
within those ancient walls Those two
were alone in the great throneroom OF
the kingdom, for the nobleman had
signided that such was his wish.
He turned toward her now grayely
and held out his hands. She placed
hers in his, trembling
Was it true2' she whispered. Did
they indeed and ir>eef-did they call
you-the king? Or, how can be hap
py at that Now. nust 90 back-I
must leave youi'
You shall never go," said the quiet
voice OF the man who confronted her.
You shall never leave me now.
But how? You are the king? 1t
has been confirmed. The scripts were
true-what we thought was true"
Il an the king, Yes, but how shall
! rule alone? You shall sit beside me,
for tbs you have taught me how a
king should rule Liberty and JUS
tice'-those words were strangers to
my ears until you spoke them. Think
you ! could 20 on in this business now,
/ this solemn undertaking which must
assume and miss your counsel in the
future? You shall be as much queen
as l an king in establishing those
principles in this kingdom"
But ! cannot, | am an unknown
woman. am OF no birth. l am not
your
Again he laid his fingers upon her
lips lightly.
Cease said he; do not say that
word Michael, himself, my father,
/ perhaps was OF no lofty lineage so far
as traced kings could be named. He
himself came from where he grew
he. seized the reins of power-and he
gave the people such liberty and JUS
| tice as then was possible. Am | bet
ter than he? Was he better than you?
am /? Say no more, think no more
that word which you were about to
name"
Again he held out to her his hands,
and now, in spite of all she could do,
slLt NONlu lOl WllLllOlu lltl
not withdraw them, so firmly clasped
we're they now. Trembling, weeping,
she looked up into his eyes.
1T is all clear" said he to her at
ength. 1T was Grahame, my unfaith-
Jul bodyguard, who had the knowl-
edge Of these things, and who be-
rayed US by that knowledge. He
a. DAIo
accord him but one item of
hanks it was through his treach-
cry that | lost the coin at the time
hat / was in your country, on the
srrand OF the Gretzhoffen loan. He
stole that coin. He must have lost or
pawned half OF it, or sold it. At least,
hat is how you found it. So thank
him, for so much as that.
"As for Roleau-the son of that
faithful servant of my father-he shall
De honored by us both, because he
mas given loyalty. | myself have
yrieved that once | was cruel to him
hat | struck him even-after the old
fashion of our rulers here. Not again
shall that occur. Roleau, your friend,
III Stl ant Ht SIldll Dt captain VI lut
Imperial Guard. | have told him so
much as that.
What a curse attends these treas
ures! See now, out of all these who
have been about ne, two have been
faithful-the son of that man who
was faithful to our earlier king, and
you! You fought me, yes, but you
you honored your own parole-you al
ways will do so. I trust your word
as trust the beating of my own heart.
You then shall be-you are-my
queen,"
She could not answer, and still he
went on slowly: Ahead of us is duty,
responsibility-for both of US. We
serve for liberty and Justice"
He led her gently to the great
throne of Gretzhoffen, which stood be-
fore them now. They bowed before
it.
II give you my faith, Katharine"
said he, simply. DO you love me?"
Il do" said sSe. so low he could
scarce catch the words.
And even in these words spoken
there. the Cne TO the other. in the 81
lence of the great throne chamber OF
the kingdom, their plighted troth
seemed as the words of the priest and
the roar OF the great organ and the
later applause CT the assembled multi
tudes, who hailed them as saviors OF
the land.
He gave her a hand now up the
steps TO the great throne itself. and
bowed to her as she dropped back
upon the great seat of power
God DO so TO me and more also"
said he solemnly, IF ever l betray
them or you"
LENVOI.
Under the sea there sped from the
little kingdom of Gretzhoffen to the
great republic Of America a message
carried in the electric spark which
united the world. 1t was directed to
he editor Of the Daily Star in Kitty
iray's own city, and it was enough to
give even Billy Cutler city editor,