Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-10-05
CHAPTER LxxIx.
Katharine.

Katharine.
Two were alone nee 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
signiled that such was his wish.
He turned toward her now gravely
and held out his hands. She placed
hers in his. trembling.
WAS 1t true?" she whispered. Did
they indeed and indeed-did they call
you-the king? Or, how a l be hap.
py at that. Now. l must 60 back-I
must leave you!"
you shall never co." said the quiet
voice OF the man who confronted her.
You shall never leave me now"
But how? You are the king? It
has been confirmed. The scripts were
true-what we thought vas true"
II am the king! Yes. but how shall
I rule alone? You shall sit beside me.
for It's 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 60 on in this business now,
this solemn undertaking which l must
assume. and miss your counsel in the
future? You shall be as much queen
as l am king In establishing those
principles in this kingdom"
But l cannot! am an unknown
woman. + am Of no birth. 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 l bet.
ter than he? Was he better than you?
am l? 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,
she could not withhold her own-could
not withdraw them. so firmly clasped
were they now. Trembling, weeping,
she looked up into his eyes.
HYk {, oil o1oorD eotA bo to har az
length. 1T was Grahame, my unfaith-
full bodyguard. who had the knowl-
edge Of these things. and who be.
trayed us by that knowledge. He
got the coins from Boris Roleau.
I accord him but one item OF
thanks 1T was through his treach.
cry that l lost the coin at the time
that I was in your country, on the
errald Of the G%retzhoffen loan. He
stole that coin. He must have lost or
pawned half of it, or sold it. At least,
that is how you found it. So l thank
him, for so much as that.
"As for Roleau-the son Of that
faithful servant of my father-he shall
De uoloIco ny 10 USIu, pcSduSO Ao
has given loyalty. I myself have
grieved that once l was cruel to him
that l struck him even-after the old
fashion Of our rulers here. Not again
shall that occur. Roleau, your friend,
my servant-he shall be captain Of the
Imperial Guard. l have told him so
much as that.
What a curse attends these treas
ures! See now, out of all these who
have been about me, two have been
faithful-the o Of that ma who
was faithful to our earlier king, and
you! You fought nc, yes, but you
fought fair. You kept your word
you honored your WI %parole-you al
ways will do so. I trust your word
as I trust the beating Of my own heart.
You then shall be-ycu are-my
queen!"
She could not answer, and still no
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 beforS
It.
II give you my faith. Katharine"
said he, simply. do you love me?"
Il do" said she, SO low he could
catch the words.
And even in these words spoken
there, the one 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 oar of the great organ and the
later applause Of 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 sclennly, IF ever l betray
them or you"
L'ENVOI.
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
the editor of the Daily Star in Kitty
own city, and it was enough to
give even Billy Cutler. city editor,
pause for at least a moment.
well, good Lord" said he, who'll
I put on the society page? Boys, the
were a total loss-and so am
I! Here is an alias and an alibi! Lis.
ten!" He read from the little yellow
bit Of paper which he held:
"'Great story, but cannot return to
America inside six months as prom.
l have lost my wager, but have
a husband and a home. Kath
arine, Regina Graetisjovensis.'"
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