The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-24
CHAPTER xxx.
katharine.

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
signified that such was his wish.
He turned toward her now gravely
and held out his hands. She placed
hers in his. trembling.
Was it true?" she whispered Did
| they indeed and indeed-did they call
you-the king? Or, how can be hap
py at that. Now, l must go back-I
must leave youi"
You shall never goi" said the quiet
voice of the man who confronted her
You shall never leave me now"
But how? You are the king? II
has been confirmed. The scripts were
true-what we thought was true"
Il am the kingl 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 go 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 I am king in establishing those
principles in this kingdom"
But I cannoti / am an unknown
woman. / am of no birth. l am not
your"
Again he laid his fingers upon her
lips lightly.
onf1 ha. 11 aH.s
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 /? 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.
1T is all clear" said he to her at
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.
l accord him but one item of
thanks II 1t was through his treach-
cry that / lost the coin at the time
that l was in your country, on the
errand of the Gretzhoffen loan. He
stole that coin. He must have lost or
pawned half of it, or sold it. At least.
that is how you found 1t. So thank
him, for SO much as that.
"As for Roleau-the son of that
faithful servant of my father-he shall
be honored by us both, because he
has given loyalty. ] myself have
grieved that once was cruel to him
that 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 / have told him SO
much as that.
What curse attends these treas
ures! See now. out of all these who
have been about me, two have been
faithful-the son of that man who
was faithful to our earlier king. and
you! You fought me, yes. but you
fought fair. You kept your word
you honorel your own parole-you al
ways will do SO. / trHst 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
1t.
II give you my faith, Katharine"
said he. simply. DO you love met"
81 do" said she, so low he could
scarce 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 roar of the great organ and the
later applause Of the assembled multi
tudes, who hailed them as saviors OF
the land.
He gave her 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
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