The Tomahawk., 1917-03-08

alone with each other for the hrse
time, in little summer house in the
castle grounds, close to the sea. What
happened can only infer from stories
that have reached me; shall recon-
struct the scene, if you will permit
me-perhaps with little touch of the
romanticist's art.
"Of course the queens pledge was
sacred. There was no thought OF
spying upon the lovers. And in fact.
so justified was the queen in her faith
in Barton's honor that he went to the
rendezvous fully determined to say
good-by for ever and go. But when he
saw Princess Bertha in the summer
house, where she had tremblingly
waited, and when she saw him, they
fell into each others arms, and for
the first time they felt each others
kisses upon their lips.
Then they forgot everything but
their love for each other. For half an
hour they sat entranced, hardly speak
ing, only rlurmuring words Of happy
love. Then the young man realized
that half of his allotted hour was gone,
and he asked her whether she knew
how short period remained to them.
And she cried pitifully, and chung to
him, and begged him not to leave her.
L will go away with you,' she sobbed.
4 will go with you to the worlds end,
for cannot lose you. shall die with
out you. I am of no Importance to
anyone; let us go to America and for
get our past and the disparity in our
rank, and only know that we love
one another Yes,' she continued. 4
will be your wife, the wife of a sea
captain, and I will sail with you all
over the world, or I will live in some
little sea city waiting for you to re-
turn from your voyages, happy In the
thought of our reunion, living only for
you
Remember, Tarrant, she was only
twenty; she had been brought up as
simply as all princesses are; she knew
nothing of life, nothing Of love beyond
what her heart had taught her. And
they had loved each other since their
earliest childhood.
IF Barton was honorable, he was
no stronger than most men are. How
could he hold out against his sweet
hearts pleadings when his whole be-
ing thrilled with the thought Of her,
when he had never lived for anything
else than to be with her? All thought
of honor was swept away in the
strength of his passion, and he swore
that he would take her away with
him, and that they should never again
be parted.
"'You shall leave everything to me-
he told her. Tomorrow my ship sails
for Cherbourg with a load of cattle,
and I must take that last trip. because
I have given heavy bond for my posi-
ton, and if I failed my employers
would lose several thousand pounds.
But shall give them notice that this
trip is to be my last, and in a way
that will awaken no suspicion. A week
from today I shall be back and wait
ing for you at the Cowes railway sta
ton, with our tickets to America.
Take no money, but pack few clothes
into a handbag and meet me there at
eight o'clock
''The princess promised, and then
Barton realized that their hour was
gone. They kissed each other fare
we'll, and he tore himself away. The
princess went back into the castle,
and although this was something Who'll
ly outside of the range of any earlier
experience, her love so strengthened
her that she was able to conceal her
great happiness from her parents.
NAY, more than that; she hid her
plans from that shrewdest Of women,
the old queen herself. Victoria sent
for her the next morning and, after
a few preliminaries, told her that Bar
ton had announced his intention OF
leaving England because he felt that
he ought no longer to compromise her
future. Had he spoken of that? Yes,
ma'am,' answered the girl calmly. An
untruth was little thing to her now;
and this was not untrue, for assuredly
Barton was leaving, although his plan
was changed somewhat. The queen
was satisfied, and marveled at the
strength which the princess showed
under her affliction. Her parents, too,
were we'll pleased With her.
"The days rolled slowly by until at
last the eventful evening came. The
princess, pleading indisposition, re-
tired to her room and graciously told
her maid that she need not attend her;
she could go to her supper. The
princess apartments were in a wing
of the castle, near the high road, and
there would be no one stirring at that
hour, for the supper rooms were on
the other side and there were no serV-
ants in the halls. At seven o'clock she
packed a few necessary articles OF
clothing in a bag and slipped out OF
her room and crept quietly down the
corridor. No one was near. She sped
down the stairs guiltily, gained the
side entrance unobserved, and hurried
across the lawn under the shade OF
the great elm trees. Presently she
had reached the high road, and then