The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06

man he claimed to be- he need not have
feared, in her company. She had only to say
to Mistitch: "Ths is the King of Pan
nona."
He had forbidden Ter to take bit of his
hair. 1t was not wavy hair. 1t was sleek
as seal's-and it had looked black in the
glimpse of him which she owed to the light
ming. At the time she had put that down
to the effect of light and shade but
That the arms which had held her in the
hot darkness were those of lover she could
hardly doubt; but she was growing more
and more certain that they were not
could not be-the arms of Leonhardt of
Vrelde.
when l had you in my arms before"
That was manifestly untrue of Leonhardt.
She had known it at the time He had
turned it off, covered it up. But it was
horribly true of Stepan Woronz They had
been together upon the lake shore for some
hours before she awoke.
She fought against her raging, agonizing
shame, while there fronted her the awful
conviction, he will come again.
Yes, for he had gone away unsatisfied.
Yes, for he believed her convinced that
he was the man he claimed to be. There
would be less difficulty next time, for she
herself had lulled the suspicious of Mstitch
by her unblushing deception respecting
Prince Ra.
.'This is more than l can BEAR" she told
herself in anguish, her mind reaching out
in vain after some evidence upon the other
side of the question. She could think only
of confirmatory details.
He it must have been who lurked upon
the 1sola Bella on the day when she and Ra
had swimming match. He must have
watched her as she lay upon the sand, as
she played about with her hair unbound.
She remembered the sinister expression of
his cold eyes when, supping in the ruins,
she had met his glance. 1t had not meant
hate, as she had then supposed. Not hate
but this worse, this infinitely more de-
grading thing!
Marley, utterly unconscious of the dark
inferno wherein her thought wandered,
sat still, but considerably astonished. After
a long time, as it seemed to him, she came
back, but not very near, and her voice,
with changed tone, made itself heard.
when you saw the spy yesterday-was
he alone?"
"No. Anton was with him. Anton has
been away for some days, and only returned
yesterday"
what were they doing?"
'Just talking-very low-very earnestly.
By the way, that splendid exploit of the
Pole in the water with you gives the ex-
plantation of the way he is able to invade
these grounds. Mistitch has told me he
considered the water as good as wall ;
but this man must always have arrived by
swimming"
81 wonder" she cried, chow much the
Prince of Grenzenmark knows of their spy
ing and intrigued"
Nothing whatever, l should imagine.
They never trust anybody unnecessarily.
The exact political situation is no concern
you"
She laughed, and her laugh had hint
OF rage in it.
ut is trying, is it not" said she, "that
everything must be so obvious, if one hap
pens to be royal? The net is spread in ones
sight. One is asked to walk in, with every
body looking on-and one feels the strings
dlawn-it must be hateful feeling-it
makes one shy and unnatural
Varley knew not what to say
"There is no doubt" he remarked lamely,
chat His Majesty and the queen would be
glad if you could"
'Nibble the bait and walk in?'
"There can be nothing derogattry to you,
princess, in the fact that they hope it may
be a match
She rase to her feet, dignified and splen-
did and snoko &C thouOh Sho flnnu chal