Princess Maritza

driven rapidly across the blue. Hurrying shadows flecked the swelling bosom of the downs, and where the grass was long it rippled like a green sea, making rus

raughts, until the sorrows of life and its cares were forgotten; a morning that lent st

face which proclaimed him one of those who would be likely to succeed in anything he undertook, no matter what dangers and difficulties might stand in his path, one who would march straight forward to his object even as he breasted the downs this morning. Most men would have pronounced him handsome, judging, as men ever do, by build and muscle; women might have he

is quite certain that no such thing as a faded flower, or a glove, or love token of any kind held a place among his treasures. No woman in the past had given him a single heart throb which love lent a sense of pain to, and it seemed unlikely that any woman would wish to do so now. For Desmond Ell

areer which it involved, and as he approached the top of the downs his eyes were bent upon the gro

acing past him a little to his left. A run of a few yards enabled him to intercept it, and he grasped it

loose hair streaming in the breeze. She did not c

t improved," he said,

he answered with a smile; "but thanks all the same. Had it got past yo

t after the r

ch is beyond my power; no difficulty I could not fight and overcome; no danger I could not despise and laugh at. My blood is full

etim

its high places waiting to be won. There is nothing out of his reach, if h

hangeful color, as full of secrets as a deep pool in the hollow of a wood, quiet, silent secrets which presently, when the time came, a lover might seek to understand, yet promising angry and tempestuous moods should storms happen. Her lips, parted often as though she were waiting for someone with eager expectation

h a grand thing as you suppose

country, I know, but it is never the same. She cannot be a statesman, she cannot be a soldier. She cannot take

ng the man after he has won pla

onquest does no

quickly, and then he half regretted hi

moment, a smile upon her lips, yet

am very you

you

orant, or whatever word yo

probed life very deep

," she answered. "You are not so ve

m more of a fool than an

lf-way to success. That sounds as if I had stolen something from a copy-book, doesn't it? But no,

erience," said Ellerey, hardly knowing

e towards, an end I must win. It was born into, handed down in my blood through generations of men of action. The ambi

pirit in you de

nted down into the valley below them. "Do you see that building yonder

es

know wha

N

nable school, where they teach young ladies how to behave properly, how to grow up to rule those fighting men we were speaking of, how to fit themselve

? Th

t, and-yes, I think I shall go back presently, when I h

ished, I am afrai

punishment. It is strange, but they rath

nk that is st

ed quickly, "and men are weak where attracti

omewhat startled Ellerey, and yet, as he looked at h

ace as she said it. "I am glad that it is so. My looks will help me when the work of my life beg

end to run aw

me because I am a foreigner. You English are so polite. You do not seem to expect foreigners to know how to behave, and you make

I should not have taken you

, and my own tongue, I

l these countries.

like England n

. It is only that which makes me dislike England. Of Englishmen I know little, but I have read about them, and they have done some good, brav

the best he wants a lot of beating; at the worst, well, he wants a

occasioned, perhaps, by the careless way in which he asked the question. She felt that h

try I am a prin

dee

not beli

every inch a prin

e returned with a flash in her eyes. "You do not believe me

ieve you," said

elented in

and I, if we knew each other. You hav

, Prin

that here. Why do you

d not und

ough to measure her strength against his for a moment. "You

ce. Then he shook his head slowly. It was pleasant to hear such faith expressed in him, and he was

you will. Only never speak of ambition as

ou do me good," E

, and we become women earlier than English girls do. Listen! There are England, and France, and Germany, and Austria, and Russia all interested in me, and nothing would please them all so much as my d

will not

t is I who will be there one day. Shall I tell you? There are hundreds, thousands, of men who are ready to strike in my cause when the time is ripe. Even now there is a statesman working to set these countries at c

may. You d

doubt it?

be heavy odds

for, something to win, and if I may not win, I hope to fall in the press of the fight, and,

nd Ell

o outlet in England, come to my country, to the city of Sturatzberg, and claim f

te direction to the school, her truant spirit not yet satisfied, and Ellerey watched her until he lost sight

ge to look upon them bravely, and to believe in her power to overcome them. That was her secret, the belief in her own power. He had faced his difficulties bravely enough, but he had not had the courage to hope; therein lay his weakness, an

Lady Martin, two people who had looked into his eyes when he h

lawn toward the ho

nture, Charles; I h

dens in the village. I have been

mond answered. "She was playing truant from school,

, red-headed girl?"

een her?" D

know all

ribe her as a tall, red-headed girl. She's the most beautiful w

efly remarkable for their inability to rule, and her chance of ascending the throne of her fathers is absolutely nil, fortunately for

ut a soldier-at least,

d like to impro

nd when you have mastered the position, thank your natal stars that you were not born to take a hand in ruling it. It is a menace to Europe, Desmond, that's t

ad with a thousand details concerning Wallaria. When he went to dress for dinner he felt that he had been

ing about you, Desmond," sa

your opinion o

for a little while, Desmond; for a year or so? It will give time for

ly good of you both to have me here at a time when most of my friends found it convenient to forget me. I shall not come back until th

e in time," sa

termination," said Sir Cha

Wall

lla

there is room for

les look

smond, s

inst my country; well, with whom does the fault lie, with England or with me? England has dispensed with my services, believing a lie; she drives me fr

ulder, pressed it in kindly sympathy

ou will think better of

Char

ady Martin had gone. "I can never thank you enough. It seems poor gratitude to pain you n

ss has bewi

ped like a tree in the budding here, and I see a new outlet for my energies yonder, that is