breaking her tortured heart. She was in love--but with no royal
prince! Of this, however, the Countess knew nothing, so Lorry
had one great secret to cherish alone.

"Has she chosen the course she will pursue?" asked Lorry, as the
Countess concluded her story. Isis face was turned away.

"She cannot decide. We have wept together over this dreadful,
this horrible thing. You do not know what it means to all of us,
Mr. Lorry. We love her, and there is not one in our land who
would sacrifice her to save this territory. As for Gabriel,
Graustark would kill her before she should go to him. Still she
cannot let herself sacrifice those northern subjects when by a
single act she can save them. You see, the Princess has not
forgotten that her father brought this war upon the people, and
she feels it her duty to pay the penalty of his error, whatever
the cost."

"Is there no other to whom she can turnno other course?" asked
Lorry.

"There is none who would assist us, bankrupt as we are. There is
a question I want to ask, Mr. Lorry. Please look at me--do not
stare at the fountain all the time. Why have you come to
Edelweiss?" She asked the question so boldly that his startled
embarrassment was an unspoken confession. He calmed himself and
hesitated long before answering, weighing his reply. She sat
close beside him, her clear gray eyes reading him like a book.

"I came to see a Miss Guggenslocker," he answered at last.