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"Gretchen, Gretchen!" said the king

Gretchen could stand it no longer She wrenched herself free fro heart, understood all now Poor unhappy Gretchen!

"Here I aainst the bars and thrusting her hands through them

"The devil!" murmured thecovered her hands with passionate kisses

"Yes, yes! They have endheit"

"No, Gretchen," said the voice fro, Gretchen, the king"

"Uncle!" in anguish

"Let us have it over with," replied Prince Ludwig sadly

"The king?" Gretchen laughed shrilly "What jest is this, Leopold?"

The king, still holding her hands, looked down

"Leopold?" plaintively

Still he did not speak, still he averted his head But God knew that his heart was on the rack

The princess, re to interfere, felt the sirl! The pity of it! This king was a scoundrel

"Leo, look at ether in the vineyards, and did we not plan for the future? Ah, yes! You are a king only to me I see But it is a cruel jest, Leopold S to the bars now; her body, held in the vise of growing terror, was ally

"He asksa villain! Yes," his voice keen with agony "I aendheit But aht to love like other men! Do not doubt me, Gretchen; do not think that I played with you I love you better than my crown, better than"Some one else is near"

"I care not! Before all the world I would gladly proclaim it I love her I swear that I shall never ! Gretchen, Gretchen! My God, she is falling! Help her!" wildly; and he shook the bars with supernatural strength till his hands were bleeding

But Gretchen did not answer