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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1905)
m mm I. T wis nn riT'''1'"nt evening toward the end of June, and the palace nf the kinK at Va-uff. In i ! .ni-i . was brilliant with many light?, 'mil fh vast salons mere thronged. His maj. sty. thi tili!iii n .1 and popular King Sigismun.l. was tli. it night In ne of his he-t moods and had I.. n lie mi to speak In complimentary fashion to ft in I'.a nl. the In lr tn the thmni . a 1 mi it the which had taken pi. h p an hmr earlier of " I.e he said. " Decidedly It Is fine. I have greatly P rforma nee Kr, la .lit." " It la flnp. enjoyed It." The prince ha.l m'Hy coldly acuub so. .1 In tho remark and the king ha.l chided him sharply on his want of enthusiasm " What ails you?" ask'-d the king. " You are moody nn.l sad, nnd tt.la ia a time to put away sad thoughts." Anil thin t!m irlnre. after a moment's hesitation, ha.l said something whlrh maile the king start angrily. "It Is the truth, sire,'- said Taul. earnestly. "It Is with me an affair of life and death." "Tho truth, you say?" ejiciilat.il the monarch "No. no; not. mayhe, the real truth, but only a boy's whim." ' On my life, sire. It Is as I ventured to tell you. I cannot Rive her up." was the fervent response. Ami th.n, whilst the aristocratic an.l brilliant assemblage In the royal palace was dancing, his majesty put his hand fiff. ctlonat. ly on the young man's arm ami drew him away Into an n nte-room. "Till me more." hp began, kindly, as he sat down on a divan. "Don't be hasty. I am a father, although I am a king." For answer the prince dropped on one knee before the King. "There is nothing more to tell you, sire. Only that I love her deeply, that I shall always love her. that I cannot live without her, that she Is with me wherever I go in the city ways, In the forest, on the battlefield during the last war." The king looked thoughtful and sad and then he extended his right hanu. " Hlse," he said. "Sit down there In front of me," and he Indicated a chair. " You will listen, aire?" aald the young man. Imploringly. "You will realise what It means to me?" The king rose and took a step or two up and down tho apartment with his hands behind his back. "listen?" he said, musingly. " Why "and he faced the prince suddenly" I would rather listen to that music than to these words of yours. 1 thought you had forgotten." The prince made a despairing gesture and the king ahook his head. " Marry Mile. Xenla. the actress." he said, musing ly. "Why. It would make our court a laughing stock: and lp these days is It not necessary Jealously ,o guard the dignity of kingship more assiduously than of old? I cannot argue with you. You must be brave, you must forget, there is no other way there la no other way! You must tell her that a. I It at an end." " nut. sire. If you would sea her!" exclaimed the prince !n a despairing tone. " I did see her," was the grave reply. " And " "She acted charmingly; and she rides well, I hear, for they tell me that you and she have been seen In the park fit a morning. O. she played well this cviiiing. and sang still better yes. certainly she sang still belli r. Hut one can ad mire a nightingale and then go on ono's way. Come, come, i you must see that It Is useless. She is an ornament to our court, and more than tli.it, maybe, but she Is no wife for the heir to the throne. You do not belong to j'oiirsi If. but to your country, to your family. The world would laugh. London, Vienna, Paris. St. Petersburg would be vastly amused; and," continued the king, as he walked to the end of tin apartment and raised the curtain, " It Is not my wish to provide amuse ment for London, Paris, or St. Pi tersburg. to say nothing of Vienna," and he walked out of the salon and proceeded to ward tho ballroom. , But he stopped half way and motioned to a chambprlaln to approach him. "Tell Mile. Xcnla." he said to that functionary, "that I wish to speak to her." And as the chamberlain retired with a low bow hla majesty turned and exchanged a laughing word with a courtier who stood near. ' A minute later, as Mile. Xenla approached, the king could do nothing. but admire. She was a representative of that ethereal Saxon loveliness which the painters of the north have typified, and as she made a deep curtsey the king sighed deeply at a thought which flashed through his mind. "I wished," he said, "to compliment you." " Your majesty is too good," replied the girl, tremulously. " Tell me," went on the king, and there was a ring of sym pathy in his voice, " whence come you?" There was a moment's hesitation. " You forget," said his majesty, with an Indulgent smile. "You have forgotten your t.atlve country?" " No, no, aire. I come from Germany." Hut the girl spoke as though she had something she wished to hide some and rhapter which the world was not to read. "Hut," mused the king, " Ucrmany Is a vast realm. Is that all? One mny come from the north or from the south." " I was last at Vlennn. sire." " You act delightfully." said the king. " You charmed us all tonight," he added, with sympathy. " I am grateful, sire." "It la the truth-." The girl bowed low. " Your singing pleased me much," the monarch went on. " Your majesty Is very good." "It Is no empty compliment I scorn such," said the king gravely. " But as to your life. Are there not hardships in It? There ahould not be to you." V The girl bowed again. " O, yes, sire; we have our sad days." "You have beauty, mademoiselle-great beauty," and the king eyed her searchlngly, as If he could read her soul; " and you have also talent, and with these two things one ahould go far In this world. I wish you good fortune and a large measure of happiness," and with those words the monarch turned away. For a moment Xenla was lost In thought, and then a voice nt her elbow said, gravely: " I clHlm thla dance, mademoiselle. " She atarted and drew back as If frightened, but then re covered herself. Prince Paul was facing her and bowing low. " I have nlarmed you," he exclaimed, with a note of concern In hla voice, "No no," she stammered. "But you look so terribly serious, so woebegone. What calamity are you fearing?" " You will dance?" he said, pleadingly, disregarding her re mark. " The calamity would be your refusal. You will dance?" "Yes, yes. If you wish It." she answered, with a smile. ' But you are tragic, prince. You frighten me." "If I wish It!" he exclaimed passionately. "You ask that you! Why, I " "O!" she began, In protest, and a second later they were circling the room. "You are pale tonight, prince," ahe said, suddenly, trying to give a light turn to thought; but he did not heed her re mark. Then as they valsed on he looked ardently Into her eyes. " You will not forget your promise?" he said, earnestly. " I ought to forget It." she responded, and there was a note of melancholy In her tone. " It is my duty to forget all about It" " But you will come?" he urged, vehemently. The girl hesitated a second longer. " In an hour's time," he went on. " Yes," she said at last. " I will be there." "Thank you-thank you!" he cried, passionately. The dance had only Just ended w hen an aid de camp asked Lave to speak to the prince, who was calltd away, and soon after a chamberlain came up to where Xenl.i was sitting. He was a tall, good looking functionary, modest of bear ing, however, for his position at court was so great that he di I not require to remind any one of its importance. " Mademoiselle," he said, courteously, " I have to bg you to follow me." " Whf re to?" she asked curiously, but rising as she spoke. " To the king, mademoiselle." " His majesty wishes to see me?" She exclaimed, wonder Inrly. " Yes. mademoiselle; the king desired me to Inform you thit he wished to speak with you." " It Is strange." she said, half to herself. " for the king did no- the honor to sieak to me but half nn hour ago." The orhVi r bowed. " It Is not a trouble to mademoiselle?" l:e said, politely. Flip smiled, ns if no answer were requisite to such a ques tion. "On the contrary. It is a great honor," and she followed the chamberlain through the brilliant ballroom to the king's reception chamber; whilst as they passed people turned and look-d on Inquiringly, feeling sure that the great artiste who had charmed all that evening was on the way to receive royal tnanks and praise for what she had done. II. "It Is here, mademoiselle," said the chamberlain, cour teously, as he stopped before a curtained doorway at which stood an officer of the bodyguard, who drew back and saluted The curtain parted nnd Xenla found herself for a second time In the space of an hour In the presence of the king. His majesty dismissed a secretary as she entered and motioned to her to sit dow n. "I have asked you here to see me." he 1 gan. "because 1 have a message for you an Important message." " A message for me, sire?" she queried, In alarm. " Yes." he said, gravely, and he leant back in his chair and placed a hand on each arm. "Mile. Xenla, it Is an Important message the message of duty. I will not slight your Intelli gence by Informing you that your beauty has turned the head tf my son, but I will honor your intelligence, mademoiselle, by asking you to listen to what I have to say. Mademoiselle." he continued, with more feeling, "would you do something for me?" " I am grateful to your majesty," replied the girl. "I feel deeply all the many kindnesses I have received at Varoff " "And if you would requite these these kindnesses but stay, it Is not for kings to be satisfied with words alone Ac ct pt this trifle," nnd his majesty handed her a sparkling ring ' You would-and you could offer a return?" " Yes. sire." The king hesitated. "You are surprised at something, sire?" the girl asked timidly, ami her fingers pressed the colli t of the ring. " No. no; I am not surprised not nt all surprised, made moiselle." " If. sire, you would tell me what 1 should do. 1 have re ceived so much kindness hi re that It would Is' pleasant to give any return." "That is precisely the difllculty." and the king knit his brows. " The difficulty, sire?" He nodded. "You have only to order me, your majesty," faltered the girl. "You have only to order, I will ..ley." The king seemed to rouse himself from a reverie. "Order you, mailt niolselle?" he said at last. "Why. It Is the last tiling before heaven! that I should wish to do. Come, let us talk for a moment of something else. Those are beau tiful pearls you are wearing." Xenla glanced down at the Jewels shining on h'T white throat and smiled. "They were given to inc. sire." she said, lightly. "Ah! a handsome gift. By whum," Interrogated the king, with an air of Interest" If I may Inquire?" he added gra ciously. ' " By the Duchess Marie Elizabeth, sire." The monarch nodded. "Ah. .It was she, I remember, who Introduced you to our court. Is it not so?" " Yes, your majesty," was the response. " I owe much to her highness." "And I am profoundly grateful to her," said the king; and, mademoiselle, ft is be cause I know that her interest n you says everything for your understanding that I appeal to yon to your higher self. You must know," and he leant forward and took her hand" you must know that a mar riage Ix'tween my son and yourself is out of the question, and et I do not blame him for being blind. Therefore it is to you that I come. Mademoiselle, yon must leave us for a time. The prince Is young; he Is uncertain like our times; and In these days more than ever the nets of kings are watched more closely than of old. Will you do this for me? I ask it as a friend, for I wish to be your friend." The girl withdrew her hand quickly, though the king en deavored to retain it, nnd she sank back in her chair, while there was that in her countenance suggesting one who looked for the direst and most melancholy news. " Have I asked too much of you?" said the king, sympa thetically. "Perhaps," he went on. gravely, "much Borrow would be spared you In the years which are to come. Made moiselle, if you love my son and you do love him you will consent." The girl burst Into tears. For a moment the king looked ct her, communing with himself, wondering whether he was right iu the step he was taking, for. after all. life waa life, and where the gray shadow of grief could be avoided was It not right to do so? "No, sire," she said at last; "it Is right. You have not demanded too much." "And you will forgive me?" he said, with an attempt at gallantry. " You will pardon what I have done?" " I have nothing to forgive, sire. It shall be as you wish," he said, mournfully. "Thank you," he said, earnestly. "I will go away," she aald. tearfully " I will go away. As that is my duty, It shall be done." " You are greater than us all," exclaimed the king, and he rose and took her hand and kissed 1L " 1 owe you much " But the girl was transformed. " Will it be so easy?" she said, rising. "The prince loves me. sire. He has told me that many times. If I go away he will follow me, 1 fear." " No. for the prince will not forget duty, and duty bids him remain." " It shall be as you wish, sire. When will it please you that I shall go?" " it does not please me at all. It is only stern necessity." "Tonight?" " No, no, no; not tonight," he replied, with energy. "Tomorrow, then?" she said, with an appearance of calmness. " It Is still too soon. Do not let there be haste. It would defeut our ends and then, it la not that I wish you to go. You are called away, remember." " Yes. sire; 1 understand." ahe aaid, simply. -?mgr 'vfi6Sr 'Wti. JJZ.iWt- " W Wife tFW?m jj The king accompanied the girl to the entrance of the apartment. "I beg you to believe," he said Iii farewell, "that I am Ond shall always be your friend. You believe that?" The girl still, d a sob. " Yes." she said, mournfully, "you ore right and -an.l I believe." As the king turned away he murmured softly: " Mieux vaut douceur." III. Less ilian an hour after X. tiia had left the king the prince wa.s at the uppoibled meeting place, a small boudoir off the main corridor; but Hie gill did not appear, and after waiting impatiently for twenty minutes he quitted the chamber, anx iety written deeply on his brow. " She promised," lie mused. " She promised." He glanced up and down tlie corridor, lie did not see her; at one end he saw two officers talking, and he made a move in their direction, wln n the sound of hurrying footsteps be hind him made him turn. A page came up to him breath lessly. "Highness," lie said, "I have n letter." "From whom'.'" asked the prince, sharply, taking the missive. "All! this i!l expljin," ami lie turned away to con ceal his agitation as he tore open the letter and read; that which he read caused him to change color and then glance rou ml in alarm. But he need not have imagined that his action was an object of scrutiny by any one in the world, for t lie little page had Interpreted a gesture of the heir to tlie throne as a sign of dismissal, and bad lied back to his post at the ballroom portal, so that the prince was alone alone, Indeed, for a crushing sense of his hopeless solitude was borne in upon him ns the words of the note wrote themselves deeply on the tables of his mind: " IVar and noble friend, 1 have been re called to my duty, and now bid you farewell forever. This Is my duty. Will you not know yours?" The prince moved like a man In a trance to the open win dow, gazing out at the dreamy splendor of the summer night, the scented garden, the velvet darkness, the lustrous stars. " 1 will marry her," he muttered, " aye, even If it costs mo the throne!" Winn Xenia quitted tho kings cabinet she remained a moment in melancholy htsitution dreading lest she ahould encounter Paul at that moment of the crisis when her newly formed resolution might be shaken. "1 dare not meet him." she murmured"! dare not!" She start. d, trembling violently, for a footstep was to be heard in the gray dusk far down the corridor where the col ored light from the hall lamps did not penetrate. Hut it was only the tread of a guard, and reassured on that point she proceeded to a chnmlier where she knew writ ing materials woul I be ut hand, subsequently addressing her self to ,i page. " Ity the morning," she mused. " I must be far away," and for the moment her soul was filled with a certain delicious sense of i xcitenvnt, of something akin to pleasure for was she not serving him whom she loved? though the feeding was dulbd as she thought wistfully that he would soon for got, and that the memory of her would swiftly be but ns a dream of the night- nothing more. The music sounded far away now, for she had advanced quickly down the left mnin corridor. Intending to gain the gardens, to stop suddenly, however, filling that she was In imminent peril because if something beside the now faint " Valso llleuo " tluu fell upon lier listening ear. IV. The voices she heard came lu-arer and nearer, nnd Xenla gilded as softly as a phantom into the curtained security of n tiny alcove, feeling, as she waitexl in nn agony of suspense, her heart go thump, thump, and f-urful lest the tense, pentup excitement which held her might be manifested in some way to those who were coming slowly to the spot where the was concealed. Hut the w hite hand which held tlie curtain was not to be seen by those who passed, nnd no suspicion fell upon tlie small recess of any watcher who might t there. Was not the court danclua; that night, mindful of anything but treachery from within? " It is for tonight." said one of those who were approach ing. "Our triumph Is assured. Have no fear. Tomorrow the old dynasty will be restor.d." Xenla slrained to hear all. knowing, though, but too Well that one false move and death Instantaneous and without mercy would be her lot, for that which she heard proved to her that some event of greater moment than a brilliant fete was likely to occur that night, nnd as siie heard she trembled. All the details of her own life, sad though they were, In citing to tears, faded off Into the far. gray distance, seeming to have lost importance, to be bereft of significance now, be cause of those words which fell on ln-r ear. "The price is great, certainly," came In a low, gruff tone, " but so also is the risk." "True, ttiere is the risk. Well. 1 have risked all before, and so have you. and the new king will know how to hand somely reward those who have raised him to the throne. You are not going to hang bark now?" " No, no." " That is well." "He will be accepted, then?" mused the other. "You have no doubt?" "Surely he will be. He comes of a great race which once reigned. Hae no fear on that score The blow once struck and this Slglsmund laid low, who Is there, think you, to face the new order of things?" " The prince," hasardod the second speaker. "Bah! He is engaged In other matters, and ere he has come to his senses the power will have been seized for good and nil. No, all will go well for our project; the petiple. they say, are loyaL Well, they will be loyal to the new as to the old, and tomorrow, Victor, our master will be proclaimed as king." " And " began hesitatingly the one who was listening. His companion broke In decisively. " Tonight, in a couple of bourn' time, there will be but one officer at the king's door. You or I will see to It that he is rendered harmb-ss, and then it will be the turn of the king. Come, comrade, come." The speakers were moving away now, the voices becom ing an Indistinct murmur, and Xenia parted the curtains of the alcove and gaz.d after t'.c t liroug h her a t the t bought t 'i 1 1 ' the !ie.ien .in a!milnaHe : t-.l place- a crime which fc..til.! fi:i tlie 1 nnd loathing, and nl'g.ite tin c.MiPity s of barbarism once more As she emerged into the ciridr onlv a"imni.i! her nun.l. while is the In r that she might be able to uii'ivi-'k it was as if the t. !iiu-r iiily e!o. d .1-.. leading to tho fiircwt spring times b.i.l on their hing. s enabling her to . e ah, feared had been l. .tcd out f..r..r She heslTit.d a moment l..pg, r w plan would sue.- "d. and then turned a the corridor till she rca. h.-d the ..l. led off right and left, stepping . crv n. to make sure that sh, i, i.,t p:;rs,i '.l. inquire c.nning again .i : 1 .te.iin v.i i s-e the king" T!ie ni uht refuse t,, !.. her m.Tely as a !ivs',ii. il ..nim w h sion in real life as well ;is n the iitup " Itnt they musi - t 'lev -hi'! b. li.-ve and Willi that ninviilien Mnu g uiihin bailing to the ro.il .1 p irt no n t s ,i:i.l s; the guard. "Impossible." siid the otti. i r. afi. Willi woinlernii nt depleted on liU h.nl " II must be," sh. exclaimed " Hut 1 ti 11 yon lis m.ii .stv h one tonight " "Yet." she said, ex.'iie.lly, "tnv m " A are my orders " sai.l tlie ..(li,-. i "You d, not unb r-t.in.l i'lii -." and she caught at t.ie .'.ipt.iin's arm ' death. You will win prals.. not blame ders and allowing me to p iss ' " A It ' Veil are :i I let I . ss. Ill and his b ft hand p!ai.l with down at the girl, " and I bad th. w hi'.' a sh'i W r w out ii.o i -in h.i.l t t in .icM ' ' i. b d In th.'t t . w i ! '.! w : h li rrer Sill l.. . d lO l''e sl.elgh - o" e I ho-; eh t a nd one ' . ' ei s i . ;s p, j,s et. IOC to i h. ph t .-15 in t ime i. : w . s . ' f i rii i u : n 1 1 i- in s :,'ig b i. K on.-e Ml.M C i. 1. 1 i is; -i n hb'h she ... I -! i. w 1 . : h. her id s,i swiftly down ' ' 1 I i W h- ! p. I s-.l O s . , I ' 1 1 1 I 1 i ' I to 1 1 e !1, .111.1 ' '. 'l 1 h. n I. MIS ,1 t :i a. I'irt h. r to ':e e hi '- sf,,. v. lid , f..r..we.l h, r pi.,f. s- W ." id of t I:, s! , .... '" sh, s.,j.l to 1.. 1 s.-lf. her s h g i ' -i. ! a door s.ke b 1 lie c.Ot,i;n of f i. to her i y r.t i red. lb- w ill Fio no s u: ef 1) foi ls urgent." gu ild, shortly, e.l. p!e i t'ngly -,f iir ..f lite and :'i.. ring our or- .h ni.'isel'. ." s., id the i Ulcer, llis miisl i.iie is he looked honor of s.eipg you p, rform ver I a so later he said at last. Incred nware that there lire A SEPIA SKETCH tonight, little Dunking that on would on for me. It Is tin. !y pl ivid"' "' no. no. no!" she tried, and a sob of anguish stuck 'In her throat "1 am mi acting now. The king Is in d adly peril, and you can ave him." " If his majexty Is in danger I w ill save him," was tho response. " That is w hat I am here for. No one pa.-ses hero. My august master will lie safe." " What 1 say is the truth." she said, huskily. " Hut s.sf." and as n Hash of reoollec'lon i.ime to In r she slipped from off her finger the ring the sovereign had given to her that night but a few hours In fore. lok! it is his majesty's ring. It will show you that I may enter." The captain gazed nt the white hand more than at tho ring, with Its radiating points of light, and then nodded his head a.s he made way. "Mademoiselle." he said, "I will conduit you to his majesty," and he raised the curtain before the door so that the girl might pass. i'hev traversed two apartments, ami then the captain Stopped. ' Wait here." h. s;,i, quietly, and then lie passi-d out e.f sight through an a relied doorway, leaving Xenla devoured by i in ! 1 1 ience. though it was rot for long. She gazisl at a picture of on old lime battle, find then the youii captain returned. "IM.ase follow tne," lie said, and a minute lat.r the girl foil ml herself in the prison f the King, who was not playing cards that night, but was alom- In a library like apartment, seemingly wrapped in d-'p me. lit a t ion, walking up and down, his hands behind him. llis majesty made a "inn to the captain to leave the apartment, and then she ..M her story, while the king gravely listened. "You ask me to believe that there are Intriguer" In this palace who intend to take my life?" uloiisly. "You do not s, ,.m to lie guuiils here." " Sire," she cried I implore you to believe!" "is it not all a comedy'.'" " No, no!" " A ml yet ' "Ah! you will bilieve me if 1 tell you who 1 am you will credit a number of my house; even If you deride a girl who acts on tlie stage." "Hut then," he said, wonderlngly, "who nre you?" " 1 am Pauline of Verost.nlt." she replied, proudly " My family is noble, but it bad fallen upon sad days. It was to help it that I hid my Identity and worked, trying to win back that which my rai-e bad lost." She Mopped speaking, ami stood peliided by whit she saw sometlng which the king did not si-c for at tlie further end of the uartmeiit tlie bright colored tapestry moved slightly, nnd the girl remain. -.1 fascinated, unable to icniove her eyes. "Pauline of Wrest. idt." said the king the girl maintained silence Ic looked " What alls you? ' lie asked. " Nothing, sire." "But you are pale as d.ath." "It Is " she began. "It is " again, for the tapestry moved slightly ago and the girl stood spellbound, womb ting what she should do, fearing that if she gave the alarm llu- would be assassins would accomplish llieir end ere help could cotne. And as she watched mure ki i nly than before, she saw a bind slowly appear and begin to softly part the hangings. Why could she not speak shout bring aid - compa uics of the guard the alace officers? But her throat was parched, and when she tried to utter a word only a husky sound came forth. And the debonair captain was lounging at the outer entrance even then! "Sire," she began, "I I - " And then she slopped, paralysed with fear, for the hangings moyiil once more, and this time she could plainly sec that some one was looking at her from out of that hiding place, and she felt fascinated by the gase. Then as she nt length dragged her eyi s away from that Bight. It was for them to fall on the lcll which was to to seen em the table near which the king od Hare she eilvance boldly and ring it, und thus give the alarm'.' "I think, inadeinolsi lb ," began the king; but he could proceed no further, for there was a sharp rustling, and the girl darted forth lor hand and pressed the bell Then all was confusion, for III. king give int to an ex clamation, clapping his hand to Hie bill of the light dress sword he wore, for be divined the truth, and saw .something which resembled the passing of a shadow. " Treachery !" he cried, and he made a step forwird; but c.t the same Instant the girl had moved forward quickly to the table and swept the silver candlesticks to the Hour, plunging the npartmint In darkness Clninn ri.i n In intensit). uliilo there followed the rush of steps, a ci , a sound of steel meeting steel, to be suoccedisl immidi itely by silence- for her. When she opened her eys It was to see that the apart ment was in a blaze of light and till. si by officers nn.l men of the royal bodyguard while the king was standing near, and Paul was looking down nt In r. She heard the king saying: " Well, C.ipt. Stalhelm, you have captured these miscreants;" and then turning to his ton: " 1 owe my safety to her. You must persuade her to forget my words tonight." ssesssssssssssssssssssss mu.singly; and as t loT Inquiringly. A d she stopped in behind the king. 4 G OOD night, Harry!" Miss Eastwlck's cloak fell on to the floor, and bending forward in her shimmering satin gown she kissed the pictured face before her. It was a ceremony gone through every night, aa It bad been for the last ten years. In the early days, with silent tears. In a lav endar scented attic; now electric light was switched on In the big studio In Washington, where Harry Lawton's picture hung In ila silver frame to inspire the pastels nnd duiitfy miniatures) which had brought Isobei KatwUk fame. Ten years ago young I.awton bad stilled for South Amer ka, vowing, aa soon as he had a homo to offer her, to return and claim Isobt-l's promise to wait for him. MUm Kastwkk was nothing If not constant nothing If not fanciful, her friends said, though th-y did nut guess at the lomaace of her life, and she hud cberiahed the memory of those promises and the hope that one day her lover would return. Paul Maitlund was one of the few people who knew the whole story, and In spite of that he had asked her to marry nun. The question had grieved MLss Eastwlck's souL It .nKid to be a reflection on her constancy, and ahe was not 4 little afrakl that this unexpected development might end t Hir friendship. Hut he had spoken str.mgty a gTeat deal too strongly on subject of wasted aff .cuious. piik-uid- bite uoya, aud so i i: !i iie who & really Impowiibly ugly. And yet Aa though i0 convince herself of his impossibility, Miss Kaatwick picked up a awpia sketch of a man's head it was an ugly face, with the determined Jaw and de-p set eyes and laid it for a moment beside the water color In lis dainty silver frume. She laughed; the con trust was too funny! Miss Kaatwick stood painting in her studio before an easel, making the most of tho early spring sunshine. The many successful portraits at laat year's exhibitions had brought her more work than ahe could do, and she rose early and labored Itard for love of her art. Iaul Mdtiland had sometimes brought hla fiddle and' played to her in the afternoons when her -ialtors had de parted, but today he had imt cvmie, and she missed his dark, ugly face, his eWp. refined voice expressing her own half formed, wholly lnexprcsBible. thoughts. Ah! there was a knock. It must be he! He would not stay away ninply because she could not marry him. A faint, becoming blun rose to her chm-k. Yes, it was a man's tread coming upstairs, but not Maitlands, surely! This was heavier. And this red faced, red bearded man, with meaning less light eyes! Who could he be? Who? And then in a moment she knew. " Harry!'' " My graclocs! what elegant quarters! Belle, you are a peach!" A twin that migit have been cut with a knife) Miss Ka.tw1ck was si Ki chloss. sViie glanced from 'he u n-i-oDiproinns'.iig figure on the hearth rug t. the wat.r color on the wall, und only a sickening dread that he had omv to BY GEORGIA BEAGLE. cl.imi her promise kept her from bursting Into uncontrollable laughter at the shattering of her idol. "I've tinus and times seen your name in the illustrated papers we've had in Lima." he was saying, " painting daugh ters and wives of millionaires, duchesses and lords, und even a roywl princess. Haven't the boys stared when I've told them how yiu and I were going to be married when my ship came in!" "You spoke, of me like that!" Mins Kaxtwick thought; " and It wua for you that I sent away Paul! And 1 thought it matter, d what a man looked like!" " You're an elegant little woman enougn." Mr. I.awton continued, condescendingly. " Kliza, now, is a different build of a woman. Would make three of you!" Who could Kllaa 1? ' She was a bit Jealous of you. I can say. I've often laid it on now pntty and dainty you were, to rile hrr; but I'd ni.')" bring cr ro.m.l by telling how, If I'd married you. We'd have ben silting on spindle legged chalia reading 'In Meinoriani or some such twaddle, and Kllsa'd feel mighty ple.isod with herself." A griat i'oi tent hid come upon Miss East wick. " Klizu is your wife, is she not with you?" "You te! Kliza wouldn't give up the chance of seeing Washington and the states in a hurry." ' Why did you not bring her with you?" said IsobeL "I should Yiuve hi . n delight. d to see her." "Tell uu the truth. Utile, 1 didn't quite know how you'd take my marriage, et course, 1 knew there was a sort of promise bit we. n ui but nothing in writing, mind you. Itelng an old maid, and that, I thought you might cut up rough." "On the contrary," wild Miss Kaatwick, cheerfully, "It would have been iuite absurd for you to huve done other wise. Must you goulready?" J'he door shut behind him. She crossed ti,e room, took down the sepia sketch, and once more laid it lxile the Harry of long ago. She tried to laugh a pitiful little laugh, which ended In a sob. Then, with feverish haste, Hie silver frame waa un fastonel, the paper at the back torn off, and, with the aid of a pair of scissors, lsobcl removed the tiny headless nails aud piece of hoard. The sketch followed, was crumpled in ruth less hands, and filing far from her. Hlu dusted the glass carefully with h.-r handkerchief, and, with the lightest, ten-di-rest touch, tilled another scrap of rough drawing paper Into the vacant place a man's heud In sepia, with deep set eyes and an ugly, square jaw Miss Ka.-lwii k was too busy hammering In the nails again to bear this time a step on the stain. It was only when the door opined and a man's voice spoke that she started guiltily, clamping the silv -r frame close to her that Its con tents might not be seen. "I have come to get my violin before I go uway," Paul Maitland said, quietly. He had come to get 'he fiddle yes; and also with the hope that lsobel might have changed her mind last night might have f.Mind that she cared more for tlie present friend than for that 4nk-stw1-w hite boy. He found her, instead, With the hoy's picture iseied to her breast. "Your violin? u, yes!" Miss Knstwlck said, nervously, xKntlng to a far away corner of the studio. " No, no there not hi-re!" A sluuiow crossed the dark, ugly face. "Thank you," lie said. " You m-id not fear that I shall touch the picture, or ounie near you." lsobel watched him Willi f. ischial I cms. In five minutes in four thn In one impute it woui.l be ton lati. O. why could she not speak thow tit m --t.il him.' The man fawti msl the violin case nns h.inictlly , i eplaced some magazines he had disarranged, pi. ki .1 up a crumpled piece of paper which lay at his feet, smoothed it out, and laid il on the table. " tjood Ilea vi ns 1 l.-tobcl, what does this mean'.'" He held it out to her, crumpled and torn, the plotuit d face from the silver frame. " lsobel "t be tend. riieoM of his voice w a.-i irresist ible -" w hat have ou put in that frame?' He gently loosened the slender lingers and took In r treas ure from tier, suing ut last what she had sought to hid. . " What does tliis mean, lsobel?" he repeated. "It means it means O, Paul, It means that I misted you, and then Harry came, ami didn't want me! At.i, (i if you could have seen him!" she broke! iff, laughing lijst.i Ically. " I.awton came here, lsobel? NiK that bruto I saw g. ! ting into a carriage outside, with a woman dressed in i very color of the rainbow?" "Whs she there? Yes; that was the man IXr-ctlv ho went," he adiid. slowly. "1 took down the frame and put you there instead and Into my heart, too for always."