The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-01

conde5cended to cntangle in a network
OF fascination a particularly obdurafe
and impassive Secretary Of State. She
patronized a Prince Of the blood royal
and was exceedingly frank and friend
" with the young painter Lepeil. who
knew exactly how much her fam llarity
meant, but was 1t once amused and de-
lighted BY the envy it aroused in Others.
Ye: all the while the Princess BarDabas
was moi deyCt;ng q single serious
thought 10 one Of her admirers. Every
idea in that vain and foolish head was
conferred upon the N query: shall /
commit suicide next week, and if So,
how?"
1t was while in this frame Of mind.
talking to twenty people and thinking
OF none Of them, that her bright eyes.
wandering lightly vcr the crowd ii
room, Glanced to fall upon a young
man who was standing, somewhat re-
moved from the press Of the throng. IN
a window recess, which was at least
comparatively quict-a tall. grave. self
possessed young man, sufficiently good
looking to be called handsome by an
enthusiastic friend. When the Princess
Barnabas looked ut him. hiScye>. which
were bright. clever eyes. Were fixed on
her with a look Of h~alf-humorou> con
temptation. The moment. however.
their ewes met he turned his head
slightly. and resumed a conversation
with "A gray-haircd old man with a red
ribbon at his b~ut;Onholc whom she kn w
TO be a foreign d~iploma:ist. The young
mans gaze had expressed a n interestin
the Princess, but ii seemed to DE just as
interested in the pale wrinklrd face of
his companion. The Princess Barnabas
seemed piqued. who Is that young
man." She asked. Intellectually. Of the
Secretary of State.
(Which Young man. The Sccre-
.ary of States siolid face gazed vaguely
into the dense crowd Of dress coat, and
white shoulders, of orders and stars and
! diamonds.
The young man in the window talk
ing 10 he gray-haired man"
The Secretary put up his eye-glass
and considered the Young man in qucS-
ton thoughtfully. He WAS never known
to hurry in his judgments or his replies
in Parliament, and he did nOt hurry
now. though it was the Princes,
Iiarnabas who was in%terroga,ing him.
and not 4 member of the Opposition.
Then he answered her. weighing his
words with more than judicial delibcra-
ton: He is Il young fellow named
Sinclair. He is going out to the East,
or something. WHY do you ask"
Ills face interest, me-" replied the
Princess. Il should like to know him.
Bring him to m.:; or stay, give me your
arm. we will 90 to him.
She rose and dispersed her little knot
of disconSolate courticrs. Taking the
Sccrriarv's arm, she moved slowly
toward the window where Sinclair was
still standing. Tnc Secretary touched
him on the arm. "Mr. = nclair. the
Princess Barnabas has expressed Il de-
sire 10 make your acquaintance Allow
me. Princess. to Introduce you to Mr..
Julian Sinclair"
"Thc Young man bowed. He seemed
a little surprised, but not in the least
embarrassed. The Princess smiled
brightly at him, and her eyes We're
brighter than her smile. THANK
you." she said t. the Secretary of State
with Il pleasant little smile. which was
meant TO convey, and which dill con-
vcy. that she had had enough of him.
He promptly disappeared in the crowd
with resigned good humor. bearing
away with him in his wake the elderly
rc~d-r.bboncd dipiomatist.
Princess Barnabas and Julian Sinclair
wcrr left alone. She sat down on the
couch in the recess of the window, and
/ l-htl, - ,at,A.al a. lin, IA. L.. --
TO take his place by her side. He obeyed
silently. The recess of the window was
deep. For the moment they were al
most entirely isolated from the shifting.
glittering throng that Secihei and drift
ci around them Sinclair kept quite
silent. looking into the face of the Prin-
cess with III air Of half-amuscd inquiry.
There Were Il few Sccon Is of silence,
and then the woman spoke. beginning.
~womanlike. with 4 question:
Have you forgotten ire. Mr.. Sin
c~lair?"
The Young man shook his head grave
ly. NO. l have not forgotten YOU.
Princess Her eyes were fiNci on his
face. but he returned her look gu t.
steadily.
Yet it nus be two years since we
met she replied; land two years is a
long time"
"'ies. W. years is a very long time"
he said. half sadly. half scornfully.
He was dec dedly not communicative.
this young man. for even the pleasure
of meeting n fricnd. unseen TOR two
years. did not appear to arouse in him
any DIES re for conversation.
There was another little pause.
Neither seemed embarras led. and vet
the interval was long enough to be en-
barraSs;ng. Then she spoxe again.
''Why did You leave 81. Petersburg?
Where have you been all this time:?'
He answered the second part of her
question: Il have been in Constantine
pie o of the time. l only returned
to London 4 few days ago. and l am
going away Immediately to the East
again. to Persia this time"
For how long?:"
There was a faint tone of wcarines,
in his reply, though he s:rove to make
his voice purpOsely steady. ..Oh. for
ever. suppose; or. ut least. until l am
an cd man. and of no further use.
Then perhaps may come back OF q
pension. AMI write dreary letters 10 tn.
about the errors of nv sue
cesso-s." And he laughed to prevent
himself from : Ching.
You have not answered all NV aucs-
ton. said TIE Princess. WIN did YOU
leave 81. Petersburg 50 suddenly? We
were such very good friends. and l as
sure YOU l quite missed Won"
Sinclair got up and looked down into
her laughing eyes. Il let 81. Peters
burg. he 81 d. because | was afraid
to stay