Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-22
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.
The court was already furnished with rich
material for business gossip; but few more
morrows were destined to cast in shade
even so pregnant tonic as Clarimond's
cogent reprimand of Prince Philibert The
King had been seen publicly strolling
through his grounds with Kathleen; he now
as publicly visited her at the hotel, spend.
ing hours each day in the pretty sitting
room which Mrs. Kennaird at once secured
for his own and her daughters comfort, as
downstairs they would almost have been
mobbed by gaping foreigners. The mental
condition of Mrs. Kennaird at this particu.
lar time was one of hysteria, narrowly
verging upon dementia, The Kings open
admiration for her child filled her with 8
feeling toward him which might have given
her, if she could have looked upon herself
| Just as she now was, and looked from nor.
NAL eyes, many shivers of shame. She hao
| impulses to fling herself on her knees before
| Clarimond and press her lips to his hand
telling him that he was the most godlike
being the world had ever seen, and that hil
goodness in giving heed to Kathleen reused
her deathless maternal gratitude.
The American snob, who is apt to be the
most mettlesome and affirmative of al
snobs vet recorded, had risen rampant in
Kathleen's mother. She could not sleep;
she could scarcely eat a morsel, and then
did not know of what food she partook. Al
| first she had had ideas of sending to Pari:
for a robe in which to array hefchild at the
state ball Then, after this plan had been
vetoed bv Kathleen, she grew reconciled to
the idea that the girl might create more
striking effect if clad with the utmost SIM
plicity. After all, let her be attired in the
plainest of white frocks. What other
beauty in all Saltravia could stand SO trying
test?
"Yes, it is WISER" she said excitedly to
Kathleen. OF late she had done and said
everything excitedly,, yet with her effort to
cealed than that of the fugitive ostrich.
my dear, you are quite right People will
look at YOU more, and in SO doing they will
see you as you really are. Besides, it is in
far nicer taste.
"Oh," said Kathleen, struggling her
shoulders, 81 should like handsome gown;
what girl in the circumstances wouldn't?
But to telegraph to Worth or Felix and to
send either of them money we could so i'll
afford. WHY, the very thought of it is pure
nonsense, mamma, as you must be aware. !"
IT wasn't thinking of the expense" re-
piled Mrs. Kennaird, with a little ire
pressible catching of the breath. ''There
are certain things one always can afford"
Kathleen laughed and shrugged her
shoulders. ''You mean, suppose, that we
could 60 back to Dresden and economic
more severely than we've vet DONE"
"Oh. no; didn't mean that; IL didn't
mean that in the last" said her mother.
Kathleen gave no answer, divining what
had really been meant. If her mother only
knew the actual substance of her late con-
versations with the KingI They had prin-
cipally talked of her past engagement to
Alonzo Lispenard. She had been very
frank; she had told Clarimond everything,
and had found il him q most gracious and
friendly listener. He had asked her many
questions, to all of which she had responded
with thorough candor. AS regarded the
impression that she had made upon him,
she could not doubt that it had been one of
strong fascination. This in itself was
nothing new; most men, under a certain
age, had shown her but one sort Of homage.
To have King show it was entirely novel,
and not a little dizzying. Moreover, SUCH
a King as he, filled to his fnger-tips with
all the graces that please women, hand
some, courtly, amusing, in countless ways,
the choicest of male companions!
For three afternoons he dropped in upon
her and each time her mother received him
in her blandest fashion, contriving soon to
slip from the apartment and leave them to-
gether. Mrs. Kennaird had no fear of the
faintest imprudence on kathleen's part. If
she had thought at all on this subject it
would have been to decide that her
daughters American blood would save her
from even dream of folly. Besides, had
she not already learned that Clarimond was
the most honorable man IN his own king
dom? Let people chatter, as they un-
doubtedly were chattering. Among the
hotel residents it was jealousy, pure and
simple. What chiefly concerned this very
agitated lady was the question of how
Alonzo had thus far acted. and of how, at
any moment, he might take it into his head
to act Here he was, returned to Saltravia
the bosom friend of the Kings bosom
friend. He must have heard that Clari-
mond was intensely captivated with Kath-
leen. Everybody was talking of the affair.
Stories had got afoat that the Princess of
Brindisi had already pleaded by letter the
intervention of the Emperor.
"You are so reticent, my DEAR" she said
to Kathleen one evening at the end of the
Kings third visit. "You never will tell
me what he says about Alonzo to you. Does
he not mention him?"
s'Rarely, mamma, and then always with
kindness"
Kindness, m yes" Mr.. Ken
naird pursed her lips little. They're
still friends, them"
Friends? Oh, yes"
81 suppose Alonzo hasn't dared to say q
word against you, Kathleen. Otherwise
he'd certainly have relieved himself of un-
told spleen, nv dear"
"He never carries grudges," the girl
said, as if her own thought was her sole
auditor.
"Well, even if he didn't /! Heaven knows
he had a monopoly of most other faults. "At
this particular time any praise of Alonzo
was for some reason specially nauseous to
Mrs Kennaird. "And for keeping silent
about US to the King, why, there isn't the least
doubt that he'll do so. How would ne dare
to do otherwise, now that Clarimond has
become your actual slave"
Mamma mamma % exclaimed Kath-
1een. 'You will make me so ridiculous if
anyone by chance overhears you in these
moods"
'tMoods?" bristled her mother. "What
moods? I'm excessively reticent You are
SO droll at times, Kathleen As if any
mother could bear more calmly than do to
the splendid, the unparalleled honor which
overhangs you!"
Kathleen looked fxedly at the speaker,
with her eyes moistening a little and her
underlip trembling. IL wish you would
not speak like this" she faltered. "It dis
tresses me SOP
Her mother continued, however-stating
that she had not the vaguest doubt Clari-
mond would soon startle her court more
keenly then he had dreamed of startling it
before; that Kathleen had only to wait a
little while longer and the stars would drop
ripe and shining in her lap; that all past
annoyance, modification, defeat was to end