Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-07

yetl HnaL mas nappeneuF Is IL ar
ranged?'
mo; nothing is arranged. That is, If
you mean"
"Good graciousl hope you haven't
quarreledl"
I'VE haven't quarreled."
"Thank heavenr' Mrs. Kennaird
dropped at her daughters feet, in col
lapse oddly picturesque, considering her
size and weight. But after all she was
a woman who never dealt awkwardly
with her avoirdupois, though just now
carried away by an emotion which
might well have imperiled gracefulness.
"Kathleenl Kathleen! Tell me, my
darling. You can't be unzind enough
not to tell mel Did he mention it? Did
he say one single word about it? Now,
my child, consider how I suffer. Don't
torture me. Let me know eUerythIngl"
Kathleen regarded her mother for a
moment, and then slipped both arms
round her neck. Mamma" she said,
with deceit born of pity, and also of
that love which all the icy ambition, all
the worldly striving, all the hard,
harsh, American push of her parent
had never served to annul, "there is
really nothing for you to know except
that the king was very kind to me, very
kind, and well, became a little
nervous. 1t seems like such a great
ordeal, mamma, for me to open the ball
with him. And yet he's good enough
to insist that will get through all
right. He"
'An right" cried Mrs Kennaird, re-
gaining her feet with a phenomenal alac-
rity. ''There won't be woman in the
ballroom who can hold a candle to you"
At this same time, as it happened,
Alonzo Lispenard was crossing the
threshold of small apartment, full of
books, busts and few very rare pic
lures, where Eric Thaxter had passed
many an hour of artistic musing.
Alonzo held paper in his hand. "You
see," he said, after handing the paper
to Eric, and throwing himself into a
chair at his friends side, my royal
command for the state ball has actually
come"
Eric merely glanced at the paper.
milne has just come, too" he said.
"What?" queried Alonzo. Were you
not invited till now?"
mo. 1t was that horrible princess.
Clarimond has been letting her have her
head, but the other night he pulled her
up with short rein. hear that she's
now humility itself. am naturally
delighted. I've seen it coming, Lonz,
but of course I could say nothing to
| the king"
"And you will go to the ball9" said
| Alonzo, slowly.
"Go2 Yes. 1t will be great fun to
see the naughty old Brindisi dame de-
posed. She'll be obliged to beam on US.
We will go together, be beamed on In
duol"
st cannot go, Eric"
mot go, Lonz2 But you must!"
''Must!"
"You will insult the king. And re-
member, you are his"
Servant" struck in Alonzo, bitterly.
"Absurdl He of all men would hate
that word of yours. Listen: know
everything that passed between you I
think, on the whole, that you behaved
| very we'll"
Alonzo gave harsh little laugh.
Its a wonder that you're willing to
admit that"
''oh, I'm willing to fight for you. dear
boy, when think you're in the right.
Eyes, kings apology"
/ y
Alonzo repeated his laugh. "What a
queerly wrong kind of word from you,
Eric, who usually pride yourself on the
mot jttste!"
Eric smiled. There is a great deal
of talk about the right word in the right
place, but it has always seemed to me
that there should be in all cases at least
five words to choose from; otherwise
| l.,
| sion mere joiner's mechanism
| Alonzo tossed his head. '"This burst
of brilliancy," he said, somberly, '1eads
| to"
Another word in which to define your
present mood-jealous."
Alonzo gave great start Then he
tried to laugh, for the third time, and
lamely failed. "Oh, that's cruel of you'll"
Here his brow clouded. "And if am
jealous of man like thatr'
"a very noble and exceptional man,
remember!''
| "Oh, yes. But a man whose immense
rank compromises Kathleen by the fact of
his being in love with herl'' Eric played
for a moment with an ivory paper cut
ter which had lain on the desk near
| which his friend had discovered him
while deep in the solution of some new
architectural problem.
"How do you know the king is in love
with her?" he suddenly asked.
"Bahr' grumbled Alonzo. "How do /
know I am l, you are your"
''Wen, granted that he is. Come now,
Lonz, you've known him long enough to
feel, If not also to know, that he's a
man who would scorn to treat any pure
woman-well," Eric went on, after a
pause and gesture, 'to treat any pure
woman as kings have too often done"
Alonzo gnawed his lip. "What on
earth will he do. then, Eric? He is in
love with her."
Every man is. am. I've only seen
her the least little bit and yet"
"Oh, seriouslyl He can't marry her!'
"Can't heI''
"What do you mean?" cried Alonzo,
jumping up from his chair as though