The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-01
AN AMERICAN BEAUTY.
BY HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoFF0RD.
copyreht 1901 ~

tempting il again now. These few days
are only like an inn where you have
stopped on the way"
"Mr. Vanderwater has asked Inc tc
tempt IL with him to Mount Desert and
perhaps Labrador, while the Pendragop
makes repairs"
"And do you go?"
as il best?"
slow should sny?" With slight
gesture of fatigue. "It Is a pleasant
cruise, and there is pleasant company
ourselves and some others. / suppose
Lord Gadsden was asked, and the
prince"
''The prince and II mean that man
and lean hardly sail together!"
"The unfortunate prince! Is ii a great
crime 10 be so poor?"
"To be poor? l have heard some
cialstic fellow say there were hundreds
of them, princes, counts and marquises
out of employment. have known some
and always held them IN respect"
"That was kind of you. l remember
there was a prince in 'PascareP who
was a tinker, wasn't he? He was Q
prince ell the same. But rs for this one
I don't ses wha. harm he can 10 you
To tell the truth thought him rather
dull and quiet before. But of late I
have found him interesting"
She did not quite understand Sir
I,roo1e's low bow; but she laughed,
swinging her fan, and pulling up the
cape of white fur he had brought her.
rhe pallid moonlight and the sea-
Grenched air became her, for either
they toned down her vivid color, or she
was tired and the color had fallen, and
with her fatigue something a little
more tender than brilliant was in her
eyes.
''Is ID man TO man then?"
I'm sure | don't know what yon
meant" and she moved TO retrace their
steps, for they were quite alone on the
lawn, and she was TO remain with the
De Ruysens.
"Many things here" said Sir Brooke,
''nTe different TO what thought. But
the women, the women are the same"
"Quite the same?" she s.id, turning
with n smile that half dazzled him.
And when Sir Brooke strobe off TO find
his boat he had promised 10 go, and he
held in his hand, withcred and warm
and sweet yet, and full of her PERSONAL
ty ii seemed, an American Beauty rose.
Billy and the men, having come
ashore to see the tow-~Sby moonlight,
were strolling down TO the boat as h
reached it; and the prince was waiting
there, n little disturbed, as he had
missed the vanderwater crew. There
was nothing for Sir Brooke 10 do but
10 offer him the hospitality of the Pen
dragon for the night, taking care not
10 look at Billy as he did so, and they
were presently treading the harbor and
reaching the open sea where the big,
sleeping yachts pulled with lazy roll
at the anchor.
Sir Brooke and Billy were the last
tn go up the gangwoy.
"lIard hit?" said Billy. Billy had
seen the rose.
"Hard to say" was the reply. And
harder to say how one is TO serve that
fellow out"
Nothing easier, To my mind"
Nothing more difficult. You see II
is like betting on certainty, like hit
ting n man when he's down. The fact
gives me the advantage"
"All's fair in love and war"
"But then is silence the fair thing
by her?"
you're drawing IL too fine for me-"
Resides, it's a standup fight, Billy.
if this man pleases, l don't care to
please. And l don't care to win any
way by tripping the other fellow"
"Nery hard hit, indeed!" said Billy,
as he sprnng up'the gangway.
The others had all disappeared. Only
the prince was waiting TO be shown 70
ais quarters and say good night.
Look here!" cried Billy, cutting the
Gordian knot with word. "How long
are you going 10 keep up this dashed
masquerade? A title that came 10 a
,uan without an acre or a sou TO bless
It, and that he scorns 10 wear, you
think worth stealing! While you were
about it, why didn't you take title
that was dead and done with instead or
the Piodinachi? You blooming fraud"
as Sir Brooke came up the deck: There
is Prince Piodinnchi!"
"The deuce il isl" said the other.
Continued Monday.