Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-06-01

along his brow cleared, and he smiled
triumphantly. II the prince party had
not the necessary resources they could
do nothing; if they did nothing, would
not the dropping stock lift up her head
again? Now, nobody was in position
to solve that problem about the neces-
sary resources so surely or so swiftly as
Mr.. Byers.
A hundred yards from Prince Julian's
house he saw Lady Craigenoch walking
along the pavement and got out of his
cab to join her. She was full of the visit
she had Just paid, above all of Ellen
Rivers
Because she's the whole thing, you
know. she said "The adherents-
good gracious, what helpless creatures!
| don't wonder the republicans upset
them if that's what they're all like
oh, they're gentlemen, Of course, and
you're not, Byers (Mr. Byers bowed
slightly and smiled acquiescently), but
I'd rather have you than thousand of
them And the prince, poor dear, is
hardly better Always talking of what
he'll do when he's there, never think
ing how he's going to get there'
Byers let her run on. She was giving
him both instruction and amusement.
And then he's afraid-oh, not of
the bullets or the guillotine, or what
ever it is-because he's gentleman,
too, you know (Or perhaps you don't
know! wonder if you do? Shum
doesn't Perhaps you do.) But he's
afraid of losing her If he goes, she
won't go with him. | don't mean as
as she is now, you know She won't go
anyhow, not as his wife even. Well, of
course. if he married her he'd wreck
the whole thing. But one would hardly
expect her to see. that-or even to care
if he did She's very odd Z" Lady
Craigenoch paused moment ''She's
fond of him, too. she added. 'She'sa
very queer woman.
ga lady?" asked Mr.. Byers, with a
touch of satire
"Oh, yes!'' said Lady Craigenoch,
scornful that he needed to ask "But
so odd. Well, you've seen her with
him-just like mother with her pet
boy! How hard she's worked, to be
sure! She told me how she'd got him
to sign the what's its name? He almost
cried because he'd have to go without
her, you know But she says it's all
right now. He won't go back now, be-
cause he's given his word. And she's
simply triumphant, though she's fond
of him and though she won't go with
him. Again Lady Craigenoch paused.
people won't call on that woman, you
know. she remarked after her pause
Then she added: "Of course that's
right, except for reprobate like me-
But still'-
"She's an interesting woman" said
Byers in perfunctory sympathy with
his companions enthusiasm.
Lady Craigenoch cooled down and
fixed cold and penetrating glance on
him.
eyes, and you're an interesting
man, she said. "What are you doing,
Mr.. Byers?'
''Vindicating right divine. he an
swered
Lady Craigenoch smiled. "Well,
whatever it is, she said, sShum has
promised that shall stand in - Again
she paused. "Only," she resumed, eff
you re making fool of that woman
She seemed unable to finish the sentence.
There had been genuine indignation in
her eyes for moment; 1t faded away,
but there came a slight flush on her
cheek as she added, "But that doesn't
matter if it's in the way of business,
does it?''
'And Shum has promised that you
shall stand in Byers reminded her
gravely
Lady Craigenoch dug her parasol
into the streak of earth that showed
between pavement and curbstone
"Anyhow L m glad called on her,
she said. ''I'm not much, heaven
knows, but I'm a woman to speak to. :
''To cry to-" he hazarded
''How do you know she cried? Think
what she'd been through, poor thing
Oh, you won't find her crying!'
81 hope not, said Mr.. Byers with
perfect seriousness in his slightly nasal
tones. and when they parted he said to
himself. "That woman hates having to
know me. But there were MANY pen-