Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-18

lOSl my way HVlulle llluAts ANNhAh
the baron, coming forward; but perhaps, as
in my heart, all roads lead toward" He
bowed deeply once more, this time STOPPING
to kiss the girls hand with a certain show
Of restrained eagerness.
She drew back with a little impatient
gesture.
81 should not have been here but for an
accident" she replied coldly. "In fact, was
On the point of starting for his highneas' re-
ception, had not monsieur detained me-"
And, to Rallywoods amazement she indi-
Gated himself.
Before he could speak she pointed to his
spurrcl boot
Monsieur has set his heel on my poor
glove" she added.
BY hls hasty movement in rising he had
apparently dislodged the glove from its pysi-
tion on the edge of the couch. He stopped
with hurried word OF apology and picked
! 1t up. On the delicate palm was stamped the
curved stain of his boot heel
DO you always treat a lady's glove so?"
she asked gravely, and held out her hand
! for It.
/ Rallywood looked down at her very de-
! liberately, and something that was neither
his will nor his reason decided his next ac-
| tion. He folded the soft suede rcverently
together
mo, mademoisclle," he answered as he
placed it inside his tunic II have never
before treated lady's glove-so. For the
| accident offer my deepest apologies"
| She watched him with raised eyebrows
and slight derisve smile. Then she drew
| the companion glove from her right hand
and, giving it to the lackey, who stll re-
maned in the background, she said:
Throw it away, it is useless and tell
Nanzelle to bring me another pair"
Monsieur, with whom / have not yet the
| pleasure of being acquainted" interrupted
the baron rather suddenly, monsieur is,
| after all, the lucky man. He retains what
l dare not even ask for"
"Shall / call back the servant with its
fellow for you?" mademoiselle asked haught-
| lily. 1T is nothing to me who picks up
what l have thrown away" With this re-
buff to Rallywood she placed her hand upon
| the Germans, as If to ask him to lead her
| from the room, and added:
You wish for an Introduction? Then al
low me to present you to each other His
eNcellency, the Baron Won Elmur." She
paused and her eyes dwelt for a moment
on Rallywood's "a gentleman of the
guard" And before Rallywood could ex-
plain the mistake the curtain had dropped
behind them, and he was left standing
alone.
III bdIUH NOu ElIluT ne recognized the
oblique carriage of the head and the high
shouldered figure Of the third man he had
seen with the newspaper correspondents in
the Grand Square that afternoon. Moreover.
he knew that the German had entered the
anteroom through no mistake, but with some
object in view. AS for the girl, who was
she and where had she come from? She
was not of Maasau, since she had intro
duced him as belonging to the guard, for
not only was every officer of that favored
corps individually known, but it was fur
ther impossible for a Maasaun to make the
slightest mistake with regard to any uni
form. 1t was one of the boasts of the
country that even a Child could tell at a
glance not only the special regiment. but
the rank of the wearer of any uniform be-
longing to the duchy.
Rallywood had no time Just then to pur-
sue the subject further, as he was almost
Immediately recalled to the chancellors
presence.
'Now, monsieur" began Selpdorf. as
though no break had occurred in the con-
versation, you are in truth tired of keep
| ing our dreary marches; is it not sop
'TheSe are better places-and worse, your
| excellency.''
our gay little capital will be one of the
better places, | promise you," continued the
chancellor. "a position in the guard of his
| highness has just become vacant. Am I
| right in believing that a nomination to that
superb regiment would tempt you to remain
| with us?"
Rallywood for once was a little taken
aback.
"A gentleman Of the guard" He repeated
the girls words of introduction mechani-
| cally; then putting aside the thought Of
| her, he took up the practical view of the
| situation and answered, Il am an English
| man, your excellency, ana though / have
taken the soldiers cath to the Maasaun
standard, have not taken the oath of ma
ticnality. l could not consent to become a
naturalized citizen even of the duchy of
| Nassau"
''Ah, So" Selpdorf stroked his chin, then
| despatching the objection with a wave Of
his hand, he resumed. I'VE must overlook
! that in your case. You have already served
the duke for five years with as sincere a
zeal as the truest Maasaun amongst u.s.
We must remember that and overlook
drawback which is far less important than
| it seems"
He turned to a memorandum on the table
| and consulted it,
you were engaged in the affair at Kan
thai, see?"
''Three years ago, your excelency," re-
| piled Rallywood in a tone that implied his
powers of usefulness had probably become
impaired by lapse OF time.
SelpdoTf moved his shoulders. Here was
man throwing difficulties in the way of
his own advancement. Yet he could not
possibly be so Indifferent to his own in
| terests as he chose to assume
ITO be plain with you" Selpdorf said
with an air of candor, "the younger officers
| OF the guard have little experience The
latest fashion in neckties or the most
| charming dancer at the Folie absorbs their
| attention, to the exclusion of more impor-
tant matters. There Is, as you doubtless
| know, a certain admixture of French blood
In the veins of our most noble families"
he finished abstractedly.
RallywOod had no remark to offer upon
| this. THE officers of the guard bore a very
| distinct reputation. They were said to be
pleasant set of fellows socially, unless
one ran foul of their prejudces, but they
| were credited with a good many prejudicee.
AS for his personal acquaintance with
them, it was limited to acting second in
| hastily arranged duel fought out in the
| yard behind a little country railway STA
| ton.
Il should like to see a somewhat different