Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-31


duchess with your -,
eyes; am going to take come notes
on the back of it. Would you like to
see it," She handed him the letter and
then leaned back in her chair regarding
him closely. The puzzled expression on
his face deepened as he glanced over
the invitation and saw that 1T was ex-
actlv what it purported to be. He gave
the letter back to her, saying;
$50 you are here to see the fashions
II is Il subject | know little about but .
Judging by effect, | should say that the F
Princess Won Stcinheimer has nothing
to learn from any one present. If | may
touch on topic so personal, your cos
tune is what they call a creation, is it
not princessY
1T isn't bad" said the girl, looking
down at her gown and then glancing
M at him with merriment dancing in
her eyes. The diplomat had his elbow
resting on the balustrade, his head
leaning on his hand, and, quite ohiv-
ious to everything else, was gazing at
her with such absorbed intentness that
the girl blushed and cast down her
eyes The intense admiration in his
look was undisgused. "Still, she rat
tied on somewhat breathlessly, lone
gets many hints from others, and the
creation of today is merely the old
clothes of tomorrow. Invention has no
vacation so far as ladies apparel is
concerned. Take no thought of tomor-
row, wherewthal We shall be clothed,
may have been n good motto for the
court of Solomon, but it has little rela-
ton with that of Victoria.
Solomon, if the saying Is his, was
hedging He had many wives, you
know.
"Well, az / was about to say, you
must now turn your attention to the
other guests and tell me who's who. |
have already confessed my ignorance,
aud you promised to enlighten me.
The young man, with visible reluc-
lance, directed his thoughts from the
one to the many and named this person
and that, while Jennie, with the pencil
attached to her card made cabalistic
notes in shorthand, econGmiZing thus
both space and time. When at last she
Il
leaned back in her chair with little
sigh of supreme content. Whatever
might now hetide. her mission was full
filled if She could once get quietly
away. The complete details of the most
important society event of the season
were at her fingers ends. She closed
her eyes for a moment to enjoy the sat
isfaction which success leaves in its
train and when she opened them again
found Lord Donal in his old posture,
absorbed in the contemplation OF her un-
deniable beauty.
81 see you are determined | shall
have no difficulty in remembering you
next time we meet, " she said, with a
smile. at the same time flushing slight
~ under his ardent gaze.
IL was Just thinking, he replied.
shifting his position little, ''that the
five yeats which have dealt so hardly
with me have left you five years youp-
ger.
age has many privileges Lord
, Donal she continued, laughing ou--
| right, "but don't think you can yet
Law claim to any of them The pose OF
the prematurely old is not in the least
+ borne ont 10y your appearance. hOwev,
hardly the girl You met in Washington
dealt with You.
"Ah. princess, il is very easy for yor
: to treat these serious matters lightly
He laughs at scars who never felt a
I wound. Time being. above all things,
I, fn1
touched the more effectually to scar the
t heart The hurt concealed is ever the
j mo Z dangerous
L fancy it has been concealed 81
effectually that it is not as deep as yor
imagined.
princess, I will confess to you thai
) the wound ut Washington was as moth
Il ing to the one received in London.
p YES; Won told me you had beer
= here for week.
v THE week has nothing to do with 1t
! have been here for Il night-to TIVE
r hours or three. have lost count o.
e time since met You.
p What reply the girl might have mad
4 to this speech delivered with all tn
r torvencv of "A man in thorough earnest
will never be known, for at that mo
n mcnt their tctea tete was interrupted
q by messenger, who said
| His excelency the Austrian en-
hassador begs to be permitted To pa.
4 his regards to the Princess Won Stein
z heimer,
It Lord Donal Stirling never took hi
eyes from the face of his companion
t and he saw quick pallor overSpread II
n He leaned forward and whispered;
r II know the ambassador. If Won d
n not wish to meet him, | will interceI
him.
!. Jennie rose slowly to her feet, and
i. looking with Calmness she was ia
T. from feeling at the young man, sal
|, coldly:
d "Why should / not wish to meet tn
ambassador of my adopted country q
ID II know of no reason quite the cor
is trary, for he must be an old friend {
yours, having been your guest at II
N Schoss Steinheimer year ago.
IF He stepped back as he said this an
~ Jennie had difficulty in suppressing II
" gasp of dismay with which she receive
l. his disquieting information; but 81
le stood her ground without wincing 81
re was face to face with the crisis she ha
foreseen-the coming of one who kne