The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-09-18
HE came suddenly into his sight,

& kS1 LIN Su1uc SuuUcuIy IutO his SlSuI,
~ dispelling his brown study and
interrupting his pipe. She stood
beyond the table. beside the door. tall
and slight, in white gown that chung
70 her arms and shoulders and rounded
waist, and swept about her feet in
heavy folds. Across swung from her
neck by long silver chain, and she
wore broad brimmed hat with
gauxy white veil, SO her face was in
shadow. She leaned slightly toward
Ashe as he clutched the arms Of his
big chair and sat forward in amaze
ment
II am the Princess Constantia Gre
gorius." she said gently.
"Of-Of Russian he asked stupidity,
trying to fan away the haze Of tobacco
smoke.
There are other lands" she said In
differently. 'And not so far away"
Great Caesarv' he breathed, bewil-
dered. and his pipe dropped from his
astonished fingers. With the feeling
that It was the only bond between him
and nationality, he stopped to pick it
mp, and as he rose he struck his head
sharply against the corner of the libra,
~ table. Dizzy from the blow, he stag.
gered to his feet and looked towards
the door. She was gone, as mysteri-
Ously as she had come. He rushed
blindly around the table and across the
room, stumbling over easy chairs and
footstoOls, and sending a revolving
bookcase spinning around. The hall
was also empty. No trailing gowns
had turned up the edges Of the rugs,
nor could he hear any hurrying steps
on the polished stairs. He blinked at
the sun pouring red and purple through
the painted window for a moment, and
then turned back and sat down on the
nearest chair. Good heavens! what
dream! Who was she? What was her
motive In appearing and announcing
herself in that royal way? And he
hadn't seen her face! Well, II it was
- pretty as her figure-oh. confound
his head; and he was still feeling Of 1t
gingerly, too dazed to think Of more
than one thing at time, when he
heard his friends cheerful whistle in
the hall.
"Well, old chap" said Thurston, CON-
ing IN.
"Phew! but that pipe Of yours is a
fright! II we don't air this room be-
fore the mater gets into 1t, your goose
% cooked!'
"Why, what will she do?" cried the
other uncertainty.
"You'll never get another bid for
Sunday" said the first, throwing open
one Of the windows. Gee! l didn't
realize how rank Cissie is getting. Re-
tire her. Billy, and get another. But
cay, what's the matter, old man? I
left you composing sonnet and going
% sleep over 1t. What's wrong?"
Ashe looked down at his maligned
pipe. and then up at his friend.
Say do you suppose she thought it
was rankT" he asked.
'The matery said Thurston, pux-
1led. "She hasn't been here already,
has she3 II 30, we'd better 20 back
tonight. Did she wake you upY
No. dreamed It," said the owner Of
the pipe, and began to feel Of his bump
with q frOwn Of pain. His friend
looked at him for a moment curiously,
and then aimed heavy leather cush- !
ION from the nearest Morris chair at !
him.
"Wake up. you idiotw he said. This |
= no sleeping car" The idiot parted |
the cushion.
"Dick. has your sister friend WIS.,
ltang herr he inquired.
no" said the other.
well. there was one in here, any
way" pursued Ashe.
zone whatv' demanded Thurston.
Zone princess" said the other. His
host surveyed him In silence for a mo-
ment
"Ashe. you're craxy!' he said at last.
s'Come out and take q walk"
Mr.. Wilmering Ashe was making for
himself rather neat reputation with
readers Of current magazines as a
writer Of clever little occasional verses.
Among his friends at his clubs he was
considered a good fellow, and they
chose to assume that somewhere he
kept hidden away the person who
wrote his verses for him. His mothers
friends approved Of him because he
paid his calls. and he was chiefly ia
NOUS with the young ladies' Of his rath-
ef general acquaintance. as a master Of
the arts Of Welsh rarebitry and badi-
mage. But no one was prepared for
the almost Oriental beauty and mysti-
cism Of his latest verses, which appear.
ed In one Of the best Of the monthly
periodicals under the name Of MY
Lady Of the Realm of Dreams" and.l