Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03

that 1t was only the dynasty that mattered
that this chance of saving 1t must on no
account be let slip.
Resides, she added hes very nice
and very good-looking. When you see
him you'll fall in love with him."
II shau't and what's more, 1 WON'T
answered the princess.
We'll, you've got to marry him. whether
YOU fall in love with him or not" retorted
the queen regent. ''And as for your threat
Of screaming in church."
She did not even trouble to finish the
sentence, but proceeded with her prepara-
tons for the wedding, her sons interests
being far more to her than her daughter s
whims.
Hes coming next week to be present
ed she announced little later
II don't care sad the princess. I'm
going To be rude to him, so that he won't
want To marry me-"
But beautiful young woman's rudeness
does not always have the effect that she
anticipates 1t did not in this Instance 1t
merely seemed TO the young prince to give
piquancy to courtship which he had ex-
pectod to be duh and commonplace.
I'm a hOrrid girl. and you won't like
me at all she said. talking TO him like d
naughty child.
princess" he replied "you are worth
winning because you are SO hard to win"
Not hard , impossible" she rejoined,
making an ugly face.
Impossible? In what dictionary do you
find that word? 1t is not in mine" was his
IEtOTl
Your dictionary will have to find room
for it."
Ard why. pray?"
Because 1 don't like, and don't mean to
like YOU"
princess. If you only knew how thankful
] am to YOU for saving that"
What, Don't you like me either? Don't
You want to marry me?'
The expression Of astonishment had Slip
ped from her unawares The smile with
which the nrincp received II m har fpn
uncomfortable.
Il beg your pardon. That isn't what l
meant to say she interiected quickly.
It's no matter" he said II ONLY thank
cd you for your candor. Candor is a virtue
that"
81 think we've talked long enough. Please
take me back to the queen said the prin-
cess. feeling that her first attempt at rude
ness had been less successful than she
would have liked.
She made other attempts. however. Her
manners were not only bad for a princess
they might even have been called unlady-
Ike. And the repeated efforts began at
last to tell. The demeanor of the princess
stiffened under the influence.
You're forcing yourself upon me-" she
said. You're taking advantage of my help
lesness. It's rude of you. It's cowardly.
You ought to be ashamed"
I'VE are the creatures of destiny prin-
cess" he answered. Things have been ar
ranged for us. We cannot help them But
don't you think that We might try to make
the best of them?'
NO. I'm not going to pretend that l like
things when ! don't" she retorted petu-
lantly: and he was driven to soliloquize in
language that was more human than
princely.
What a hoyden. She is quite hopeless
Pom my word, / wish | was out of it,
And 10 his betrothed he said, politely, but
icily:
We are unfortunate. princess. Our mar
riage is decreed. Great public interests de-
mend II BlIt / will he CT
tive since you wish 1t. 1 will not make
love"
Thank YOU she said at would be I'M
men"
There was killing on both sides" he cor
rected. There generally is In war. But
take no advantage OF that fact. Though
We have TO marry in obedience to orders
promise that there shall be no love-makina
unless
He paused and she echoed
"Cnless?"
unless the advances come from you
princess. Unless, with quite unmaid snly
abandon"
How dare you?" she asked, defiantly;
but he only smiled coldly, enigmatically,
and said nothing that gave her an opening
for any further demonstrations of dislike.
And no doubt things might have gone on
thus until the wedding day had the royal
bride and bridegroom had othing but their
own feelings to consider.
But this was not TO be. The popuace alsc
had word to say. 1t transpired that the
popuiace was very angry. Bitter mem
cries OF the civil wars seething in the peo-