Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-17


 The ten crown wager, too, gave spice to it, but to do her justice she cared very little for that. The princess loved gambling purely for gambling sake, and with her the next best thing to winning was losing.
 When I went to my room that night, I awakened Brandon and told him of the distinguished honor that awaited him.
 sWel1, I'll be- But he did not say what he would "be." He always halt ed before an oath, unless angry, which was seldom, but then beware. He had learned to swear in Flanders. "How she did fly at me the other morning! never was more surprised in all my life. For once was almost not know how to parry the thrust. I mumb1ed over some sort of lame retaliation and beat a retreat. It was so unjust and uncalled for that it made me angry. But she was so gra- cious in her amends that was almost glad it happened. I like a woman who can be as savage as the very devil when it pleases her. She usually has in store an assortment of possibili- ties for the other extreme"
 ''She told me of your encounter returned, "but said she had come off second best, and seemed to think her overthrow q huge joke"
 "The man who learns to know what a woman thinks and feels will have great deal of valuable information" he A,r~. Q<~,, e,Jo greatly pleased that ones. woman thought as she did.
 was not sure he would be so highly f1attered if he knew that he had been invited to settle a wager and to help Mary to a little sport.
 As to the former, I had an interest there myself, although, dared not set tie the question by asking Brandon If he played cards and danced, and, as to the matter of Mary's sport, felt there was but little if any danger of her having too much of it at his expense, Brandon being we'll able to care for himself in that respect.
 The next evening at the appointed time we wended our way by an unfre- quented route and presented ourselves as secretly as possible at the drawing room of the princess.
 The door was opened by Lady Jane. and we met the two girls almost at the threshold. I had told Brandon of the bantering conversation about the title and estates of the late Duke of Suffolk, and he had laughed over it in the best of humor. If quick to retaliate for an intentional offense, he was not thin skinned at q piece of pleasantly, and had none of that stiff, sensitive dignity so troublesome to oneself and friends.
 Now, Jane and Mary were always bantering me because I was short and inclined to be, ill fact, round, but did not care. It made them laugh, and their laughing was so contagious it made me laugh, too, and we all en- joyed it. would give pound sterling any time for good laugh, and that, I think, is why I have always been round.
 So, upon entering, said:
 His grace the Duke of Suffolk, la dies"
 They each made a sweeping courte- sy with hand on breast, and gravely saluted him: .,...
 Your grace, good even." Brandon's bow was as deep and graceful if that were possible, as theirs, and when he moved on into the room 1t was with a little halt in his step and big blowing out of the ! cheeks in ludicrous imitation of his l late lamented predecessor that sent the girls into peals- of soft laughter and put us all at our ease immediately. 1 An, what thing it is to look back upon-that time of life when one finds his heaven in a ready laugh!
 "Be seated, all," said the princess. s'This is to be without ceremony and only we four. No one knows a word of it. Did you tell any one, Sir Edwin?"
 Perish the thought.' exclaimed.
 She turned her face toward Brandon. "But know you did not. I've heard how discreet you were about another matter. Well, no one knows 1t, then, and we can have a famous evening. | You did not expect this, Master Bran- don, after my reception of you the oth- CT morning? Were you not surprised when Sir Edwin told you?' T think can safely say that was | prepared not 10 De SurpTlSeQ dC any thing your highness might gracious!y conclude to do-after my first experi- ence," he answered, smiling.
 'Indeed?" returned Mary, with ele- vated eyebrows and rising infection on the last syllable of the word. It was now her turn for little surprise. 'Well, we'll try to find some way to surprise you one of these days" And the time came when she was full of surprises for him. Mary continued: But let us not talk about the other day. Of what use are other days any, way? Before the evening is over, Mas ter Brandon, we want you to give us another sermon" And she laughed, set j ting off three other laughs as hearty and sincere us if she had uttered the rarest witticism on earth.
 The princess had told Jane and Jane had told me of the Sermon in the Park" as Mary called it.
 "Jane needs it as much as l." said the princess.
 Il can't believe that" responded
 Brandon, looking at Jane with sof-