Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-23
THE MAN ON THE BOX
 By HAROLD MacCRATH Author of The Grey coak.' "Ths Puppet
Copyright, ,so4. Tn. Bobb.-Merrill Company.

|
 women returned, and certainly they
 made picture which was most sat
 isfactory to the masculine eye. Bot ] jumped to his feet and kissed then
 both, thing lacked the courage tc
 do. How pleased they looked! How 6 l woman loves fiattery from those shs loves!
 | We'll. William is in front with the
 carriage; the women are putting OH
 their cloaks, and am admiring the
 luxurious crimson fur-lined garmen,
 which brother Robert had sent to Nan
 cy from Paris. You will see by this that he was not altogether thought
 less lad. Good-by, MT. Robert.
 leave you and your guiding-star to bolt
 the established orbit; for, after this
 night the world will never be the same
 careless, happy-go-lucky world. The
 farce has its tragedy, and what trag-
 edy is free of the ludiicatory? Youth
 must run its courses, even as the gay, ! wild brook must riot on its way to join the sober river.
 l dare say that we hadn't gone 20 | minutes before Robert stole out to th e stables, only to return immediately
 with a bundle under his arm and a
 white felt hat perched rakishly on his
 head. He was chuckling audibly to himself.
 Tt will frighten the girls half to
 to death. A gray horse and bay; oh,
 I won't make any mistake. Let me see: I'll start about 12 o'clock. That'll get me to the spot just as the boys
 leave. This is the richest yet. I'll
 wager that there will be some tall screaming" He continued chuckling as he helped himself to his brothers perfectos and hne old Scotch. don't
 know what book he found in the pri- vate case; some old rascal's merry tales, no doubt; for my hero's face was never in repose.
 We had left Mrs. Secretary-of-the-In- terior's and were entering the red brick mansion on Connecticut avenue, Carriages lined both sides of the street, and mounted police patrolled up and down.
 Poor boy!' sighed Nancy. 'T won- der if he'll be lonely. It's shame to leave him home the very first night"
 Why didn't he come, then?" Mrs. W. shrugged her polished shoul- ders.
 "Oh, my cigars and Scotch are fairly comforting" put in Jack, complacent- ly. Besides. Jane isn't at all bad looking, "-winking at me What do you Say. Charlie?"
 But Charlie had not time to answer. The gray-haired, gray-whiskered am- bassador was lowing pleasantly to us. A dozen notable military and naval attaches nodded; and we passed on to the ballroom, where the or chestra was playing "A Summer Night in Munich" In moment Jack and his wife were lost in the maze of gleaming shoulders and white linen. It was a picture such as few men, once having witnessed it, can forget. Here were the great men in the great world: this man was an old rear-ad- miral. destined to become the nations hero soon; there, famous general, of long and splendid service; ceIe- brated statesmen, diplomats, finan- ciers; a noted English duke; scion of the Hapsburg family: an intimate of the German kaiser; a swart Jap; a Chinaman with his peacock feather: tens of men whose lightest word was listened to by the four ends of the world: representatives of all the great kingdoms and states. The president and his handsome wife had just lief: as we came. so we missed that for mality. which detracts from the oleas- ures of the ballroom.
 "Who is that handsome young fel- low over there, standing at the side of the Russian ambassadors wife?" asked Nancy. pressing my arm.
 Where? Oh, he's Count Karloff for something that sounds like it), a wealthy Russian. in some way con- nected with the Russian government: a diplomat and capital fellow, they say. have never met him. Hello, there's a stunning girl right next to him that haven't seen before. |. Where are you going?"
 Nancy had dropped my arm and was gliding. kitty-corner fashion. across the floor. Presently she and the stun ming girl had saluted each other after I the impulsive fashion of American \ girls. and were playing cat-in-the-cra- i, dle. to the amusment of those for eigners nearest. A nod. and I was l threading my way to Nancy's side
 Isn't it gloriousT she began. This Is Miss Annesley. Charlie: Betty. Mir Miss Annesley looked mildly curious at Nan. who suddenly flushed. We are Co be married in the spring." she exclaimed shyly; and dare say that there was a dimdent on my own face.
 Miss Anneslay gave me her hand. smiling. You are fortunate man, Mir. Henderson"
 Not the shadow of a doubt," Miss frankly admitted on the spot. vas. next to Nancy. the handsom- est girl ever saw; and as thought of Mr. Robert in his den at home I sin cerely pitied him. I vas willing to the statement that had he known. . pair of erutches would not have kent hf-- sr.v from Nh reon