The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-14


Keticence became her strongest char
acteristic. She persi$tently refused to
be drawn into discussion of her re-
latiOns with The absent one. Yetivc
was piqued by her manner at first, but
wisely saw through the mask as time
went on She and Prince Dantan had
many quiet and interesting chats con-
corning Beverly and the erstwhile
guard. The prince took LOrry and the
princess into his confidence. He told
them all there was to tell about his
dashlng friend and companion.
Beverly and the young Princess Can
dace became fast and loving friends.
The young girls worship OF her broth
er was beautiful to behold. She hud-
died close to him on every occasion, and
her dark eyes bespoke 2doretion when
ever his name was mentioned in her
presence.
"If he doesn't come back pretty soon
I'll pack up and start for home" Bev
erly said to herself resentfully one day.
'',rhen il he wants to see me he'll have
to come all the way to Washin'ton. ana
I'm not sure that he can do It, e4thsr.
He's too disgustingiy poor"
''Wha's became o. dat Misteh Baldos,
Miss Pev'lyY' asked Aunt Fanny in the
midst of these sorry cogitations. HAS
be tuck hit int his haid to desert
us 70 goodi Seems to me he'd
oughteh''-
Now, that will do. Aunt Fanny"
reprimanded her mistress sternly.
you are not supposed to know any
thing about affairs Of state. so don't
ask"
AT last she no longer could curb her
Impotence and anxiety. She deliber-
ately sought information from Prince
Dantan. They were strolling in the
park on the seventh day of her in
QUESTION.
"Have you heard from Paul Baldos"
she asked, bravely plunging into deep
water.
aext day. Miss Calhoun. ! am almost
as eager to see him as you are" he re-
piled, with very pointed smile.
Almost? Well, yes. I'll confess that
am eager TO see him. l never knew
could long for any one as much as
+ Oh, well, there's no use hiding it
from you. l couldn't IL tried. care
very much for him. You don't think
1t sounds silly for me to say such a
thing. do you? I've thought great deal
of him ever since the night at the Inn
OF the Hawk and Raven. In my i'm
agination | have tried to strip you of /
your princely robes to place them upon /
him, but he is only Baldos in spite of
1t all. He knows that l care for him,
and know that he cares for me. Per
haps he has told you"
Yes, he has confessed that he loves
you, Miss Calhoun, and he laments the
fact that his love seems hopeless. Paul
wonders in his heart If it would be
right in him to ask you to give up all
you have of wealth and pleasure to
share a humble lot with him."
II love him. Isn't that enough?
There is no wealth so great as that
But" and she pursed her mouth in
pathetic despair, don't you think that
Tou can make noble or something of
aim and give him a station in life
worthy of his ambitions? He has done
70 much for YOU, you know
II have nothing that can give to him,
le says. Paul Baldos asks only that
lie may be my champion until these me-
rotations are ended. Then he desires
o be free to serve whom he will All
hat l can do is to let him have his
way. He is free lance, and he asks
10 favors, no help"
well, l think he's perfectly ridicu-
Ous about it, don't you? And yet that
, the very thing like In him. / am
My wondering how wei mean. how
e is going to live, that's ALL"
IF / am correctly informed he still
as several months to serve In the
ervice for which he enlisted. You
lone, believe, have the power to dis
barge him before his term expires"
aid he meaningly.
That night Baldos returned to Edel !
veiss, ahead Of the Graustark delega- I
on which was coming the next day 1
nth representatives from Dawsber- I
en-. He brought the most glorious
ews from the frontier. The Duke Of {
[atz and the leading dignitaries had J
card of Gabrielle capture. both through J
lie Bappo boys and through few Of |
Is henchmen who had staggered into q
amp after the disaster. The news +
rev the .Dawsbergen diplomats into
depIorable state Of uncertainty Even Z
le men high in authority, while not
specially depressed over the fall of q
leir sovereign, were in doubt as to a
hat would be the next move In their 1
,ries of tragedies. Almost to man 4
ley regretted the folly which had b
rawn them into the net with Gabriel. b
aldos reported that the Duke Of Matt Z
nd dozen of the most distinguished n
EN- in Dawsbergen were on their way
Edelwelss to complete arrangements n
II peace and to lay their renunciatioA b
Gabriel before Dantan in neutral e
,urt. V
eF,R,1 nanrla - no xyoha.uo,, had hao, n