Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-28
"n here's he going to-"

where's he going to-"
Hes going to succeed Lord TOpham
at Streisau.' said she You couldn't
have nicer place. short of Paris
"Strelsau! HIM said l. glancinS at
my brother.
"Oh. that doesn't matter" exclaimed
Rose impatiently. Now, you will go.
won't you?"
Il don't know that care about it."
"Oh, you're too eXasperating.'
And | don't think can so to Strel-
sau. Ny dear Rose, would it be-suit-
able:"
"Oh. nobody remembers that horrid
old story now
Upon this took out of my pocket
portrait Of the king of Ruritania. 1t
had been taken month or two before
he assembled the throne. and he wore Il
full beard Nevertheless she could not
miss my point when l said, putting ii
into her hands:
In case you've not seen or not no
ticed picture of Rudolf V. there he
is. Don't you think they might recall
the story if | appeared at the court of
Ruritania?'
My SiSterin-law looked at the pOr-
trait and then Mt me.
Good gracious" she said and flung
the photograph down on the table.
What DO You say. Bob?'' 1 asked.
BurlcsdOn got up, went to a corner of
the room and searched in Il heap of
newspapers. Presently he came back
with a copy of the Illustrated London
| News. Opening The paper, he displayed
| Il double page engraving of the corona
| ton of Rudolf Y. at StrClsau. The pho
| tOgraph and the picture he laid side by
side sat at the table fronting them,
and as | looked | grew abs Drhed. My
| eye Travelled from my own portrait to
| Sapt. to Str&kcnc;;. to the rich robes OF
| the cardinal. II Black Michaers face. to
the stately figure Of the princess by his
! side Long looked and eagerly. was
reused by my brothers hand on my
| shoulder II" was gazing down at me
with a puzzled expression.
It's Il remarkable likeness, you see
said l. Il really think had better not
go to Ruritania.'
Rose. though half convinced, would
not abandon her position.
It's just an excuse" she said pet
tishIy. You don't want to do anything
Why. you might become an ambassa
dor.I
Il don't think l want TO be an am
bassador," said l.
It's more than you ever will be-" sht
retOrtcd.
That is very likely true, but it is no
more than | have. been. The idea o
being an ambassador could scarcel.
dazzle me. | had been a king.
So pretty Rose left lis in dudgeon
and Hmlcsdon, lighting cigarette
looked ut me still with that curiou
gaze.
That picture in the paper he said
well. what OF il: 1t shows that til
king of Ruritana and your humbl
servant are as like rs two peas
My brother shook his head.
Il suppose So he said But
should know you from the man in tn
photograph"
| -AAitt iiol llOlIl lilc DICluIt III III
paper"
Il should know the photograph fror
the picture; the pictures very like til
photograph, but
: "WelIE'
ITS more like YOU" said my brt
. Their
= My brother is good man and tru,
1
man and mighty fond of his wife, Il
] should know any secret of mine. BU
this secret was not mine, and coul
> not tell it to him.
Il don't think it's so much like me Z
. the photograph" said / boldly. Blu
= anyhow, Bob, l won't go TO Strelsau
f No, don't go to Strelsau, Rudolf
said he.
:. And whether he suspects anything {
) has a glimmer of the truth | do IL,
t know. If he has, he keeps it to hin
o self, and he and never refer to i
|. | And we let Sir Jacob Borrodaile fin
Y another attachc.
4 Since all these events whose hiStOI
h l have set down happened l have live
5 'IiS f"AGS me 1T ii SIiidll Hou'
r which | have taken in the cOuntr
The ordinary ambitions and aims
men i'll my position seem to me DIT
a and unattractive. | have little fan,
q for the whirl Of society and none f
the jOstle of politics. Lady Burlesd(
e utterly despairs of me. My neighbo
. think me an indolent, dreamy, uns
cable fellow. Yet l am young ma
: and sometimes l have Il fancy-the S
:. persttious would call it Il prcscn
ment-that my part in life is not Y
. altogether played; that. somehow al
some day, l shall mix again in gre
= affairs, l shall again spin policies in
- busy brain. match my wits against J,