The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-06

the center of the room under the eiec- tric light.
 "Elfrida!" gasped. What are you doing here?"
 She dropped me stately courtesy,
 "The Countess olga, fourth lady-in- waiting to her Majesty, Queen Sylvia, at your service" she said with dignity. Then she giggled and blushed.
 Tt was you, then, who kept laughing all the time I was on the stage. l said responsibility.
 Elfrida looked penitent.
 "It was mean of me-" she admitted. But you did look so funny" She giggled again at the recollection.
 made no reply in words, but let her see that I forgave her.
 Where did you come from? How did you get here? Why haven't you written to me in all these weeksT' 1 asked. as soon as felt sure she thor oughly understood my mental attitude regarding her.
 Madame Brenners, New Haven :. Skipped with the show Saturday night Couldn't write-watched every minute" she answered with unwomanly lucidity and brevity.
 Elfrida always was different from other girls. This was why made such a fool of myself over her last summer after my junior year that the Governor was afraid never would stand for the senior grind at Harvard. If he had re- menibered that was on the crew. he wouldn't have been so scared. T could not love thee, dear, so much, loved I not honor more," had quoted solemnly to Elfrida, the night we said good by.
 That was why she was packed off to that beast of Bonner when she should have been queening 1t in Ai- bany society. She was so original that when there was no immediate danger of her elopilg with me, her father was afraid that she might take up slum- ming or typing, or insist on going to the Philippines to nurse the soldiers. Brenner had doubtless been appraised of these contingencies, but apparently the possibility of Elfrida succumbing to the ordinary school girl variety of stage fever had occurred to no one.
 Consequently. with her power of re- source, it was mere child's play for her to break jail" as she expressed 1t during the relaxed vigilance of the Saturday evening recreation hour, and subsequently, to coax her way to the managers presence. AS far as he was concerned. to see was to engage. Did I mention that Elfrida was a ripping, tearing beauty2 Well, such Is the case. and she conhded to me that she was paying for her own costumes.
 "You must so back at once" I said sternly, as soon as we had compared notes on the numerous exciting events which had occurred since our parting.
 And give up earning my own live inR." demanded Elfrida. indignantly just when I have proved how easily can do it?'
 You've only been at 1t two days" remarked, "and as 1t is the fourth of the month, I suppose you still have most of your allowance"
 Instantly I saw my mistake. Elfrida turned her back on me. and for fully two minutes every one of my usual methods of effecting a reconciliation failed utterly. At length a brilliant idea came to me.
 'If you will leave the company to- night, I will" l said in the tone Of one making the sacrifice of a life- time.
 Elfrida displayed signs of interest. She didn't. of course know that my en- gagement. like that of a dozen other '07 fellows who were members of the Queens Guard, was only for the cur rent week.
 You are willing, then, to forego the pursuit of the Queen?" inquired Elfrlda. quoting from the play with mock in tensity I detected, however, an under current of real anxiety in her voice, and hastened to reassure her.
 Anything that ] gave up for your sake would be the next moment forgot ten" I replied. dramatically.
 She allowed me to kiss her.
 T will do it," she said after a mo- ments deliberatton, 'Bpt we will