Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-09

given such order. No sooner has Gerald left
The room than Blanche and d'Antri enter. The
latter with some embarrassment says he has
come to speak TO Caleb on delicate subject.
Il ventured to interrupt your labors."
said d'Antri, his face rejecting gentle
look of pain at his hosts brusqueness, ito
speak to you In reference to your daugh-
ters dot"
Her which," queried Caleb. looking at
the bride as though in search of symptoms
of some violent, unsupported malady
Amadeo means my dowry.'' explained
Blanche, with some Impotence. 1T is the
custom, you know. on the continent
Not on any part of the continent ever
struck. And I've been pretty much all over
IT from Frisco to Quebec. It's new one
me-
In Europe" said Blanche, tapping her
foot and gazing apologetcally at her hand
some husband. lit is customary-as /
thought everybody knew-for girls to bring
their husbands a marriage portion. How
much are You going to settle on me?
How much what? Money? You've al
ways had your sos. 900 a year allowance,
and I've never kicked when you overdrew
it. But now you're married, suppose your
husband"
But. MIR. Conover' broke in the prince,
with more eagerness tnan Caleb had ever
before seen on his placid exterior. II think
yoM fan to understand: W W, 5000 no.,
over. DO you mean you can't support
your wife,
Papa" cried Blanche. in distress. 'for
in your life try not to be coarse. 1t
isn't a question of support 1t is the GUS
tom
For father to pay a man to marry his
girl? / can't see it myself. though now you
SPEAK about it I seem to have read or heard
something of the sort. Well. If it's Gus
tom / suppose il goes. How much?'
The prince shivered very gently, very
daintily
IF it affects you that way" growled
Caleb. II wouldn't "a brought up the sub
too timid to make suggestion, how'll this
strike YOU? I'll double your present allow
ance-s50.OO0 a year, eh?"
IMPOSSIBLE gasped dAntri
Not on your life!'' retorted Caleb. Il
could double that and never feel it. Don't
you worry about me not being able
Who's asked you to? It's to be her cash.
amt il? Not yours. l don't think you
come on in this scene at all. prince IL
seems to be up to me and Blanche; ~ ahum
oh you'll never understandi crieo
blanche, in despair For the daughter of
man of your means. and the Sociai posi-
ton l am to occupy as Princess An'ri'
Hold on interposed Caleb. Il think 1
begin to see. i
You don't see" contradicted his daugh.
Ter pettishIy; In have to explain It
mo. YOU won't If l couldn't understand
things without waiting to have 'em ex-
blamed I'd still be braking at so month
As take it. this prince party meets you IN
yurrup hears your father is the Caleb Con-
over-an old fool of an American with
pretty daughter to place on the nobility
market-and you make your bid You
marry him and he's so sure OF ms ground
he don't even hold out for an ante-wedding
bonus He chases over here with you, and
when he don't find the dowry, or Whatever
else YOU call it. waiting for him at the
dock he makes bold to ring the cash reg
ister."
The prince was on his feet.
II cannot consent, sir, to listen to such"
.'Oh YES YOU can I've heard of your
sort But ! somehow thought they were all
counts | didn't know exactly how prince
stood; but supposed the Job carried an m
come with it. II seems you're just in the
count class. after all. The kind of man that
loafS about Yurrup living on the name OF
some ancestor who got his title by acting
as hired man to his king or emperor or who
ever ruled his two-for-a-quarter country.
The sort of man that does nothing for liv-
ing and don't even do that well enough to
keep him in pocket money. Then some
lookout makes the high sign, 'Heiress in
sight and"
Blanche burst into tears Her husband
threw his arm about her shoulders in aSsd-
uous. theatrical fashion. while Caleb sat
gnawh.s his unlighted cigar and grimly eye
ing III couple ...z- go
'''There there carissima miar' soothed
dAntri your father knows no better. In
this barbarous country of his there are no
leisure classes. /"
here We call 'em tramps. And we give 'em
thirty days instead of our daughters. Here.
stop that id sniveling, Blanche! You
know how i hate il. I'm stung all right,
and it's too late to squeal. The only time
there's any in crying over split milk is
when there's a soft-hearted miIkman cruis-
ing around within hearing distance. And
from where sit don't see any such rush.
ing to my help. You'll get your dot all
right. Just as you knew you would before
you put up that whimper Wen fix up the
details when
hands.
only / want you and me and this prince
Teller OF yours to understand each other
clear. I'm letting myself be bled for a
certain sum, because I've crowed so loud
about your being princess that can't
back down now without raising a laugh,
and without spelling all I've planned to
get by this marriage. Besides, I'm going
to run Cor governor. and don't want any
scandal dramatic separation for lack
of cash coming from my own family LIN
caught fair, and I'll pay. But / want us
three to understand that it's straight
blackmail, ana that l pay it just I'd
pay to have any. other dirty story ihushed
up. Thatn be all today. II you want
some reading matter, prince. here's paper
with a list OF the liners that sail for Yur-
rup next week. Nothing personal intended;
But papa" began Blanche. who. like
dAntri had listened to this exordium with
far less natural resentment than might
have been looked for.
''Thatll be ALL said" repeated Conover
You win your point Clear out! I'm
busy"
The princess knew Caleb too well to press
the victory further. She tearfully left the
ROOM d'Antri following In her wake. At
the door the latter paused. his long white
fingers toying with his silky beard.
Sir" he laid, you may be assured that
! shall never forget your generosity, even
though IL is couched in such unusual lam
guage. You shall never regret IL. l under
stand you have wish to adorn the best
society and