Oxford Democrat., 1908-05-05


upside down.
It was well that the ten minutes
grace between dances was over ant
the music for the next about to begin
A young officer, Count Won Breitstein'i
half brother, who was to be Miss
Mowbray's partner, appeared in tn!
distance looking for her, but stopped
seeing that she was still with the EN-
peror.
"Goodby," said Virginia while hel
words could still be only for the ears
Of Leopold
Not goodby. We're friends"
"Yes. But we shan't meet often"
"Why? Are you leaving KronburgT
"Perhaps-soon. l don't know"
IT must see you again. l will see
you once more, whatever comes"
"Once more, perhaps. 1 hope so
but
After that
"Who knows"
"Once more-once morew The words
echoed in Virginia's ears. She heard
them through everything, as one hears
the undertone Of a mountain torrent,
though brass band may bray to
drown its deep music.
Once more lie would see her, what
ever might come. She could guess
why it might be only once, though he
would fain. have that once again and
again repeated, for this game Of hers
begun with such light heart was
more difficult to play than she had
dreamed.
If she could but be sure he cared, II
he would tell her so in words and not
with eyes alone, the rest might be
easy, although at best she could not
see the end. Yet how In honor could
he tell Miss Helen Mowbray that he
cared? And il the telling were not to
be in honor how could she bear to live
her life?
"Once morer' What would happen
In that "once more" Perhaps moth
ing save repetition Of grateful thanks
and courteous words akin to fare
well.
To be sure, Lady Mowbray and hei
daughter might run away and the ne
gotiations between the emperor's ad'
visers and the Grand Duchess Of Bau'
menburg- Drippe for the Princess Vir'
ginia's hand might be allowed to go
OH as II no outside influence had ruff
fed the peaceful current Of events.
Then In the end surprise would
come for Leopold. Willful Virginia
would have played her little comedy
and all might be said to end well. But
Virginia's heart refused to be satisfied
with so tame last chapter, d finish
to her romance so conventional as to
be distastefully obvious, almost if not
quite failure.
She had begun to drink sweet and
stimulating draft-she who had been
brought up on milk and water-and
she was reluctant to put down the
cup, still half full Of sparkling nectar.
"Once morer' If only that once could
be magnlfied into many times. If she
could have her chance, her fling,
like the lucky girls who were not
royal!
So she was thinking in the carriage
by her mothers side, and the grand
duchess had to speak twice before her
daughter knew their silence had beer
broken.
81 forgot to tell you something, Vir'
ginia."
"Ye-es, mother"
"Your great success has made me
absentminded. child. You looked like 6
shining white lily among all those
handsome, overblown Rhaetian wo.
men,"
THANK you, dear. Was that what
you forgot to say?'
"Oh. no! It was this: The Barones-
Won Lyndal has been most kind. She
urges us to give up our rooms at the
hotel on the first Of next week and
Join her house party at SchlOss 1.yn-
dalberg. It's only few miles out OF
town. What do you think of the
plan"
"Leave-Kronburgf"
"She's asked number Of frlends--to
meet the emperor"
ooh! He didn't speak Of it-when
we danced"
"But she has mentioned 1t to him
since, no doubt-before giving me the
invitation. Intimate friend of his as
she is. she wouldn't dare ask people to
meet him If he hadn't first sanctioned
the suggestion. Still, she can afford to
be more or less informal. The baron
ess was dancing with the emperor, |
remember now, just before she came
to me. They were talking together
quite earnestly. l can recall the ex-
preston Of his face"
"Was 1t pleased, orr
81 was wondering what she could
have said to make him look so happy.
Perhaps
"What answer did you give Baroness
Won Lyndal?"
"I told her I thought you wouldn't
mind. | told her we would 60"