Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-03

moment ago." he said. 'I thought your argument was all the other way round, madam"
 q told you was amusing myself. l What can one do at a ball when one has reached the age when 1t would be foolish to dance1 Why, believe that Lady Mowbray and her daughter are not remaining long in Kronburg." At last she was able to judge that she had given the chancellor few un- easy moments, for his eyes frightened visibly with relief. "Ah," he returned, ''then they are going out of Rhaetia?"
 Not exactly that said the baroness slowly, pleasantly and distinctly. T hear that they've been asked to the country to visit one of his majesty's oldest friends"
 Leopold was not supposed to care for dancing, though he danced-as 1t was his pride to do all things-well. Ger tainly there was often perfunctori- ness about his manner in ballroom, suggestion of the soldier on duty in his unsmiling face and his readiness to lead q partner to her seat when a dance was over.
 But tonight new Leopold moved to the music A girls white arm on his that slender arm which had been quick and firm as mans in his de- fense-the perfume of girls hair and the gold glints upon it, the shadow of girls dark lashes and the light in pair of gray eyes when they were lifted, the beating of girls heart near him, the springtime grace of girls sweet youth in it's contrast with the vouptuous summer of Rhaetian types of beauty, the warm rose that spread upward from a girls childlike dimples to the womanly arch of her brows-all these charms and more which rendered one girl hundred times adorable took hold of him and made him not an en- peror, but a man, unarmOred.
 When the music ceased he fancied for an instant that some accident had befallen the musicians. Then when he realized that the end of the dance had come in its due time he remembered with pleasure a rule of his court estab- lished in the days of those who had been before him. After each dance an interval of ten minutes was allowed before the beginning of another. Ten minutes are not much to man who has things to say which could hardly be said in ten hours. Still, they are something, and to waste even one would be like spilling a drop of pre- cious elixir from a tiny bottle contain ing but nine other drops.
 They had scarcely spoken yet. ex- cept for commonplaces which any one might have overheard, since the day on the mountain, and in this first mo- ment of the ten each was wondering whether or no that day should be ig- nored between them. Leopold did not feel that it should be spoken of, for it was possible that the girl did not recog- nize the chamois hunter in the emper- or, and Virginia did not feel that she could speak of it. But, then, few things turn out as people feel they should.
 Next to the throne room was the ballroom, and beyond was another known as the waldsaal, which Leo pold had fitted up for the gratification of fancy. It was named the wald- saal because it represented wood. Walls and ceiling were masked with thick growing creepers trained over in- visible wires, through which peeped stars of electric light, like the check erings of sunshine between netted branches. Trees grew up, with their roots in boxes hidden beneath the moss covered floor. There were grot- toes of ivy draped rock in the corners, and here and there, out from leafy shadows. glittered the glass eyes of birds and imals-eagles, stags, cham ois. wolve and bears-which the peror had ot
 This strange room, so vast as to seem empty when dozens of people wan dered beneath its trees and among its rock grottoes, was thrown open to guests whenever a ball was given at the palace. but the conservatories and palm houses were more popular, and when Leopold brought Miss Mowbray to the waldsaal after their dance it was in the hope that they might not be disturbed.
 She was lovelier than ever in her white dress under the trees, looking up at him with wonderful look in her eyes, and the young mans calm ness was mastered by the beating of his blood.
 This is kind of madness" he said to himself Tt will pass. It must pass" And aloud. meaning all the while to say something different and commonplace, the real words in his mind broke through the crust of con ventionality, Why did you do itT'
 virginia's eyes widened. 'I don't understand" Then, in an instant, she found that she did understand. She knew, too. that the question had asked itself in spite of him, but that once 1t had been uttered he would stand to his guns.
 q mean the thing I shall have to thank you for always"
 If Virginia had had time to think she might have prepared some pretty answer: but. there being no time, her response came. as his question had, from the heart, "I couldn't help doing it."
 N"You couldn't help risking your life to- He dared not finish.
 Tt was to save Nor was there