Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-06-26

]
You doubt that: Then you don't
know The emperor and you've forgot
/ ten some of the traditions of his
/ house
Are YOU trying TO warn me of dis
astcr. baroncsS:'
| She laughed. "Oh, dear, no-of moth
ing disagreeable. But / should be sor-
ry 10 think. as you seem to do, that our
emperor has no youth In his veins"
II think nothing Of the sort What
l do think is that my teachings have
not been in vain and that he has grown
| up to put his duty to his country and
| his own self respect above everything.
| He's strong man-toO strong to be
| trapped in the mesheS of any pink and
white Vivien. And If he admired
young woman not Of royal blood he
would keep his distance for her sake.
| You say this English miss Is with her
| mother at the principal hotel Of Kron-
burg. If Leopold constantly visited
them there we should have n scandal.
On the other hand. to suggest meeting
the girl outside or incognito would be
an insult. Either way he would be
but poorly rewarding a woman who
saved his life"
Baroness Won Lyndars color rallied
to the support Of her rouge, and her
smile Gwindled to inanity, for she had
insisted upon the argument, and 1t was
going against her.
In her haste to vex the chancellor
l 70 ctr
cry side the question she had raised
SO far she had merely succeeded In ir-
ritating him. and she owed him much
more than pin prick Such iniinitesi-
NAL wounds she had contrived to give
the man in abundance during her twen-
ty-twO years at the Rhaetian court,
but now, il she hurt him at all, she
would like the stab to be deep and
| memorable.
To be sure. in beginning the CONVEX
sation she had thought of nothing more
than momentary qualification. but
the very heat of the argument into
which she had thrown herself had
warmed her malice and sharpened the
weapon OF her wit. She could justify
|
and 1t occurred to her that she might
be able to shape events In such a way
that she could say with eyes II not In
words, Il told you So"
| Her fading smile frightened. Dear
chancellor. YOU do well to have faith
I'm your imperial pupil" said She
you've helped to make him what he
1 ts, ii
he should be. l suppose even that II.
being but young man and having the
hot blood Of his race, he should stray
into a primrose path you would take
advantage Of old friendship to-er-
put up signposts and barriers?"
| "Were there the slightest chance of
such necessity arising" grumbled the
chancellor. Struggling his shoulders.
ITS like your integrity and courage.
What comfort. then. that the neces-
slty IS SO unlikely to arisev'
The old man looked ut her with level
gaze. the ruthless look that brushes
away woman's paint and powder and
cOldly counts the wrinkles underneath
Il must have misunderstood you. then,
q moment ago." he said. II thought
your argument was all the other way
round. madam"
| II told sou | was amusing myself.
What can one do Mt ball when one
has reached the age when it would be
foolish TO dance: 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 I'M
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. 81
hear that they've been asked to the
country to visit one of his majcsty's
Oldest friends"
Leopold was not supposed to care for
dancing. though he danced-as it was
his pride to do all things-well. Ger
tainly there was often IL perfunctori-
ness about his manner in ballroom,
a suggestion Of the soldier on duty In
his unsmiling face and his readiness
to lead partner to her seat when
dance was over.
But tonight 4 new Leopold moved to
the music. \ girls white arm on his
THAT slender arm which had been
quick and firm rs Il 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
a pair Of gray eyes when they We're
lifted. the beating of girls heart near
him. the springtime grace Of a girls
sweet youth in its contrast with the
voluptuous summer of Rhaetian types
Of beauty. the warm rose that spread
upward from 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 man. unarmOred.
When the music ceased he fancied
Tor 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 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 a 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 splitting 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 1t should be spoken of, for It
was possible that the girl did not recoc-
nize the chamois hunter In the emper.