The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-17

after ESOn Won bFesl
STEMS visit to his brother, and the
grand duchess was beginning to Won
der uneasily what kept her daughter
when ringed fingers tapped on the panel
of the door.
..Come inw she answered, and Vir-
ginia appeared, still in the white ten
mis- dress she had worn that afternoon.
She stood for an instant without speak
ing, her face so radiantly beautiful:
that her mother thought it seemed IL
I1mined from light within.
It had been on the lips of the grand
duchess to scold the girl for her tardi-
ness, since to be late was an unpardon-
able offense with an imperial majesty
I in the house. But in that radiance the
words died.
"virginia. what is it? You look-l
scarcely know how you look But you
make me feel that something has hap
pened."
The princess came slowly across the
room, smiling softly, with an air OF
one who walks in sleep. Hardly con-
scious of what she did, she sank down
in a big chair and sat resting her ell
bows on her knees, her chin nesting
between her two palms, like pink
white rose in its calyx.
'you may so, Ernestine," said the
grand duchess to her maid. "l'll ring
when want you again."
The elaborate process Of waving and
dressing her still abundant hair had
fortunately come to successful end,
and Ernestine had just caused q dla-
mond star to rise above her forehead.
She was in robe de chambre, and the
rest of her toilet could wait till curios-
ityvwas satisfied.
But Virginia still sat dreaming. her
happy eyes far away: The grand duch-
ess had to speak twice before the girl
heard and started a little. "My daugh-
ter, have you anything to tell me!"
The princess reused herself. Moth.
ing, mother, really; except that I'm the
happiest girl on earth"
"Why, what has ne said?
"Not one word that any one mightn't
have listened to. But know. He does
care. And ! think he will say some
thing before we part"
'srhere's only one more day Of his
visit here after tonight"
Zone whole long, beautiful day to.
gether.""
"But, after all, dearest" argued her
mother, "what do you expect? II III
truth you were only Miss Mowbray,
marriage between you and the emperor
would be out of the question. You've
never gone into the subject Of your
feelings about this quite thoroughly
with me, and do wish I knew pre-
cisely what you hope for from him.
what you will consider the-the key
stone Of the situation
"Only for him to say that he loves
me-" Virginia confessed. "If I'm right.
if I've brought something new into his
life, something which has shown him
that his hearts as important as his
head, then there will come moment
when he can keep silence no longer.
when he'll be forced to say, 4 love you,
dear, and because we can't belong to
each other day is turned into night for
me- Then when that moment comes
the tide of my fortune will be at its
flood. I shall tell him that love him,
too, and shall tell him all the truth"
"You'n tell him who we really are"
eyes, and why I'VE been masquer-
ading-that it was because. ever since
I WIS little girl, he'd been the one
man in the world for me; because,
when our marriage was suggested
through official channels, made up
my mind that I must win him first
through love or live single all my
days"
"What if he should be veXed at the
deception and refuse to forgive you:
You know, darling, we shall be in
rather curious position when every
thing comes. out, as we have made all
our friends here under the name OF
Mowbray OF course the excuse for
what we did is that our real position
is a hundred times higher than the
one we assumed, and all those to
whom we've been introduced would
be delighted to know us in our own
characters at the end. But Leopold IS
q man, not romantic girl, as you
are. He has always had reputation
for pride and austerity, for being just
before he would let himself be gener-
GUS, and it may be that to one Of his
nature q wild whim like yours
'iYou think Of him as he was before
we met, not as he is now If you fancy
he could be- hard with woman he
really loved" said Virginia eagerly.
.Ee'll forgive me, dear. I've no fear
of him any more. Tonight I've no
fear of anything. He loves me-and-
I'm empress of the world"
''Many women would be satisfied
with Rhaetia," was the practical re-
sponse which jumped into the mind
of the grand duchess. but she would
throw no,more cold water upon the
rose flame Of her daughters exaltation.
She kissed the girl on the forehead,
breathing few words Of motherly
sympathy; but when the princess had
flown Off to her own room to dress she
shook her diamond starred head doubt
fully.
virginia's plan sounded poetical and
as easy to carry out as to turn a
kaleidoscope and form charming new