The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1908-04-08

ass and rs soon as the ladies' were
once more alone together in the sweet
scented garden she broke the crown
stamped seal of her son Adalbert, now
by adoption crown prince OF Hungaria.
"Open the others for me, DEAR she
demanded excitedIy, while see what
Dal has to say" And Virginia leisure
ly obeyed, wondering whether OARS
news would by and by be passed on
70 her. 1t was always an event when
a long letter came from him, ana the
grand duchess invariably laughed ana
exclaimed and sometimes blushed as
she read, but when she blushed the
letter was not given to the crown
princes sister.
There was a note today from an Old
friend of her mothers of whom VIZ
ginla was fond, and she had just be-
gun to be interested In the third para
graph, all about an adorable Dandy
Dinmont puppy, when an odd, half
stified ejaculation from the grand Ouch
ess made the girl lift her eyes.
HAS Dial been having something be
yond the common In the way of adyen-
tures?" she inquired dryly.
Her mother did not answer, but she
had grown pink and then pale.
Virginia began to be uneasy. what
Is the matter? Is anything wrongT'
she asked
"No-nothing In the least wrong. far
from it, indeed but, oh, my child!'
Mother, dear. what is itT'
Something so extraordinary, SO
wonderful mean as coincidence
that | can hardly speak. suppose !
can't be dreaming. You are really
talking 10 me in the garden, aren't
your
81 am. and | wish you were telling
me the mystery. Do, dear You look
awake. only rather odd"
at would be strange if didn't look
odd. Dial says-Dal says
what has he been doing getting
engaged?"
mo. 1t is-your emperor, not Dial
who talks of being engaged"
"Oh," said Virginia, trying not to
speak blankly, trying not to flush, try
ing not TO show in any way the sudden
sick pain In her heart.
OF course she was not In love with
him. Of course though she had beer
childish enough long ago to make. him
her ideal and foolishly faithful enougl
to keep him SO, she had always known
that he would never be more to hel
than shadow emperor. Some day he
would marry one of those other roya
girls who were so much more suitable
than She That would be natural ant
right, as she had more than once toll
herself with no conscious pang, bu
now that the news had come, now tina
the royal girl was actually chosen ant
she must hear the letter and rea(
about the happy event In the newspa
pers. 1t was different. She felt sud
denly cold and sick under the blow
hurt and defrauded and even jealous
some wretched, commonplace girl
with stick out teeth perhaps, or no fig
ure and no Idea of the way to wear he
clothes or do her hair.
ed her fingers under the voluminou'
letter about Dandy Dinmont. "Oh, Sc
our friend Is going to be marriedp' she
remarked lightly.
THAT depends" replied the gran(
duchess, laughing mysteriously, with {
catch In her voice as If she had been {
nervous girl-"that depends You mus
guess. But, no; | won't tease you
My dear, my dear. after Dal's letter
coming, as 1t has come. In the midst o
such a conversation. | shall be firm
believer In telepathy. This letter on 1t
way to us must have put the thoughts
into our minds and the words on oul
tongues, 1t may be that the emperor
of Rhaetia will marry; 1t may not, for
my sweet, beautiful girl, it depends
upon-you."
"MeY The voice did not sound t
Virginia like her own. Was she. too
dreaming? Were they both in a dream
"He wishes to marry you"
All the letters dropped from Wiz
ginia's lap-dropped and f1uttered to TIN
grass slowly. like falling rose leaves
Scarcely knowing what she did, sht
clasped her hands over the young bos
om shaken with the sudden throbbinl
of her heart Perhaps such betraya
of feeling by royal maiden deco
rously sued (by proxy, for her hand
was scarcely correct, but Virginia hat
no thought for rules of conduct as lai(
down for her too often by her mother.
ale wishes to marry-neT she
echoed dazedly. "Why?"
providence must have drawn your
inclination toward him. dearest 1t is
indeed a romance. Some day, no doubt
1t will be told to the world in history"
"But how did he Virginia broke
OF and began again. did he tell this
to Dial and ask him to write your"
'Not-not precisely that admitted
the grand duchess, her face changing
from satisfaction to uneasiness. for
Virginia was difficult In some ways
though adorable in others, and held
such peculiar ideas about life-inherit
ed from her American grandmother
that 1t was impossible to be sure how
she would receive the most ordinary
announcements.
The princess rapt EXPRESSION fade(