The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-07-10

Ddullo quickly back 10 earth and TO a
sense Of everyday surroundings.
Were you looking for me 2" be asked,
none too civilly.
only to see if you had succeeded
yet in finding who the lady is with
whom De Jolidon is In love She must
be made TO win him away from any
Ideas Of marrying the widow"
TO blazes with that and all the rest
Of your silly plans" shouted Danilo.
Don't worry any more about the
widow. It's no use. l tell you. She is
going TO marry a Frenchman In spite
Of US all! And" be went on bitterly,
goaded by the chagrin and abject dis.
appointment in Popoff's face. I'm -
ing to dance at her wedding"
Going to marry Frenchman. is
she?" yelled the distracted ambassa-
dor. ''Preposterous, III find way
of stopping IL! And ii is De Jolidon
she thinks of marrying
whats that to me? l dont know
who she's engaged 10. and
But Popon waited to hear no more.
Catching sight of Nish. be rushed upon
that unhappy clerk.
Find NJ. de Jolidonr' he command
ed. Keep your eye on him all the rest
of the evening See if he makes love
to the widow and report to me.
have already told Nine. Popof TO
sound him on the subject Among us
all we ought to learn something before
we're done"
You'll learn something if you keep
on spying" muttered Danilo under his
breath as be moved away. But I'll
bet a years incoue TIN lie something
that win give you more surprise than
pleasure"
Dusk was falling Above the myriad
colored lights that dotted the garden
the moon was rising Along one of
the hedged paths leading to the sum
mer house a man and q woman were
strolling-Mme. Natalie Popof and NJ.
de Jolidon
And so your worthy husband set
you the task of finding out whom
am in love with?" De Jolidon was
saying.
Yes" the ambassadors young wife
answered. "He is afraid you will
marry the widow"
Why shouldn't ~ queried De Joli-
don jokingly. you told me to-"
'eBut-but you won't, will your she
pleaded why don't you look at me?
What are you looking atf'
De Jolidons eye had fallen on the
fan where it lay forgotten on the table.
THE fan you lost and that your
husband pocketed," he said, handing
it to her.
Thank goodness Natalie exclaim-
ed, selling it; then;
Lend me a pencil.
She wrote a sentence on the fan di-
rectly beneath the three words he had
scrubbed the night before at the ball.
There, she sighed, handing it TO
him; keep that as a reminder
He held the fan up to the light and
read:
"I-am-a- wife"
Remember that always" she ad-
jured.
''Natalier he cried passionately.
at is true-I am a dutiful wife. If
/ have been foolish enough to listen to
your lovemaking. at least l have never
encouraged it. l have always rebuffed
you for conscience's sake / am q duti-
fuI"-
''Why remind me of the hopelessness
of my loveT murmured De Jolidon.
"You may refuse to reciprocate it, but
you cannot prevent my telling you
But l can. After this evening we
must not meet again. My husband
trusts me- This must be our farewell
interview. Don't try to alter my pur-
pose. / have made up my mind. Aft
er this evening l shall never
Natalie, you can't mean
Il do. This is the last talk we two
shall ever have together"
''Then," implored De Jolidon, If 1t is
really to be our farewell interview.
why must we talk here in the garden,
where at any moment others may come
to claim your attention? Grant me
final half hour of your society all 10
myself Let the talk be uninterrupted.
Let u1 SIT III Alt lAALIN NSAS~
over there Sect is empty"
They entered the little 1nclosed ar
Dor 1t was lighted by a string OF
japanese lanterns, and two rustic
chairs were at opposite sides of its
round center table There was door
at each end of the tiny roman ideal
spot for a tete-a-tete chat now that the
moonlight had wooed most of the
guests out of doors.
The light wicker door swung shut be-
hind the couple Natalie quite en-
ioyed the prospect of listening TO her
adorer's melodramatic words of faEe-
well and Of posing herocially as self
sacrificing. dutiful wife. In half an
hour at most she would rejoln her hus-
band with the righteous consciousness
IN her heart Of having dismissed for
ever the one man besides Popof who
had ever made love TO her.
So interested was Natalie In De Joh-
don's parting speech that she did not
hear the ambassador, just outside, de-
clare excitedly:
''Nish. I'm sure l saw that summer
house door close behind lady's skirt!
Let's see who IS in there"