Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-07-10

h. Vas Iall.u-. in love with = GIri who
had captured tho cHipernr'S heart
Eron glanced very often at Leopold,
contrasting lis soverciGn's appearance
unfavorably with his own. The en-
pcror was thin and dark with a grave
cast Of feature. while Egon's face kept
the color and youthfulncsS of the early
tWcnticS He was Older than Leopold.
hut he ln.'r! Il hJ''. Alma Tldcna
would larc Wrcithcd him with vine
caves. draped him with tiger skins
and set him down on a marble bench
against Il turning sapphire sky, where
he would have appeared more suitably
clad than in the stiff blue and silver
uniform of Il crack Rhaetian regiment
Leopold. on the contrary. would new
or be painted except as Il soldier. and
it seemed TO Egon that no normal girl
could help thinking him far hand
SOmer fellow than the emperor. For
the moment. of course, Miss MOwbray
did not notice him because his impe-
ground Of her Imagination, but the
chancellor had evidently plan In his
head for removing that stately obsta-
Gle into the dim perspective.
Econ had not heard Miss Mowbray
spoken of rs an heiress. Therefore,
even had there been no emperor in the
way, he would not have worshiped ut
the shrine. But now behold the shrine,
attractive before, newly and alluring-
ly decked! Egon wondered much over
his half brothers apparently impulsive
offer and the contradictory command,
which had little later enjoined wait
ing.
He was delighted, however, that he
had not been forbidden to make him
self agreeable, and his idea was as
soon as dinner should be over to find
a place ut Miss Mowbray's side before
any other man should have time to
take It. But, unluckily for this plan.
Baron Won Lyndal detained him for a
few moments with praise Of a new
remedy which might cure the chan
cellor's govt, and when he escaped
from his host to look for Miss Now
bray in the white drawing room she
was not there.
From the music room adjoining, how
ever, came sounds which drew him
toward the door. He knew Miss Now
bray's soft, coaxing touch on the pi-
ano. She was there playing in a
whisper" as he had heard her call
IT. Perhaps she was going to sing. as
she had done once or twice before, and
would need some one to turn the pages
of her music. Egon thought that he
would much like to he the some one
and was in the act Of parting the white
velvet pOrtieres that covered the door
way when his hostess smilingly beck
oned him away.
1.-THE emperor has just asked Miss
Mowbray to teach him some old fash
Toned Scotch or English air Q'm afraid
don't quite know the difference) call.
cd Annie LAURIE" the baroness ex-
claimed. 'IIe was charmed with It
when she sang the other evening, and
I've been assuring him that the song
would exactly suit his voice. We
mustn't disturb them while the lesson
Is going on. Tell me-Tve hardly had
moment to ask you-how did you
find the CHANCELLOR"
Chained to forced allegiance, Egon
mechanically answered the questions
Of the baroness without making absurd
mistakes. the while his ears burned to
hear what was going on behind the
white curtains.
Everybody knew Of the music les
son now and chatted In tones of tact.
ful monotOny, never speaking too
loudly to disturb the singers, never too
cautiously, lest they should seem to
listen. Once, and then again, the
creamy mezzo soprano and the rich
tenor that was almost a baritone
sang conscientiously through the
verses Of "Annie Laurie from begin
ming to end. Then a few desultory
chords were struck on the piano, and
at last there was silence behind the
white curtains in the music room.
Were the two still there? To inter-
rupt such tete-a-tete seemed out of
the question, but not to know what
was happening Egon found too hard to
bear. and the arrival of telegram for
Lady Mowbray came as OPPORTUNITY
as II Providence had had his special
needs in mind.
Evidently it was not pleasant tele-
gram, for as she read it the Dresden
china lady showed plainly that she
was disconnected. Her pretty face lost
its color; her eyes Alilated as If she had