The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-07-17

tween the eyes. heeiih6 ~
collapsed and buried his face In MS
hands. ,.u
"No mol 1t can't bel 1t can'tP' he
moaped And yet l could hardly De
mistaken. My wife! AND
"Brace up. your excellencyT entreat-
ed Danilo in genuine distress. Fuii
Yourself together. There are people
coming along the walk. Don't make
scene. Perhaps you were mistaken.
"No. l saw herr" groaned Popon.
"Mv own wife and De Jolidon! AND
he kissed her hand"
"Oh. l dare say she was more Kissed
against than kissingY Danilo observed
consolingly. "But be careful, SIT.
whole lot of people are within ear
shot"
"Then let them know the worst!'
cried Popoff in voice that brought
number of guests hurrying to the spot.
an denounce her before them al!
Come out of there" he beloved, rush.
ing forward, "both Of you! Come out!'
He threw the summer house door
wide open and shrank back. incredu-
lous, aghast.
On the threshold stood De Jolidon
and-Sonial
"What-what does this mean," CUR
gled the confused ambassador. this
this change and"-
"You called to US to come out" re-
turned Sonia calmly. May l ask
what you wanted Of us?"
"Sonia~ gasped Danilo. And through
the confusion of many excited voices
she heard him and thrilled to the note
of anguish In his half stified cry.
tiff it was you who were In
there with NJ. de Jolidon," stammered
Popoff, where is my wifer
Here l am, DEAR" answered Natalie,
stepping out of the crowd, with which
she had mingled after her hurried exit
| through the rear door of the summer
house. Here l ami What is the mat
terp'
Matter enoughp cried her husband.
81 could have sworn | saw you sitting
In that arbor with NJ. de Jolidon."
MY dearw
Natalie's exclamation was triumph
of shocked propriety.
"He was kissing your hand,
| thought" went on the dazed ambassa-
| dor.
This time Natalie moved away from
him in offended dignity. But Popoff
hastened to throw his arm about her
and draw her back.
81 was wrong" he assured her-"a
| blunder of eyesight! | apologize! I'm
sorry. r.
~ begin to understand" put in Sonia,
/ stepping forward in fear lest Natalie
overdo her pose of virtuous indigna-
| ton. ut seems that the Marsovian
| ambassador has done me the honor to
listen at a keyhole in hopes of over
hearing my conversation. Sooner than
! disappoint him, Nj. de Jolidon, will you
please repeat to him just what you
said to me In there?
De Jolidon understood. If Natalie
was to be saved, If Sonia was not to
be talked about, heroic measures were
necessary.
81 asked Nine. Sonia Sadowa," said
he, "to do me the honor to become my
wifer'
Danilo stood motionless, his lips set
in a white line, amid the buzz Of con-
gratulations and laughter that followed
De Jolidon's announcement. Sonia
noted his agony and said joyfully to
herself:
MY prince, l think I've won! You'll
have to speak, soon or late, now, and
when you do
"And Marsovia loses the twenty NIL
lions" Popoff muttered, recovering his
self possession and somewhat belated-
" remembering his country's needs.
"Prince," called Sonia mischievous-
ly, 81 haven't heard your congratula-
lions yet You don't look as happy as
you might at the news"
Happy echoed Danilo, with
scornful, mirthless laugh. why
shouldn't | be? Accept my congratu-
lations, my paternal blessing and any
thing else you choose to levy on me
for My own motto is, Love when you
may, propose seldom and marry-not
at allp
LET me tell you a little fairy STORY:
There were once a prince and prin-
cess. They loved each other. But the
prince was poor and dared not tell or
his love for fear of being thought
| fortune hunter His silence made the
princess angry. So she went and prom
Used her hand to another man, and
they all lived miserably unhappy ever
after. And the moral of that stupid
little story is that I'm sick of respect
ability, and Pm awake from my crazy
dream of love, and I'm going back to
Maxim's. and you can all go to-Mar-
soviap'
"He loves mel He loves me-" painted
Sonia under her breath.
1850 -