Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-06-26

ems. what 1t would be to share 1t
| with her.
ASK anything you WILL" he said as
a man speaks In n dream.
Then tel newly you kept the
| ring"
cared-to make my friend took 1t from
her finger and gave 1t to me-"
"Now the emperor is pleased to pay
compliments"
"YOu know l am sincere"
but you'd seen me only for an hour.
Instead OF deserving your friendship.
I'm afraid T.
For one hour? That's true. And
how long ago Is that one hour? A
week or SO. l suppose. rs time counts.
But then came yesterday and the
thing you did for me. Now I've
known you always"
III you had. perhaps you wouldn't
want me for your friend"
II do want you"
The words would come. 1t was true
already. He did want her, but not as
friend. His world-a world without
women. without passion fiery enough
TO devOur principles or traditions-was
upside down.
1t was we'll that the ten minutes
grace between dances was over and
the music for the next about to begin.
A young officer, Count Won Breitstein's
half brother. who was to be Miss
Mowbray's partner. appeared In the
distance looking for her. but stopped.
seeing that She was still with the en-
peror.
"GOodby." said Virginia while her
words could still be only for the ears
Of Leopold.
Not gOOdby. We're friends"
"les. But We shan't meet often"
why? Are you leav ing Kronburg"
"Perhaps-soOn. l don't know"
Il must see you again. l will see
you once more. whatever comes"
"Once more, perhaps. l hope so.
but
after that
"Who knows"
"Once mOre-once more" The words
echoed In Virginia's ears. She heard
them through everything, US one hears
though brass band may bray to
drown its deep music.
Once more he would see her. what
ever might come. She could guess
why 1t might be only once, though he
would fain have that once again and
again repeated, for this game of hers.
begun with such a light heart. was
more difficult to play than she had
dreamed
II she could but be sure he cared. II
he would tell her SO In words and not
with eyes alone. the rest might be
easy, although at best she could not
see the end. Yet how III honor could
cared? And II the telling were not to
be In honor how could she bear to live
her life?
"Once morew What would happen
In that "once more" Perhaps moth
ing save repetition Of grateful thanks
and courteous words akin to q fare
well.
To be sure. Lady Mowbray and her
daughter might run away and the ne
gotiations between the emperor's adj
visers and the Grand Duchess Of Bau-
menburg- Drippe for the Princess Vir-
ginia's hand might be allowed to go
on as II no outside influence had ruff
fed the peaceful current Of events.
Then In the end a surprise would
come for Leopold. Willful Virginia
would have played her little comedy.
and all might be said to end we'll. But
Virginia's heart refused to be satisfied
with so tame a last chapter, 4 finish
to her romance SO conventional as to
be distastefully obvious, almost II not
quite a failure.
She had begun to drink sweet and
stimulating draft-she who had been
brought up on milk and water-and
she was reluctant to put down the
cup. still half full OF sparkling nectar.
"Once morev If only that once could
be magnified into many times If she
could have her chance. her 'aing."
like the lucky girls who were not
royal!