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

man, but | swear to you I won't be
married to Leopold in Count Won Brett.
STEMS hateful old, cold. cut and dried
way"
"Its the emperor's way as well as
Won Breitstein's."
"Then for once In his big grand, OBJ
stinate life he'll have to learn that
there's one Insignificant girl who won't
play Griselda even for the sake Of be-
ing his empress"
The girl proclaimed this resolve, ris.
ing to her feet, with her head high
and a look In her gray eyes which
told the grand duchess that 1t would be
hopeless for her to argue down the
resolution. At first 1t was proud look
and a sad look, but suddenly beam
of light flashed into 1t and began to
sparkle and twinkle. Virginia smiled
and showed her dimples. Her color
came and went. In a moment she was
different girl, and her mother, be-
wildered, fearful still, dared to hope
something from the change.
"How odd you look" she exclaimed.
you've thought Of something. You
are happy. You have the air of-of
having found some plan"
"It found me, think" the girl an
swered, laughing. ''all suddenly, just
In fash. That's the way 1t must be
with Inspirations. This is one-I know
1t. It's all In the air. floating round
me. But shall grasp it SOON"
She came close to her mother, still
smiling, and knelt down in the grass at
her feet looking up with radiance In
her eyes.
Luckily there was no one save the
Dresden china lady and the birds and
flowers to see how young princess
threw her mantle Of dignity away, for
the two did not keep royal state and
royal retinue in the quaint old house
at Hampton Court and the big elm
which Virginia loved kindly hid the
mother and daughter from intrusive
eyes.
"You do love me, don't you, dear.
est? cooed the princess softly as
dove.
"You know do, my child, though
don't pretend to understand you"
sighed the grand duchess, well aware
that she was about to be coaxed into
some scheme, feeling that she would
yield and praying Providence that the
yielding might not lead her into tribu-
lation.
"People grow dull If we understand
them too WE'LL" said Virginia. Its
like solving puzzle-there's no more
fun in it when it's finished. But you
wish me to be happy, darling"
"More than I wish for anything else,
excepting, of course, dear Dal's'-
''Dal Is man and can take care OF
himself I must do the best l can
poor me! And there's something I
want so much, so much 1t would be
heaven on earth, all my own, II could
win it-Leopold's love, quite for my
self, as q girl. not as a suitable Prot
estant princess For few horrid
minutes l thought 1t was too late to
hope for that and | must give him up,
because | never could be sure If &C
cepted him without his love and he
said it had come afterward; that it
was really, really true. Anyway. it
could never be the same. and | was
miserable over what might have been.
Then suddenly | saw how 1t still
might be- | almost think ! may be
able to win his love If you'll promise
to help me, dear"
"Of course | WILL" said the grand
duchess, carried out of her pretty little
conventional self into unwonted i'm
pulsiveness by the warmth of kisses
soft and sweet as the roses on Vir-
ginia's bosom.
'"That is, l will IL can. But don't
at all see what can do"
II see. And what | want you to do
is to please, please see with my eyes. "
They're very bright ones" smiled
her mother.
Princess Virginia clasped the grand
duchess round the waist so tightly that
1t hurt, Then she laughed, loud. half
frightened, excited laugh. Dearest,
something perfectly wonderful is 60
ing to happen to you and me-" she said
the most wonderful thing that ever
has happened We are going to have
a--great-adventure And what the
end Of 1t will bel don't know"