The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-07-22

| kerchicf and finally rose from her
chair, looking dazcd and distressed.
"Tye had rather bad news" she adj
mitted to Baroness Won I.yndal, who
| was all Solicitu0e-"oh, nothing really
serious, trust, but still disquieting
1t Is from dear friend. think | had
better go to my room and talk things
over with Helen. Would you be kind
enough to tell her when she comes In
that she's to follow me there? Don't
send for her TIL then; It's not neces-
sary. But | shall want her by ana
| by"
1t was clear that Lady Mowbray did
not wish her daughter to be disturbed.
STILL Egon Won Breitstein thought he
might fairly let his anxiety run away
with him. AS the baroness accompa-
MED her guest to the door he took 1t
upon himself to search for Miss Now
bray, for now If the emperor should
curse him for a spoil-sport he would
have the best Of excuses. Lady Now
bray was in need of her daughter.
He lifted the white curtains and peep
cd through n small antechamber into
the music room beyond. 1t was empty,
but one Of the long windows leading
into the rose garden was wide open.
The month of September was dying,
and away in the Rhaetian mountains
winter had begun. Yet in the lap OF
the low country summer fingered. The
air was soft and sweet with the per-
fume of roses-rOses living and roses
dead In potpourri of scattered petals
on the grass. 1t was n garden for low
ers and night for lovers.
Egon went to the open window and
looked out, but dared not let his feet
take the direction of his eyes, though
he was sure that somewhere in the
garden Miss Mowbray and the emper-
or were to he found
"They will come in again this way"
he said to himself, "for they will want
people to think they have never left
the music room, and for that very rea-
son they won't stop too long They
must have some regard for the conven-
tions. If waltz
He did not finish the sentence I'm his
mind. Nevertheless he examined the
resources OF the window niche with a
critical eye.
There was deep incosure between
the window frame and the long,
straight curtains of olive green satin
which matched the decoration of the
music room. BY drawing the curtains
few inches farther forward one could
make q screen which would hide one
from observation by any person In the
room or outside in the garden. So
Egon did draw the curtain, and, framed
In his shelter like q saint in niche, he
stood peering into the silver night.
The moon was rising over the lake,
ana long, pale rays OF level light were
stealing up the paths like the fingers
Of blind child that carcss groplngly
the features of n beloved face.
EgOn could not see the whole gar
den or all the paths among the roses.
But If the emperor and his companion
came back by the way they had gone
he would know presently whether they
walked In the attitude OF friends or
lovers. 1t was so necessary for his
plans to know this that he thought It
worth while to exercise n little pa
tience in waiting. or course, lf they
were lovers, goodby to his hopes, and
he would never have so good chance
rs this to make sure
All things In the garden that were
not white were gray rs doves wings.
Even the shadows were not black.
and the sky was gray, with the soft
gray OF velvet under n crust OF dia-
monds which flashed as the spanglcs
on woman's fan flash when It trem-
bles In her hand.
! White moths, happily ignorant that
| summer would come no more for them,
drifted out from ihe shadows like rose
| petals blown by the soft wind. On n
trellis crowdlng sisterhood OF pale
! roses dropped their heads downward
IN memento mort. 1t was silver
/ night, night OF enchantment.
Leopold had meant to take Virginia
out only to see the moon rise over the
water, turning the great smooth sheet
or Jet into q silver shield, for there
had been clouds or spurts Of rain on
other nights, and he had said to him.
self that never again perhaps would
they two stand together under the
white spell of the moon He had
meant to keep her for five minutes. or
ten at the most, and then to bring her
back, but they had walked down to
the path which grdled the cliff above
the lake. The moon touched her gold.
en- hair and her pure face like n bcnc
diction. He dared not look at her thus
for long, and when there came sud
den quick rustlng In the grass at their
feet he bent down, glad of any change
In the current Of his thoughts.
Some tiny winged thing OF the nigh;
sought lodging in bell shaped flow
er whose blue color the moon had
drunk, and as Leopold stopped the