The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-06-05


Nish; scarcely as bad as all that, II
l may say so-not refused exactly.
He will come. IT least he promised
to-"
"Ah, that lifts load from my brain
IL he promised he'll come! Diplomat
ically speaking. Prince Danilo's word
is as good as his bond"
"Diplomatically speaking, your excel
lency." affirmed Nish, "he agrees to
be here as soon as he has finished the
magnum of champagne that was In the
ice pail beside him when left"
"How much OF II was gomez"
1.-THE cork was not yet drawn. but
"Be on the lockout for him, Mr..
Nish. When he comes put ice on his
head If necessary. Sober him at any
cost"
81 fancy it will be cheaper than fill
ing him up. I'll do my best, your ex-
cellency."
But the ambassador at u whispered
word from a servant had already pot
tered out of the room as fast as his
somewhat shaky old legs would carry
him, and the voluble Nish ran along
In his wake.
A commotion swept through the
scattered groups in the foyer-a MUIR
mur a rustic, whisper that resolved
itself at last into the excited phrases:
"1he widow has arrivedv Twenty
millions and unincumberedw "Widow
of Sadowa. the animated money bagw
"a Monte Cristo fortune for some
lucky man. "Her name Is Sonia Sa-
dowa; twenty millions-red hair, too.
but a beauty Twenty millionsW
1.-THE Merry Widow
Down the stairway from the dress
ing rooms and into the salon swept a
woman-young beautiful, vivacious. A
light of mischief danced in her great
dark eyes
Her masses of auburn hair shone
| like an aurcOle above her rather
pale, delicate face. About her lowered
a half score of gallants, all vying for
a word, look, from the beauty (and
fortune) of the Paris season.
Two men-the Marquis of Cascade
and the Count de St Brioche-were
lucky enough to claim for a moment
or two her attention.
"No, no. Sonia was saying I'm pro-
test. AT home, in Marsovia, men don't
make such pretty speeches. Courtship
there is very primitive and marriage
Is for life. When a man makes love ia
another's wife, he is promptly shot
When wife fiirts, her husband beats
her black and blue-a good plan. Why
not try 1t in Parls?"
"Delightfulw exclaimed Cascade. "DC
you know, madame, We have been
counting the moments until you ap
pearedT
81 can we'll believe It," assented So
mia. "It must have been just like
counting money"
"Oh, madamew protested the group
Mortified.
Don't I know" retorted Sonia, o
little bitterly. ITS always like that
People count me like so much money
II II is coarse for me TO say so, re
member I'm farmers daughter ant
that in my country people call spade
spade"
Popoff and Natalie came hurriedly IL
to pay their respects to the guest upor
whom Marsovia's hopes so depended
At a sign from the ambassador the 9th
ers drew back.
$50 you were shocking some of oul
Paris gallants?" beamed the ambassa
dor What a child Of nature yor
arer'
you mean," countered Sonia, that
am peasant dressed up. How wisl
sometimes that I were a real peasan
again.
"Ahw chuckled Popoff. Child of ma
ture, true child OF nature, always
remembering the dear old days on thu
farm-the bleating of the pigs, the new
laid milk, the tomatoes freshly dul
up and all the simple joys of the coun
try! But l want you TO meet tonigh
some of our Marsovian nobility-fo
instance, Prince Danilo, charming
young fellow. Hell be here presently
Danilo is"--
But the mischief had died out o
Sonia's eyes. Her face was paler thar
| WAS It's WOUl uuu lucTe WIS II slcIl
look as Of pain about the daintil!
chiseled mouth.
II have already met Prince Danilo,
she said CURLY.
"ReallyT' cried Popoff. Then, not
ing her change OF expression, he adde'
with apprehension:
81 hope It was not on one of his we
days-a charming. lovable youngsts
In spite of his
81 am not interested In hearing abou
him." broke in Sonia in a curiousl.
level, emotionless voice. "It was lon
ago that we met. He will have forgot
ten me even as-as / have forgottel
him. Let us talk of something else
please"
Even Popoff could see something wa
seriously amiss.
, CHAPTER Ill.