The Marshall republican., 1908-07-17

fully.
virginia's plan sounded p~oeticai and
~ easy to carry out az TO turn q
Kaleidoscope and form a charming new
| combination OF color. or so II had
seemed while the young voice plead
ed. but when the happy face and
radiant eyes no longer Illumlned the
path the way ahead seemed dark.
To be sure. the princess had 40 far
walked triumphantly along the high
| rotd to success. but II was not always
n good beginning which led to a good
end. and the grand duchess felt as she
rang for Ernestine that her nerves
| would he strained 70 the breaking point
/ r,il matters we're definitely settled
| FOR better ~ for worse.
Virginia hal never been lovelier than
| he was that night NJ dinner. and EgoD
| won Rreits'eia's admiration for her
| beauty had In II n fascinating new In.
grcdient. Until yesterday he had said
20 himself. "If she he not fair TO me.
what care ! bow fair she be?' But
now there was n vague idea that she
| might. after all. I've for him. and fc took
| enormous plelsure In the thought that
tc was falling In love with n girl who
hci captured the empcror's heart.
Egon glanced very often nj Leopold.
1 contrasting his soyerclgn's appearance
unfavorably with his owl. The EN-.
,oror was thin and dark. with n grave
! east Of feature. while Egpn's face kept
the color and youthfuiness Of the early
L sra,tlaa H. ,as AlIaS st., .1aAll
hut he looked " boy. Alma. Tsdcma
would have wreathed him with vine
leaves. draped him with tiger skins
md SGT him down on Y marble bench
against n burning sapphire sky. where
he would have appeared more suitably
clad than In the stiY blue and silver
uniform OF q crack Rhaetian regiment.
Leopold. on the contrary. would new.
or lie painted except ns u soldier. md
Il seemed 10 Egop that no normal girl
could help thinking him a Ear hand.
somer fellow than the emperor. For
the moment. Of course. Miss Mowbray
lid not notice him because his impe-
rial majesty doomed large In the fore.
ground Of her Imagination. but the
chancellor had evidently a plan In his
head for removing thnt stately obsta.
'le into the dim perspective,
Eron had not heard Miss Mowbray
Tpoken OF rs an heircss. Therefore.
even had there been nc emperor In the
way. he would not have worshIped NJ
the shrine. Rut now behold the shrine.
Attractive before. newly and allurIng.
ly decIedl Egon wondered much over
his half brothers apparently impulFive
offer and the contradictory command.
which Ind a little later enjoined walt.
ing.
lie was delighted. however. that he
lad not beer forbidden to make him
self agreeable. and his idea was as
soon as dinner should be ove to md
IA place nj Miss Mowbray's vide before
any other man should have time to
take II. But. unluckily for this plan,
"aron Won I.yndal detained him for a
few moments with praise ~ a now
remedy which might cure the chm.
cellor's govt. and when he escaped
from his host TO look for Miss Now.
lay In the white drawing room she
vas not there.
From the music room adjoining. how.
. or. came sounds which drew him
toward the door. lie knew Miss Now.
bray's soft. coaxing touch on the pi-
ano. She was there playing In a
whisper" as he had heard her call
II. Perhaps she was going to sing. as
she had done once or twice before, aud
would need some M to turn the pages
Of her music. Egon thought that he
would much like to Ike the some one
and was In the act Of parting the white
velvet portieres that covered the door.
way when his hostess smillngly heck
oned him away.
THE emperor has Just asked Miss
Nowbray to teach him some old fash
toned Scotch or English air I'm afraid
don't quite know the difference, cnli,
ed Annie Aaurie,'" the baroness ex'
Mained. He was charmed with II
when she sang the other evening. and
Eve been assuring him that the song
would exactly suit his voice. We
mustn't disturb them while the lesson
Is going on. Tell me-I've hardly had
a moment to ask you-how did you
find the CHANCELLOR
Chained to a forced allegiance. Egon
, mechanically answered the questions
/ Of the baroness without making absurd
mistakes. the while his ears burned u
hear what was gnsns on behind TIN
/ white curtains.
Everybody knew Of the music Leo
son now and charsd In tones OF tact
full monot0ny, never peaking to-
: loudly to disturb the singers, neve to-
cautiously. lest they should seem b
listen. Once. and then again. tn
creamy mezxo soprano and the ricl
tenor that was almost BARTON
sang conscIentiously through tn
verses Of annie Laurie" from begtu
ming to end. Then q few desnltor,
: chords were struck on the piano, an
ct last there was silence behind tn
4 white curtains In the music room.