The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-03
CondnuedS

Chase now re9llZeO that Ee no longer had authority over the natives. Rasu- Ia made the reports for the is nders and took charge of the statements from the bank.
 Every morning Chase rode boldly into the town, transacted what busi- ness he could, talked with the thor oughly disturbed bankers and then de dantly made his way to the chateau. He was in love with the princess desperately in love. He understood perfectly-for be was man of the world and cosmopolftan-that nothing could come of it. She was a princess, and she was not in a story book; she could not marry him.
 So far as Genevra was concerned, on her part it could mean no more than . diversion, a condesoension to coQuet- ry, a simple Irritation; it meant the passing of a few days, the killing of time, the pleasure of gentle conquest, and then-foFgetfulness All this he knew.
 At first she revolted against the court he so plainly paid to her in these last few days. It was bold, conscience less, fmpertinent. She avoided him; she treated him to a short season of disdain; she did all in her power to re- buke his effrontery-and then in the end she decided to give him as good as he sent in this brief battle of folly. It mattered little who came off with the feweSt scars, for in a fortnight or two they would go their separate ways, no better, no worse, for the conflict. And, after all, it was very dull in these last days, and he was very attractive and very brave and very gallant and, above all, very sensible.
 They rode together in the park every morning, keeping well out of range of marksmen in the hills. Their conflict was with the eyes, the tone of the voice, the intervals of silence; no touch of the hand-nothing except the strate- gies of Eros.
 What did it matter If a few dead impulses, a few crippled ideals, few blasted hopes, were left strewn upon the battlefield at the end of the fort night? What did anything matter so long as Prince Karl of Brabetz was not there?
 One night toward the end of this week of enchanting rencounters-this week of effort to uncover the vulner- able spot in the others armor-Ge- nevra stood leaning upon the rail which inclosed the hanging garden. She was gazing abstractedly into the black night, out of which far away blinked the light in the bungalow. It was the first night in a week that he had missed coming to the chateau.
 She missed him. She was lonely.
 He had told her of the meeting that was to be held at the bungalow that night at which he was to be asked to deliver over to Rasula's committee the papers, the receipts and the memoran- da that he had accumulated during his months of employment in their behalf. She had a feeling of dread-a numb, sweet feeling that she could not ex- plain except that under all of 1t lay the proud consciousness that he was a man who had courage, man who was not afraid.
 "How silly I amp she said half aloud in her abstraction.
 She turned her gaze away from the blinking light in the hills, a queer, guilty smile on her lips.
 Across the garden from where she was faying herself bitterly Lady Dep pingham's husband was saying in low, agitated tones to Bobby Browne's wife.
 "Now, see here, Drusilla, I'm not saying that our-that is, Lady Dep bingham and Bobby-are accountable for what has happened, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant. It's of little consequence who is trying to poison us, don't you know, and all that. They wouldn't do it, Pm sure, but somebody is! That's what mean, dye see? Lady Dep
 "I know my husband wouldn't couldn't do such a thing. Lord Dep bingham" came from Drusilla's stiff lips almost as a moan. She was very miserable.
 "Of course not, my dear Drusilla," he protested nervously. Then sudden ly, as his eye caught what he consid- cred a suspicious movement of Bob by's hand as he placed a card close to Lady Deppingham's fingers: "Demme, I-rd rather he wouldn't But I beg your pardon, Drusilla! It's all perfect ly innocent"
 "Of course it's innocentv' whispered Drusilla fiercely.
 Its utter nonsense for us to sus- pect them of Pray don't be so up set, Drusilla. It's all right"
 eff you think I am worrying over your wife's harmless affair with my husband you are very much mistak- en.''
 Deppingham was silent for a long time.
 ''I don't sleep at all these nights" he said at last miserably. She could not feel sorry for him. She could only feel for herself and her sleepless nights. 'Drusilla, do-do you think they want to get rid of us? We're the obstacles, you know. We can't help it, but we are. Somebody put that pill in my tea today. It must have been a servant. It couldn't have been-er''-
 My husband, sir?'
 "No; my wife. You know, Drusilla, she's not that sort. She has a horror of death and''- He stopped and wiped his brow pathetically.
 elf the servants are trying to poison any of us Lord DeppfnQham if is req