Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-05

II some one was TO d1ldlyZ IIleTClleSSly Tie pre-
else reasons of my present Journey.
STOP! Let us do it. 1t will serve to pass the
- time"
She laughed and blushed. wait a little.
We have many hours before us"
You will never have more appreclatlve
audience if only you could make your voice
heard above this din
What are you driving att Please tell me-"
"You have seen the two people sitting over
there?" and he twisted eyebrows and mouth
awrv, with whimsical leer Of caution.
Eyes; what of them9"
DO you know them?"
Not even the LADY,"
She reminds me of some one Why do you
ask"
Il am surprised at you, Joan. Those charm
ing eyes of yours should be keener. True there
is nothing feminine about Alec, and he has not
suffered, like his mother. Still, there is re
Semblance."
Felix, are you in earnest?"
absolutely. l, at least, have not the Greek
temperament Our friends across the gangway
are none other than Prince and Princess Michael
belgrade. You will discover no prophecy OF
Alec in his father; but he IS his mothers own
son, despite her weak chin and air OF resigna-
ton"
Joan was dismayed. utterly astounded; the
color ebbed from her cheeks. Are they going
to Delgratz?" she almost whispered.
Il suppose so. 1t is one of the oldest things
about our lives how they run in grooves. Just
now all the tiny burrows of our separate exls-
fences are converging on the Danube. We are
like ships foredoomed to collision, that hurry
remorselessly from the ends of the earth to the
preordained crash"
"Oh. Felix, if you knew of this, why did you
bring me here!
l love you Toan and hate Kings; but it is
decreed that you shall be Queen, SO fold my
arms and bow my head like the meekest of NOR
tails
4 will quit the train at the next stopping
But why? If Alec and you are to wed, it is
only fit and proper that his parents should
grace the ceremony"
"You harp on marriage when there may be
no marriage. If Alec was not King, it might
be different; but the world will scott when it
hears that his chosen bride came to him from
lodgings in the Place de la Sorbonne. What
will Princess belgrade think, now that she has
seen me here. rushing off to Delgratz the in
slant was summoned! Felix must return
to Paris! Happily l have some two thousand
francs due within a week, and can then refund
the cost of our tickets, and perhaps the railway
people will allow something for the uncom-
pleted journey"
"Calm yourself, ma petitei You count like
what purpose? 1t would be pity to act in
that foolish way. There is no compulsion on
YOU to marry Alec, and the Byzantine Saint
Peter still hangs in the cathedral. Let anyone
so much as hint that you are throwing yourself
at Alec's head and shall have the hinter dyna-
mited No, no. my Joan, we may yield to
higher powers; but we do not abandon our pill
grimage because it is shared by an old scamp
of father whose sole anxiety IS to fleece his
son. Come now, finish your dinner in peace,
and let me explain to you why it is that Alexis
Ill and not Michael V. reigns in Delgratz.
YOU don't CLEAN many facts about monarchs
from newspapers. If | brought you to GER
tain wineshop in the Rue Taitbout any evening
after dinner, YOU would hear more truth about
royalty in half an hour than you will read in
half year"
TOAN, conscious of telltale pallor, was lean
> ing forward with an elbow on the table and
shielding her face with widespread fingers
propped against cheek and forehead In the
noise and furry of the train it was easy to tune
the voice to such note that it must be naudi-
Bile to those at the adjacent tables; but Poluski
seemed to be careless whether or not he was
overheard, and the girl fancied that Princess
belgrade had caught the words Alexis,
Michael" "Delgratz." Certainly the Prin-
cess turned again and looked at her, while she
did not fail to glance swiftly at the misshapen
figure visible only in profile.
mot so loud, Felix! murmured Joan.
Come to my compartment when you have
smoked cigarette By that time shall have
recovered my wits, and may be able to decide
what to do for the best"
Wrong again!" he laughed. "Obey your
haart NOT yo,r brain SnfonOnneo He bent