The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-12-30


But, so long as he isn't here, and |
l am, why shouldn't 1 draw up
chair before the fire for you, and
another for myself, with the
cigarettes and a world between
us, to discuss conditions as they
are, not as they might be If we
were discovered? Shall 1? Good! |
l defy any ones father to get me
out of this chair until l am ready |
to relinquish it voluntarily"
81 suppose you superintendent
the 'going-to-bed' of Prince Robin
before you left the castle?" she
said, lying back in the comfort
able chair and stretching her
feet out to the fire. He handed
her a match and watched her light
the long, ridiculously thin cigar
cite.
Yes. I never miss 1t, Count
ess. The last thing he does, after
saying his prayers, is to recall me
from exile. He wouldn't be hap
Ply if he couldn't do that. He
says amen and hops into bed.
Then he grins in a far from i'm
perial way and announces that
he's willing to give me another
chance, and please won't l tell
him the latest news concerning
Jack Giant-Killer. He asked
me tonight if 1 thought you'd
mind if he banished your father.
They've had a children's quarrel,
l believe. If you do mind, l am
to let him know: he won't Danish
him. He've very fond of you,
Countess" She laughed gaily.
5"He is a Gear boy. l adore
him. l think I quite understand
why you are giving up your life
to him. At first / wasn't sure"
! i"You thought 1 expected to
gain something by it, is not that
so? Well, there are great
many people who think so still
your father among them. They'll
never understand. 1 don't blame
them, for, I declare to you, /
don't fully appreciate it myself.
John Tullis playing nurse and
story-teller to seven-year-old
boy, to the exclusion of every
thing else, is more than I can
grasp. Somehow, I've come to
| feel that he's mine. That must
be the reason. But you've heard
me pirate on this subject hun
dred times. Don't let me start
| it again. There's something else
you want to talk to me about, so
please don't encourage me to tell
all the wonderful things he has
said and done today"
ut is of the prince that I want
to speak, Mr.. Tullis," she said,
suddenly serious. II don't care
to hear whether he stubbed his
toe today or just how much he
has grown since yesterday, but l
do want to talk very seriously |
with you concerning his future-I
might say his immediate future"
He looked at her narrowly.
Are you quite serious?'
"Quite. l could not have asked
you to come to this house for
|anything trivial. We have become
very good friends. you and /.
Too good, perhaps, for I've no
doubt there are old Tables in
Edelweiss who are provoked to
criticism you know what
mean. Their world is full of
imaginary affairs, else what
would there be left for old age?
But we are good friends and we
understand why we are good
friends, so there's the end to
that. AS l say, l could not have
asked so true a friend into the
house of his enemy for the mere
sake of having my vanity pleased
by his obedience"
81 am quite sure of that" he
said. "Are you in trouble,
Countess? Is there anything l
can do?"
,"It has to do with the prince, !
not with me-" she said. "And |
yet 1 am in trouble-or perhaps
II should say. am troubled"
1.-The prince is a sturdy little
beggar," he began, but she lifted
her hand in protest.
"And he has sturdy, loyal
friends. That is agreed. And
yet" she paused, perplexed
line coming between her express
sive eyes.
John Tullis opened his own
eyes very wide. "You don't i
mean to say that he is-he is in
peril of any sort?"
She looked at him long time
before speaking. He could feel
that she was turning something
over in her mind before giving
utterance to the thought.
At last she leaned nearer to
him, dropping the ash from her
cigarette into the receiver as she
spoke slowly, intensely. al
think he is in peril--in deadly
peril"
He stared hard. What do you
meant" he demanded, with an
involuntary glance over his shout