Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-09-10
ing that he had interfered too hastily.

"Confound It man, he's the chap
she's going to. marry"
Marry" gasped Chase.
1.-THE hereditary prince Of Brabetz-
Karl Brabetz."
"Good Lordr'
"You must nave known"
"How the dew OF course I didn't
know" groaned Chase. But, hang It
all. man, he was annoying her. She
was f1outing him for it. She said she
despised him. I don't understand
The princess came forwTd into the
light of the path. There Was a quaint
little wrinkle Of mirth about her lips.
which trembled nevertheless. but her
eyes were full of solicitude.
Tn sorry, sir" she began nervous
ly. you have made a serious mistake.
But" she added frankly, holding out
her hand to him. you meant to de-
fend me. I thank you"
Chase bowed low over her hand, too
bewildered to speak. Baggs was pull
ing at his mustache and looking nerv-
ously in the direction which the prince
had taken.
Hell be back here with the guard"
he muttered.
HE will go to my father" said Ge-
nevra, her voice trembling. HE will
be very angry. I am sorry, indeed,
that you should have witnessed our
Il scene. OF course you could not
have known who he was"
81 thought he was a But In any
avnnf o,,p h4cha1~e 10 x-o1 nnN.-g~r
you" supplemented Chase eagerly.
you will forgive me If I've caused
you even greater, graver annoyance.
What can l do to set the matter right?
I can explain my error to the duke.
He'll understand"
"Perhaps-perhaps you'd better go
at once" said the princess, rather pa
thetically. my father will not over
look the indignity toto my-to bis
future s~on-in-law. l am afraid he may
take extreme measures"
Forgive me-" muttered the hapless
Chase.
ut would not be proper In me to
say that I could bless you for what
you have DONE" she said, so naively|
thdt liz Allbcu LIS eyes " ncLS d4u iCti
his heart escape heavenward. ;
1.-THE whole world will call me 4
bungling, stupid ass for not knowing
who he was" said Chase, with a
wretched smile.
IF l were you I'd never confess that
I did not know who he was," she said{
Let the world think that you did
know. 1t will not laugh then. II yoJ1
can trust your friend to keep the sd
cret l am sure you can trust me to dU
the same"
Again Chase was speechless-this
time with joy. She would shield him
from ridicule!
to feel that I may be the unhappy
cause of misfortune to you"
mo misfortune can appall me now"
murmured he calamity. Then came
the revolving realization that she was
to wed the little musician. The
thought burst from his lips before he
could prevent: 81 don't believe you
want to marry him. He To- tbe-aakc(
choice. You
"And I am the dukes daughter" she
said steadily. a touch of hauteur In
her voice. Good night. Goodby. ]
am not sorry that 1t has happened"
She turned and left them, walking
swiftly among the trees. A moment
later her voice came from the shad-
ows. quick and pleading.
Hasten" she called softly. ''They
are coming. l can see them"
ITS a devil of a NESS" sighed
Baggs when they were far from the
walls. Pm sure 1t will cost you your
job, If nothing else. You'll be relieved
before tomorrow night, my word for
1t. And you'll be lucky If that's all.
The dukes a terror. l don't for the
life of me zee how you failed to know
who the chap really is"
IAN E~nglishman never sees a Joke
until 1t Is too late, they say. This
time 1t appears to be the American
who is slow witted. What 1 don't un-
derstand is why he was leading that
COMPOUNDED band"
my word, Chase, everybody in Gu
rope. except you. knows that Brabetz
10 u Adh dOOub III
reefs and all that. He's a COMPOUNDED
little bounder just the same. He's
mad about music and women and
doesn't care a hang about wine-the
worst kind, don't you know. l say it's
a shame she has to marry him. But
that's the way of it with royalty, old
chap. You Americans don't understand
it. They have to marry n another
whether they like 1t or not. But, ]
say. you'd ,etter come gel and stop
with me tonight. 1t will be better II
they don't find you just yet"
Three days later a IA came down
to relieve Chase of his office. He was
unceremoniously supplanted In the
duchy Of Rapp-Thorberg.
1t was the successful pleading of the
Princess Genevra that kept him from
serving a period In durance vile.