The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-27
A Story OF GRAUSTARK
GEORGE BARR MCCUTCHEON
Copyright, 1909. by Dodd. Mead & Co.


countess She laughted gayly.
He Is dear boy. I adore him I
tnlnk quite understand why you are
giving up your life to him. At first 1
WASH sure
You thought I expected to gain
something by 1t, is not that so? Well, }
there are great many people who 4
mink so still-yOur father among them.
IheyH never understand. 1 don't blame ]
lIeIlr Tor, declare to you, don't IulIy
appreciate II myself. John Tullis play
ing nurse and story-teller to a seven
year old boy, to the exclusion or every
thing else, is more than l 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
a hundred times. Don let me start 1t
again. There's something else you want
10 talk to me about, so please don
encourage me to tell all the wonderful
things he has said ard 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 stdbbed his toe today or just how
I much he has grown since yesterday.
/ but I do want to talk very seriously
with you concerning his future might
say, his immediate future"
Are you quite serious?''
Quite. I could not have asked you
/ to come TO this house for anything triv-
| ial. We have become very good friends,
you and T. Too good. perhaps for I've
no doubt there are old Tables I'm Ede,-
weiss who's are provoked to criticism
you know what I mean Their world
I 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 I say, I 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"
Il ON quite sure OF that he said
7 Are you In trouble, countess? Is there
anything I can do?"
cit has TO do with the prince. not with
/ me" she said. And yet I am IN trou-
/ ble-or perhaps should say. I am trcu-
/ bled."
''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.
/ a perplexed line coming between her
| expressive eyes.
John Tullis opened his own eyes very
] wide You don't mean TO say that he
! is-he IS in peril OF any sOrt?''
! She looked at him a long time before
! speaking. He could feel that she was
/ turning something over in her mind be-
] fore giving utCerance to the thought.
At last she leaned nearer to him
/ dropping the ash from her cigarette into
/ the receiver as she spoke, slowly, In
tensely. II think he is in peril--in dead
~ peril"
! He stared hard. what do YOU
/ mean2" he demanded, with an involun-
/ tary glance over his shoulder. She in
| terpreted that glance correctly
| THE peril is not here. Mr. Tullis. I
know what you are thinking. My faith
or is loyal subject. The peril I sug-
igest never comes to Graustark."
She said no more but leaned forward,
lher face whittier than its wont. He
frOwned, but ii was the effect of tenn
poraIy perplexity. Gradually the mean
ing of her simple though significant re-
Uttered through
! Never. comes TO GraustarlS?" be al.
mean yOur-yOur hUsband?"
It mean Count MarlanX." she said
steadily.
He means ev1 to Prince Robin? Good
heavens, countess, IL can't believe f.
II know ne j. bitter reVengeful, and al
that. but"
HE is all that and more" she said
First you must let me impress you
that ! am not traitor 10 his cause
could not he that for the sufficient
reason that / only suspect its existence
I am not In any sense a part OF II.
do not know anything. ] only feel.
dare say you realize that I do not love
Count MaTlanN-that there is absolutely
nothing IN common between US except
, q name. We won't go into that. =
. Il am overjoyed 20 hear you say this
= countess" he said very seriously "
have been so bold on occasion as to as
, ert-for your private ear, Of course
p that you could not. by any freak or ma
! ture, happen to care for Count MarlanX
whom ] know only by description. YoI
5 have laughed at my so-called American
, wit and YOU have been most tolerant
e Now. 7 feel that 7 am justified. I'm i'm
[ measurably glad to hear you comics
D that you do not love your husband
7 cannot imagine anyone so stupi'
I Marlaux or, for that matter, that h
loves me. Still, I am relieved to hea
(, you say that YOU are glad. II simpli
70 fies the present for US and that
e what we are 20 discuss"
You are very. very. beautiful, an
young, and unhappy" he said irrele
vanity, darker glow In his cheeks
. She smiled serenely. without a trac
: Of dinidence or protest
= st can almost believe it, you say
so convincingly." she said. For a mo
? meut she relaxed luxuriantly into al
s attitude OF physical enjoyment OF her
d self. surveying her toe-tips with
. thOughtfulness that cOmprehende
q more; and then as abruptly came bac
% 20 the business Of the moment. "YO
:, must not spoil 81 all by saying IL 10
e fervently." she went on with a smil
g OF warning. He gave a short laugh O
n confusion and sank back in the Chail
e you have never tried to make low
y TO me-" she went on That's what
Z like about you I think most men ar
q silly, not because I am 50 very young
but because my husband is 50 ridicu
j. lousy old. Don't you think sO2 Bu
J. never mind / see you are quite cage
s. cigarette and nsten-listen 10 what
= am going 20 say" He declined n
= cigarette with shake Of his head.
. After a moment she went on resoluts
e ": LAS ] said before. do not knor
that my suspicious are correct. 7 hav
" not even breathed them 20 my fathe
e, He would have laughed at me N
Z husband IS a GraustarlIian, even as
a am but there IS this distinction b,
I tween MS. he despises Graustark. Will
g 7 love her in every drop Of my blood.
know that IN his heart he has nevc
~ ceased 70 brew evil for the throne thu
u . disgraced him. He openly expresses h
~ hatred for the present dynasty, and ha
~ more than once said In public gathel
al ings that he could cheerfuHy assist
ir it's utter destruction. That Of couTs
'a- IS commonly known in Graustark wheI
I he rs sc0rned and derided. But he
Jr not a man 20 serve his hatred with mel
be- idle words and inaction" She stOppe
10 for a moment and then cried impu
IS siveIv. ''I must first know that YOU wi
II not consider me base and dlslOyal
n saving these things 10 you. After al
ih he is my husband"
lie saw the faint curl Of her lip. 'Bf
le fore that he argued simply, you al
Wrr-rr