Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-20

mality. If you should need any finan-
cial aid, do not hesitate to call upon
me.
La Principessa di Monte Blanca.
"a villa!" exclaimed Kitty raptur-
ously. So many villas had she seen
guarded by Lombardy poplars or cy-
presses, that her mind hungered to
live in one, if never so shortly
And the villa of princess sighed
O'Mally. Fudge! I'm a patriot all
right, but may be hanged if 1
shouldn't like to meet a princess, the
real article, just once. What do you
say, Smith,"
Sure! 1t would be something to
brag about. When | was in Florence
my friend, the Princess of Whateyu-
callit, said to me, and so forth Sounds
good. But it's an idle dream, Tom, an
idle dream
Will you permit me to read the let
ter?' asked Worth.
La Signorina consented. Worth had
an idea; it was as yet nebulous; still,
1t was a shrewd idea, and needed only
small space to stand. The moment
he saw the letter the nebulous idea
became Opaque. The page was neatly
typewriter in italian. and only the
signature was in ink. 1t was small,
slanting, aristocratic signature.
DO you read Italian?" she asked
with pardonable malice
Very little, and nothing on this
page" Worth felt embarrassed under
her glance. Still he continued to stare
at the letter. The crest on the paper,
the postma1k on the envelope, con-
vinced him of its authenticity. The
date was quite recent, and did not
correspond with their unhappy So
jorrn in the Imperial City.
The question is, shall we accept
this offer?" She refolded the letter.
This was the plan l had in mind
when we went to Monte Carlo, and a
much better plan, too
"Of course we shall accept it,"
said Worth, confident that. the mys-
terry was still there, but that for the
present he had been fooled.
"But what's the matter with your
playing the princess to the neigh.
bors?" suggested OMally, his eyes
laughing. "I'll be the concierge, Smith
the steward and Kitty your maid"
And II" asked Worth.
"Oh, you can be her Highness pri.
vate secretary and attend to the cor.
respondence."
The laughter which followed this
was light-hearted and careless. Once
more worry had taken to wing and
they were without burdens. Only La
Signorina did not join the merriment
The sparks in her eyes, the silver
points of light, the flash of excitement
portended something. She rose with
a determined air.
"Mr. o'Mally makes a very good
suggestion. 1t will be an adventure
worth recounting. l shall go as the
princess. What sport with the coun
try gentlemen! This will be an adven
ture after ones own heart. Her High
ness commands! Will it not be de
| lightful?"
Worth looked at O'Mally, who look
ed at Smith who looked at Kitty
then all four looked at La Signorina.
! Are you not tightening our trifes
by joking?" asked Worth obviously.
| dul EcSlllPely serious.
Impossible! 1t would be nothins
less than madness to fly in the face o
this troke of luck
Call it madness if you like shall
go as the princess"
But the authorities 1t will b.
prison"
81 am sufficiently armed for an,
event 1t all depends upon your cour
age" with yelled insolence calcu
lated to make any man commit an,
kind of folly.
ut is not question of courage" re
piled O'Mally; "it's prudence
Prudence in an Irishman?" NOR
insolent than ever.
"Oh, if you take that tone" sal
1 O'Mally coloring why the thing i
done. Henceforth I am your major
domo. No one can call me a coward.
! "O'Mally!"
That's all right, WORTH" sal
O'Mally. 81 wouldn't turn back nov
for sixty-seven jails. You need no
join
/ I shan't desert you in a strait Xix
this" remarked Wodth quietly. "Onl
think La Signorina cruel to fore
such situation upon us. when it wa
entirely unnecessary. Put me agains
the correspondence"
eff I wasn't fiat broke said Smitf
I'D bow out politely. But where tn
srub-stake goes, | must go. But ! don
like this business little bit Signo
ina. do tell us that it's Joke
yes" said Kitty. still in doubt.
81 repeat, | am perfectly serious"
But the conseouences!" proteste
4 Kitty. now terrified.