Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-07-30

voice were not to be resisted. The
Texan looked away a little shame
facedly.
Don't laugh at me-" he said hest
tatingly, but 1.-The truth isl love
a girl here and l can't get her At
least, l haven't been able so far he
added more cheerfully
The king barely suppressed a smile.
who is she, Hollingsworth?
Daughter of an old fellow who's
worth a shocking lot of money, came
in for a windfall-that is, er hat cine
''Gewissl' smile dhis friend, quite
untroubled by the familiar thou"
And he wants to buy title with
1t. l don't think he'd care how poor
the title is, Just so it's Won something
Evidently, then. it would be come
down to take commoner for his SON
in-law." He spoke lightly, but his
eyes were full of passionate desire.
But, hang it, what's the use of talk
ing about it? She won't leave him
without his blessing, though | could
dispense with it very comfortably
His name" suggested the other,
''and he lives in"
HollingsWorth answered Indifferent
ly. His friend might know the name
if he liked. They were strangers and
mould poUor meet apain
They parted, to the intense relief
of the watching courtier. The Texan
stared regretfully after his whilom
companion.
Downright good company he said
half aloud plagued pity he's hard
ND. Wish l had doubled that check
however it might have strapped me. .
Johann Schmitt sat smoking his
pipe over a dying fire. He was tf;nk
ing gloomily that all his money had
brought him no nearer his idea OF
paradise. All, to be addressed az
Baron" "the noble Herr Baron" Il
only
| Then a summons to the capital, 81
miles away interrupted his dreams
and frightened him until his usua
forid hue was almost purple.
When he stood before the King his
limbs were weakening under him, an(
in his extremely commonplace fatnes:
there was no hint of the beauty pos
sessed by his daughter. That did no
concern his royal master, who, be
sides, knew well enough what bios
SONS sometimes flourish on a gnarlet
stock.
Herr Schmitt," he said abruptly
"I hear you are ambitious. Yo'
would acquire a title?"
Johann fell On his knees.
"Gracious Majesty" he faltered,
meant no harm"
Neither do l." said the King.
am going to create you Baron Let
enwohl. To be sure. your estates vii
be of the barest, but you are ricl
enough to improve on them. Get up.
Johann staggered up, dazed with hi
good fortune Then he straightene
himself and let the news flow throug
his veins like wine. The SILVER wen
out of his muscles, suppressed arrt
gance flushed his red face.
Sire" he said, "you overwhelm m
with your beneficence! And ii tn
treasury wishes loan-without intel
est"
mo loan," said the King abrupt.
"I shall bestow this title on you S
that your daughter may be worthy t
marry Herr Hollingsworth, of TeNa'
who recently asked her bend. Sc
that the nuptials are cOnsummated &
once"
Gracious Majesty, he groane'
what avails it to be a Baron If
must have a vulgar plebeian son-il
law? Unless" he added hopeful,
"your cOndescension will ennoble hill
tool"
The King looked down on him, the
glanced aside at the hawkfaced Duk
who stood near with biting scorn in h
face for this new member of the ari
tocracy. Neither in his new creatio
nor in the self-satisfied court1er
years standing did the King find hill
of what he ought. Then with 1nWa1
vision he saw again the hard, whit
sands, and pacing them the uprigh
clean-cut Texan, with his frank, me
; low voice and unselfish, fearless eye
mo" he said quietly, Il cannot
ennoble him"