Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-23
BY LOUIS TRACY
Drawing by Howard Chandler Christy


Felix she said, and her eyes shining.
Oh fddlesticks!" cried the hunchback. Why
did he telegraph from the first wayside station after
leaving Semline Alec not want you'll At this
moment he is proud that he is free born
American than if a miracle almost beyond the powers
of Heaven had made him Belgrade.
Felix cynic that hewas wassecretly delighted when
Joan discovered after breakfast that blouse which
caught her eye in of the Budapest shops
much more suitable for travelling than that which
she happened to be wearing 1t was also significant
that the dust which had gathered in her hair during
the long journey from Delgratz required visit to
couture. These straws showed how the wind blew,
he fancled.
AND it was good to see the way Joans face kindled
Z = when Alec clasped her in his arms. They said
little then. The why and the wherefore of events
they left to another hour; but when Joan extricated
herself from her lovers embrace she turned to
Princess belgrade. The two women exchanged an
aectionate kiss; each looked at the other through
mist of tears Words not needed. They
understood, and that suficed.
In calmer moment Alec told Joan what had
happened. He laid special stress on the fact that
his mother quite determined to renounce her
title and revert to the she bore during her first
marriage.
Il never realized the tenth part of her suffering
in Paris he said though l knew far more about
Prince Mchaers conduct than he guessed. We
must make it our business, Joan, to bring some
brightness into her declining years. have been
planning our future all day in the train. Shall l
become the fortune teller this time?'
Yes" she murmured, land perhaps | may
forget that have cost you Kingdom.
He laughed gaily, just as he used to laugh on
those bright May mornings when he waited on the
Pont Neuf in the hope that he might be permitted
to escort her to the Louvre.
Never dream that shall bring that up against
you, dear heart" he said. "Degratz ought to
advertise itself as sure cure for ambition. / liked
the people; but l hated the job, and Kosnovia is
already becoming a myth IN my mind. am re-
joicing in my new name, Alexander Talbot hope
one of the strong men of the West. I am called
after him, it seems, and although my own name
sounds strange to me like the purposeful ring in IT.
loan laughed merrily "FeliS was teasing me
been christened Phineas' she said.
The wretch! And what if l was?"
She looked at him with delightful shyness. " No
matter what name you bore, you would always be
my Alec she whispered.
They were leaning over the balcony of an open
air restaurant at the moment; so Alec perforce
contented himself with claspng her hand
And for my scheme, little girl, he said.
We will get married at once, of course.
She made reply; but he felt the thrill that ran
through her veins.
Then" he went on, SO gravely that she raised
her eyes to his, seeking to catch his slightest shade
of meaning; for her heart still troubled by the
fear that She had wrought him evil Il will take
you to America my home. There is surely nest
for us out there. l have understood it
before but often. boy felt the call of the
West. 1t was natural, | suppose. We had many
American friends in Paris, and my blood ting.ed
when they spoke of the great rivers, the pralres,
the ocean lakes. the ant mountain ranges, and the
far flung plains of that wondrous continent which
they describe with reverent humor Gods own
country. feel that shall win place for myself in
the land of my BIRTH and my poor mother is aching
to go back there again.
He paused, and perhaps he hardly realized why
Joan signed with happiness; for she could believe.
1T is my home too Alec" she said Il was
born in Vermont. We going home together
Yes, dear, more partings We shall not be
wealthy, JOAN 1t seems that the miserable little
humbug whom have regarded as my father has
wasted the whole of my mothers fortune by his
extravaganza. The only scrap left is small farm
near Denver and even that would have been sold