Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-07


spring escaped the jealous barriers, blended
ever and again with more tonic breath
from the Adriatic beating the rocks in the
darkness far below. At last, as the gardens
grew larger and the villas more sparse, gate
was flung open before them and they turned
into an lick bordered drive leading to a low,
two-storied structure of pale yellow tint,
which they could dimly perceive was over
run with tropical riot of purple flowers.
The arc light of the porte cochere illumined
precisely such servant as might have
opened a door to them in Paris or Vienna.
ELECTRICITY! A butler!" Virginia was
taken aback.
Rodoslav smilingly helped her alight
"Did you expect torches and a portcullis?"
he asked.
al know you have a real castle down here
somewhere
"Call it the ruin of CASTLE" he amended:
"but that is in the Herzegovina. You will
find this place merely the country villa of
Viennese. My father was nothing if not of
his times"
Sensible man. approved the broker
"If you don't live in your own day, what are
you? A fish out of water, if you ask me-"
"Fish again!' shrugged his wife. you're
hopeless
Everything indoor bore out Rodoslav's
prediction. Throughout the house reflected
the meretr1ciouS taste of the late eos and
early '7O's of the nineteenth century. Fur
niture, mirrors, hangings, paintings, the
very silver and crystal of the dinner to which
they presently sat down, all had the beset-
ting faults of their trumpery period, with a
heavy Teutonic emphasis superadded which
made numbering and grotesque what was
bizarre enough in the Gallo original. The
women made their observations in silence;
but the things that Mrs. Blair and Ann
merely thought demanded outlet of some
sort in Virginia. AS the evening wore on
and one monstrosity after another met her
eye, her mouth dropped more and more, till
at last Rodoslav, who all along had been her
amused watcher, burst out in laughter.
Gown up you think it's atrocious!" he
charged.
Her Utmost thoughts laid bare, Virginia
Truscott for the first time in AIMS recol-
lection Enthusiastically and lavishly blushed.
1At any rate, it's not like you," she stam-
mered. "Why don't you have it done over?"
II could not afford it, for long time ad-
mitted Rodoslav, with everyday candor.
"Afterward- it seemed the kind of task
a woman ought to superintend"
"How thoughtful of you! And what Jolly
good fun for the woman" Then, rounding
on Ann, II suppose you've been mapping
your campaign ever since you stepped in
doors?" she said.
Hardly" Ann answered.
Rodoslav came to her rescue. @How could
she?' he put in. Il have never mentioned it
before. But l hope she won't hesitate to
begin, now that she does know Why not
talk it over among you and tell me what
ought to be done?"
Virginia threw herself into it as if it was
a game and volleyed suggestions on the spot
Ann joined the discussion in spite of herself.
Though in the long run it would concern her
no more than Virginia, she could not endure
the possibility that ideas so preposterous
might some day carry weight with him. She
was almost angry with Rodoslav for taking
Virginia SO seriously. Could he not see how
faulty was her taste? Were not her gowns,
her Pullman car of yacht, proof of her fun
damental absurdity? Had she expected in
sober earnest to become mistress of the villa,
her annoyance could have been no greater.
1t even colored her manner as she babe him
goodnight.
But Rodoslav was not cast down. His
guests above stairs, he made smiling even
contented, tour of his possessions
Chapter XIV.
A nm pardoned the villa its chattels with