Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01
Thur1ey Ruxton
Continued from page 10

to disguise.
Three minutes later, when Lady Honore
Calthorp, and young Count Jose Viziano y
Fiaschi, the fiery Spanish Italian duelist and
Romeo of numerous European capitals
made their appearance, Alce's cup was filled
with a violence almost alarming.
"Ah, Nam 'selle!" said the Count almost
instantly on his presentation to Thurley,
his voice reminiscent of Vesuvian flames and
lavas. In St. Petersburg die three time to
have this honor-mine at last!" and he
kissed her hand with Italian fervor and
Spanish grace, cracking his heels together
theoretically as he bent at his supple waist.
"At last my soul is in flight above the clouds!
but you do not recall you have seen me,
mol"
"I-I'm afraid 1 do not" said Thurley,
unprepared for such demonstration. I'm
sure l should remember.
"VaIgdme Dios!" he answered from his
altitude above the clouds. "You have only
change to become more lovely!'
Then he met the cold American stare of
Stuyverant's blue-gray and Woods light
greenish eyes, and little comprehended
that the course even of ROmeo'S ardor may
not be so smooth as milk.
Thurley escaped, with a surge of relief,
to the placid stolidity of Lady Honore Cal
thorp's presence, and began to wonder how
the game on which she had entered would
end
1t had only begun. The afternoon was
calm, unexcited prologue merely of the COM
plications, rivalries, shocks, and surprises
already mustered, out beyond, to procession
into and through her life, newly launched
in its royal career.
Conventionality cleared the house within
the ensuing hour; but nothing could clear
the pathway reaching out ahead, where its
windings and grades, its rocky slopes and
grassy reaches, were alike obscured in the
wells of things that were yet to be, too re-
mote to cast shadow or reflect the glow of
the sun.
In the next few days full confirmation of
the fact that Alice Van Kinks proteg6e was
none other than the royal Princess Thirvinia
was vouchsafed from every direction, de-
spite the Van Kirk evasions and Thurley's
avoidance of the subject. Besiegers stormed
the Fifth-ave. mansion in droves. Friends,
admirers, and invitations multiplied ap-
pallngly, and then-the Horse Show opened
the season of the goddesses of wealth.
CHAPTER XIII Horses and Humans
NEVER had the premiere of Society's pet
~ function been so brilliant Never had
the gilded hostelries of Gotham entertained
so great number of guests at Horse Show
dinners, nor had special decorations and
favors at the gorgeous dining rooms ever
been so lavish or so costly. 1t was the night
of the horse and splendor, the splendor of
raiment, jewels, and beauty for which Amer
can women are famous throughout the world.
The attendance at huge old transformed
Madison Square Garden was more brilliant
than either the show or the setting. 1t was
late when the boxes began to fill,-the arena
boxes, separated from the horses ring only
by the railed-off promenade. Superbly
gowned and furred, the women began to ar
rive at nine. despite the fact that many ring
events had been scheduled for an hour ear
ier. At half-past nine, with six magnificent
teams of heavy draft horses proudly entering
upon the tanbark, and the boxes practically
filed, the band, by mere coincidence, struck
up the German national anthem-and Thur
ley and Alice arrived.
A murmur of excitement, admiration, and
homage almost instantly arose. No more
exquisitely regal figure had ever graced the
garden than Thurley presented, moving
slowly with Alice and her party to their box,
Never had Thurley's fresh young beauty so
glowed and irradiated charm. She was
gowned like veritable Princess of this fairy
court.
With herself and Alice were Lady Honore