Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05

larly deluded. And yet she could not, from
his imprisoned speech, extract the slightest
clue to his mind.
CHE was much affected. Her sy1npathies
~ were thoroughly aroused. She hardly
knew what she must answer. She was al
most on the point of revealing then and
there her entirely American identity and
helplessness in Hertzegothas situation.
"You-you certainly do arouse-you
make me wish to help you all l can" she
said. II only wish"
"You can help me greatly-here-to-
night" he interrupted eagerly, the predica-
ment of his country having wrought mira
Gle of transformation in the man to make
him thoroughly human. II was certain of
the goodness of your heart!"
T4urley flushed. "Thank you; but I'm
afraid you may not"
First let me ask you, You have seen the
Duke, here, last night?"
"Yes, Mrs. Van Kirk and myself"
"Could you possibly tell me what he did,
how he acted when he saw you, what he
said?"
@Why-he acted like anybody else"
"He was pleased, surprised?'
Thurley's color mounted readily to her
throat and cheeks "He said he was pleased
Il think He seemed to be glad mean
it is very hard for any young woman to
clairn-to boast-to make statement about
anything like that"
Naturally" agreed the Baron; "but he
kissed your hand, he kept his eyes upon
you, he enacted the role-pardon the query
of the accepted fiance?'
Thurley's color became fairly scarlet.
"Why-I-I hardly know what anyone else
might think. His eyes were very bright. l
couldn't help noticing that
@They were upon you rather constantly"
She nodded. "But he was here short
time only
"Yet he was not sad?"
"He said he was not-in the least"
"Ah, perhaps he said he was happy2"
The Baron's anxiety in the inquisition in
creased.
aMostly any man feels obliged to say as
much as that was Thurleys naive reply:
3Could you possibly repeat exactly what
he said in that regard?"
"Why-he really made his remark to Mrs.
Van Kirk He told her that when he arrived
at noon he hated New York and that night
he loved all America"
@Ah!" The Baron slid back in his chair,
his look of anxiety growing more pro-
nounced. II had fear-I had fear of
this!"
Thurley was intensely sympathetic. "You
fear he will not return?"
"Tell me-" he answered, his face slightly
twitching as he spoke, "did he express the
slightest desire that you go with him to
Hertzegotha?"
Thurley was certain the game, begun in
innocence, was going much too far. She
felt that to NEEDLE in affairs of state, where
a Kingdoms agony was wildly revealed,
was not to be warranted another moment
for anything she and Alice might desire.
"The Duke suggested something like-he
seemed to think" she faltered, observing
distress more and more plainly inscribed on
the Baron's lineaments. ooh, | think
ought to tell you, Baron Won Hochhaus,
that"
A STARTLINGLY loud and imperious
knock on the door interrupted her
speech and startled Thurley to her feet.
The Baron too had risen instantly, his face
once more an iron mask as he faced about to
the door, which had opened from without.
Wenck shot in with military galvanism,
accelerated by some worry almost foaming
in his eyes. He was fearfully congested with
something new that the Baron must in
stantly hear.
The Raron for his mart divininp that