Evening star., 1912-09-15
CHAPTER X-Continued.

os--N
with a laugh:
NO wonder you have a train of suit
ors."
Italian woman. except Vittoria Fabrizi
| of course
Your friend, the nurse
Yes, and she's not really Italian: she $
just like anybody else. She was here to
see me again this afternoon. by the way;
it's her day off at the hospital. YOU know
l want YOU to meet her You'll fall des-
perately in love"
Really I'm not interested in trained
nurses. and ! wouldn't want you to hate
her as you hate the countess
''Oh. / couldn't hate Vittoria. she's
| such a dear. She saved my life, you
know
Nonsense. You only had sprained
ankle"
Yes. but it was q perfectly odious
sprain. Nobody knows how l suffered
And to think it was all Bernies fault.
How so? You fell off a horse
Il did not. Indignantly declared Miss
Warren. Il was thrown. hurled. flung.
violently projected. and then | was
, frightfully trampled by snorting
steed.'
Norvin laughed heartily at this. for he
knew the rickety old family horse very
well by sight, and the picture she con-
jured up was amusing.
''How do you manage to blame it on
Bernie?'' he inquired.
well. he forbade me to ride horse
back, so, OF course. I had to do it,
"Oh. I see."
II fixed up perfectly ravishing habit.
couldn't ask Bernie to buy me one.
since he refused to let me ride so I made
skirt out OF our grand piano covert
was miles long and darling shade OF
stumped. until I thought Of Bernie's silk
one. No mother ever loved a cAild as
he loved that hat. You know. l twisted
his evening scarf around 1t. and the ef-
feet was really stunning-it fioated beau
! tifully. Babylon and I formed a pic
Babylon because he's such an old ruin
But l don't believe any one ever rode
him before; he didn't seem to know what
it was all about He was very bony
pose he would have gotten right along
all right II 1 hadn't tried to make him
prance. He wouldn't do it, so I jabbed
him.
"Jabbed him."
Myra Nell nodded vigorously with
my hat pin. I didn't mean to hurt him
but Oh, my. He isn't nearly SO old
| as we think. l suppose the surprise did
it. Anyhow, he became a raging demon
In a second, and when they picked me
cover was a sight"
II suppose Babylon ran away"
NO he was standing there, with one
foot right through Bernie's high hat
That was the terrible part Of it ALL had
to pretend that 1 was nearly killed. JUS
to take Bernie's mind of the hat. ]
stayed in bed for the longest timeI was
afraid to get up-and he got vittoria
Fabrizi to wait CT me. So that's how ]
met her"
PIoLa'c fooa raAaofad .n,,.>-.nt ..d
something more. He was thinking what
a shame it would be for this girl to miss
her chance of being queen OF the carni-
val. He resolved to risk Bernie's dis
| pleasure.
IF you'll promise to make no scene
refrain from Mysteries and all that" he
began. warningly, 'I'n tell you some
good news"
How silly! I'm an iceberg! I never
get excited she declared.
well, then, how would you like to be
| queen of the next Mardi Gras%
Myra Nell gasped family in the dark
| ness and sat bolt upright.
"You-you're joking!'
That's no answer
I'll Do you mean it? Oh" She
was out of the hammock now and poised
| tremblingly before him, like bird
Honestly? You're not fooling? Norvin
| you dear duck!" She clasped her hands
| together gleefully, and began to dance
Remember your promise"
"Oh, but queen! Queen! Why, Tn
| dreaming. l must scream
II gather from these rapt incoheren-
Like 1t? You silly! Like 1t? Haven't
/ lived for it? Haven't l dreamed about
| 1t ever since l was baby? Wouldn't
| any girl give her eyes to be Queen?" She
seemed upon the verge Of kissing him.
| perhaps upon the nose, but changed her
mind and went dancing around his chair
| like some moon-mad sprite.
AS II there could be any question OF
my accepting." she chartered. Dear.
dear Why shouldn't 1? And it was
Oh, know you did. SO you needn't deny
it. | hope you're to be rex. Wouldn't
that be splendid but. Of course, you
wouldn't tell me-"
not. to be king. Now. have already
spoken to Bernie
The wretch. He never breathed a
word Of It,"
Hes afraid he can't afford it,
"Oh. Ia, Ia! He'll haze to. I'll die II
he refuses-just die. You know I WILL
We'll bring him around between us.
You talk to him after I go. and the next
time I see him I'll clinch matters. You'll
make the most gorgeous Of queens Myra
Nell"
You think so?" She blushed prettily
| in the gloom. ''Tll have to be very dig
nified:' the train is as long as a hall
carpet and TIL have to walk this way
She illustrated the royal step, bowling to
him with a regal inclination Of her dark
head, and then broke into ripping life
and laughter SO infectious that he felt
| he was q boy once more.
| Blake watched her with his eyes alight
for all men loved Myra Nell. and 1t was
conceded among those who worshiped at
her shrine that he who finally received
| her love In return for his would be ia
vored far above his kind. She was closer
to him tonight than ever before: she
seemed to reach out and take him into
| her warm confidence.
| At last. when she had thanked him in
| as many ways as she could think of for
| his kindness, and the time drew near for
!! him to leave, she fell serious in a most
| surprise referred once again to his at
| fain with the Malta
1T seems to me that my Joy would be
| supreme tonight if I knew You would
drop that Italian matter" she said. 1.-The
consequences may be terrible and-I-
| 'Tll be careful" he told her. but as
she stood with her hand in his she look
ed up at him with eyes which were no
| longer sparkling with fun. but deep and
dark with shadows, saying. gently:
rs there nothing which would induce
you to change your mind?"
That's not q fair question"
II shall be worried to death-and 1 de-
test worry.
There's no necessity for the least bit
| of concern, he assured her. But there
| was a plaintive wrinkle upon her brow
as she watched him swing down the walk
| to the street.
CHAPTER XI.