Smyrna times., 1912-06-05
DIPLOMACY.

of her friends and he had promised
to come down for the week end.
He was glad of it. too, for it
meant some jolly winter sport, and
the clear fresh air was refreshingly
bracing.
After dinner he had the first
chance of a teta-a-tete with her.
Marjorie seemed preoccupied. Per-
haps the Count was misbehaving. |
"Is vigny worrying you again?"
Marjorie nodded affirmatively.
She looked carefully over the long
library before she spoke.
"He is so untractable, she
finally burst out. "There l brought
down the incest little debutante,
Dorothea Gale. just to make a
match for him, and they are simply |
the same jolly friends they ever
were. He seemed so smitten with
her at first. But now they are just
chums. They skate together, to-
boggan together, do everything to-
gether-but that is all. You can see
they are not in love! Oh, it makes
me wild! Dorothea is so sisterly to
him. "
"Well what on earth do you
want them to do?" interrupted
Ralston.
"Why. they never make any fuss
over each other. Her voice sank
lower still. "I've spied on them,
too, and they never seemed taken
by surprise at ALL
She stopped for moment.
"Besides they never have a
spat!"
He looked reproachfully at her.
"Do WEI"
Marjorie glanced up from the
ghoulder against which she was
snugly enconced and smiled know
ingly.
"Of course not.' she murmured,
"but then We are different"
After that short half-hour talk
by the fireside Marjorie felt wonder
fully consoled.
Herbert had pointed out the reas-
on for her failure. She had been
to openly direct. What was needed
in an affair like this was tact; ac-
cordingly he had mapped out a
course of action which they were
both to follow. In short they were
gong to be diplomatic.
The next morning found their
plan under full swing. Marjorie
had proposed a skating party, and
when they were on the ice, it some
how happened that Rslton was Miss
Gales partner, while Marjorie had
the Count close by her side.
: The strangeness of it was that
the two couples very seldom ap-
preached each other; and while the
majority of the party failed to
= notice the fact, Dorothea was
rather surprised at Herbert Raj
ston's persistence, and the Count
/ inwardly commented upon his fail
: hostess's unwonted tenacity.
1t continued in this fashion al
), that day and the next. The Coun
and Dorothea would scarcely have ;
chance to utter conventionalitie
:, about the weather before one o
n them would be Immediately pouncet
upon by Ralston or his fancee
They, too, had no time for eacl
, other.
y Marjorie was getting rathe
tired of the whole affair anyway
= Herbert had only spoken to her 70
. a minute or two, and then only
exchange comments on their mutus
: progress.
- There was no need of his bendin
! so close to Dorothea Gale at all
! Right before everybody, tool Blu
:, then if that was the role, sh
" could play it, too, so she suddenl
:. gave the Count severe fright b
u her coquettish advances and talk {
" parvenus who outrageously sol
- their daughters for titles.
Whereupon Herbert looking owe
at her, smiled rather fiercelY ar
then renewed his animated discus
sion with Dorothea. It was abol
Counts, and Dukes and fortuna
hunters. Among his many remarl
the following was one against whi'
Miss Gale protested with much v
hemence. He had been speaking
the foolish customs of royalty.
= "Take Count vigny, for i
stance" he remarked. "Why h
name in full would be enough f
half a dozen ordinary people. R
mon Edouard Albert Victor -b
he stopped short and gritted
teeth as he suddenly saw Marion
at the other end of the long roc
e talking with such. girlish vivaci
with the sub iect of his conversati
Towards evening both Marion
and Ralston appeared to have Il
interest in, their case. They Il
tbara xy;ctiuoe to them aalves as al