The daily Alaskan., 1915-01-12

Christmas, and the lady concluded to | have one sent in from a restaurant A few minutes before 1t was served she sent her daughter into the dining room to see that all had been provided as ordered One of the walters was about i to place dish upon the table and, at seeing Miss RathbOne, started and dropped 1t on the floor. I The eyes of the waiter and those of Miss Rathbone met The man turned red as a peony; the girl preserved her eQuanimity. But for a few moments, which seemed to both brief eternity, neither spoke.
 It would he difficult to imagine more embarrassing meeting than occurred between Winifred Rathbone and this man, who was none other than Count Caspar GOtwald. whom she had met several years before in the court social circle at Berlin. But Winifred was equal to tue occasion.
 Remove It." she said with the ut most CoolIess.
 The waiter retired to the kitchen to get the whcrewithal for the removal of the wreckage. but returned in a few moment. apparently having recovered his equanimity. He gave no other in. dication after the dropping of the dish that he recognized Winifred, and she gave no sign that she recognized him.
 eve must know the names of our walters" she said to him. What shall I call you?"
 "Caspar."
 "Yery well, Caspar You may re main after the dinner is over and the dishes are put away. l would like to speak with you"
 There was something in her tone, be ! it sympathy or more than sympathy, that enabled this scion of a noble house to do his duty as a servant in the house of the girl he had met and loved in a far different situation with composure. | When Mrs. Ruthbone entered the din | ing room with her guests both Wlni- fred and the count fixed an anxious eye upon her, dreading lest she recog- nize the nobleman in the waiter. How ever, she was too preoccupled with her duties as hostess to notice him. Once during the dinner Winifred saw her mother looking at the waiter with a 1 puzzled expression, but 1t was plain that she failed to place him. Winlfred treated the count as sery. mt. though her directions were spoken rather as requests. When the dinner was finished she arose with the others, l but remained in the dining room and when there alone with the count said 10 him:
 Come tomorrow at g."
 There was no change from the tone In which she had spoken to him be- fore. He bowed without speaking and was retiring from the room when she added:
 You will come, will you not?"
 Their eyes met. Winifred saw that without some inslstence she would not see him again and put a pleading in her look.
 Yes, frauIein." he said at last, T will come"
 FrauIen Is the word by which he had been used to address her in Der. | lin.
 The next day when Count Caspar Gotwald made his toilet before calling on Winifrcd RathbOne he took out a suit of clothes that he had not worn since he reached America. They were not in the latest fashion, but were in the height of fashiuu at the time they were purchased.
 Count" Wimfred said to him when he appeared. father did not recognize you, and mother only fancied she had seen some one very like you. Will you tell me what happened to effect this outward change in youT ! He told Der what she did not know before-that he had inherited an estate which had been exhausted by his an. cestors and that he was enjoying a respite before going out into the world to accept what fate would provide for him. Winifred, who knew that he had been beset by women in high life in Berlin, some of whom were rich, ask. ed him why he had not married for. tune, as was customary in his coun try.
 Because, frauleln," he replied, "l loved one who would inherit great wealth, in whose country honorable men who are impoverished would not offer marriage under such circum- stances"
 A brief silence followed these words, which was broken by the young lady.
 "So you took it upon yourself" she said, ito decide for her"
 q could do nothing else," was the reply, without demeaning myself"
 "EYas not an injustice to her de meaning yourself?" she asked.
 He made no reply. The two stood regarding each other for a moment; then Winifred put out her hands.