The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-13


posed to her over in PhiladeIp6fhf
You see," he said. With an effort at
nsn'ness, Il got to thinking over what
MISS Elizabeth said to me about in.
,ernatlonal marriages. don't see how
II applies to us. I know that she IA
nut crazy for a title-other than her
own nigh-born name; and me, I'm not
after-after money"
Inc relocated band, responsive to
1renzied leader, was zinEinR and
hanging through a Hungarian rhap-
sody, giving promise that it would still
De safe to talk about private matters
lor a long time to come.
Elizabeth told me that Won had
zone her the honor" Mrs. DRAGON be.
gan.
perhaps l should have spoken first
10 you, said the prince. talking rap.
IDLY. But l said, This is America
where there must not be too much
tormality.' Besides. was crazy
crazy with love-as have been ever
since hrst looked at her."
No scene. please" cautioned Eliza.
beth steadily.
The band hinged louder. Her remark
drew blood apparently.
1T is true that I have debts" the
prince went on; but they are the
uepts OF my ancestors. l pay interest
on them No one expects more than
that. They are like state debts-what
you call national debt. A national
dept is never paid. But why mention
such things? 1t is you l love. You
followed again back to Europe"
viii you have cream or lemon?"
asked Elizabeth, suddenly remember.
ing the tea things.
SO why-why-will you not have
me?"
Shall ! 60 over It all once more ?'
asked Elizabeth, smiling but cruel.
i've seen enough of these inter.
national marriages to make me sick
II l ever marry-which doubt-IIl
marry an American. I'll marry a man
who can take care of me, Just as
though / didn't have q cent in the
! world; one who will work, accomp lish
something, be someone by his own ef.
forts. Since you owe 80 much, by your
own admission, why don't you work
and"
Elizabeth"
Mrs. DRAGON was scandalized, as she
often was by this ultra-modern daugh.
ter OF hers; but the prince was listen.
ing, sober. intent.
i can't work, the way you mean, -
said Prince Frederick with bated
breath. I'm Hohenstaufen. be.
long to the empire. II 1t were not for
that, there is nothing IN the world ]
wouldn't do to show you-show you
now love you. Even now, could !
do so with honor. I'd blow out my
! brains"
I've dropped my FAM" said Mrs.
DRAGON.
The prince recovered It for her with
a little laugh just ~ the music, with q
succession Of ripping scales sugges.
tive of fight OF butterflies, went up
into the air and was silent.
Silent, also, for most Of the time
were Mrs. DRAGON and her daughter a.
they drove homo . little later through
the high-arched allees Of the Bots
They were stopping At the Bristol,
would be moving on soon to one Of the
German spas, Wiesbaden most likely
And they were both willing to pretend
that It was this approaching departure
from Paris that kept them . little 70.
strained, q little blue.
Finally Mrs. DRAGON spoke.
Don't you think you're q bit brutal
with him, Beth? Young Germans have
been known to kill themselves"
"Oh, he'll show up again." said
Elizabeth.
Paris was like pond overstocked
with goldfish-filled with the rich and
idle from the four quarters Of the
world. Came the end Of Grand Prix
week, and it was as though some
mighty hand had opened all the sluices
of the pond The goldfish scattered.
The DRAGONS fingered longer in
Paris than they had expected-a mat
ter Of new gowns-and then foated
on. with other goldfish, to the German
resort. But still there was no sign
of Prince Frederick Won Hohenstaufen
1t troubled them both little secretly
He wasn't acting in accordance with
form Generally when an impover
ished prince once fixes his attention
on dazzling bait like Elizabeth ORA
con-handsome. educated. immeasur
ably rich in her own right-he be
comes as ravening pike.
So they both thought They wert
not without experience. But they said
nothing about 1t. Not until one night
It was the night that followed Z
hideous day. From early morning they
had been crowded with stranger
whom they feared and distrusted in
the tiny, suffocating compartment Of
thirdclass railway carriage. All day
the train had crawled and stopped
then crawled again, like a wounded
worm, while other trains rushed by
with lordly authority. Soldiers, he'll
meted, brusk. impersonal. had jerked
the door Of the compartment open al
times. had stared and talked among
themselves, but had answered no ques-
tons
Even more Iugubrious was the deep
ening night. 1t had begun to rain.
Then. finally. as though the wounded
worm was completely exhausted, the
train came to a halt and moved no
more. There was another hour OF