Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-05-20
THE HONOR OF AN EMPRESS

and rode away out OF sight.
THE next day / heard that he had
quilted England under the displeasure
Of the empress. and some years passed
before was again reminded of his ex-
istence." 49,
The ambassador stopped and flicked
his cigarette ash into the fireplace be-
fore US with much dexterity.
| 1T was in - that next met
with my baron" His excellency
checked himself abruptly and ap-
peared to be overwhelmed with con-
fusion at having allowed this name
! to escape him. was careful to show
| that had not heard 1t.
You met him. where did you say? 2"
l asked languidly.
In the dominions of the emperor
| whose illustrious consort / have spo-
| ken Of" replied the ambassador,
swiftly recovering himself. II had
just been appointed to the charge of
our embassy in the imperial capital,
and it was at state ball given in
honor Of the crown princes birthday
that I recognized Magratz again.
He WAS moving about among the
guests with the assured manner OF one
| who held recognized position at
| court. He wore on his breast the
cross OF the order of st. Luke, the sec.
ond order In the empire. and everyone
| appeared to treat him with marked
| distinction. But what attracted my
| notice particularly was a young girl
| OF extraordinary beauty, whom he was
escorting through the ballroom, and
who chung to his arm with delicious
| shyness. You know that | am not
easily moved by the sex; picture the
| fascination of this damsel, therefore,
when / tell you that had hard work
to refrain from going up to the baron
and soliciting an Introduction.
while / was wondering who she
could be, and how Magratz had con.
trived to regain the imperial favor,
observed movement III the crowd
through which the pair was straying.
The bystanders fell back. and young
man suddenly came through, a young
| man with heavy features and blood.
shot, rolling eyes, who was dressed
in rich uniform blazing with the
stars Of dozen royal orders. 1t was
the crown prince.
THE prince, whose leaden face
flushed with pleasure on catching
sight of the couple, greeted Magratz
in style Of much intimacy, and ca
gerly took possession of his exquisite
partner, whom he led of through the
apartments out of my sight.
"Magratz stood looking after them
with an expression of dark and fur.
tive satisfaction. Then he turned
round. and for the first time caught
my eye. He bowed with a polite,
almost cordial air, and advanced
towards me through the throng.
Permit me to welcome you to my
country, NJ. rAmbassadeur,' he said,
extending his hand, which I accepted
with reluctance. What little influ-
ence / may possess here, and espe.
cially with his imperial highness, Is
entirely at your service. l trust you
will allow me, within the next few
days, the pleasure of paying my re.
spects to you at the embassy
While | murmured my formal &C.
acknowledgements / could not take my
eyes off his face. 1t was doubtless an
Illusion, but thought could distinct
ly perceive faint purple mark where
I had seen the whip of the empress
descend
m de MagratZ no doubt OWNED my
thoughts. or rather they were con-
veyed to him without words, by that
subtle process for which science has
not yet invented suitable name. He
bit his lip and permitted himself an
ill-bred remark:
ITO man Of your excellency's
well-known discretion it would be an
impertinence to recommend silence
with regard to certain incidents Of the
past
Il bowed. but with coldness, and
changed the subject by compliment
ing him on the beauty Of the young
girl whose arm he had just relin-
pushed.
".Ah! that is my niece, he observed,
with affected careleshness. She is
an orphan whom l have brought up.
The crown prince Is good enough to
interest himself in her, but OF course
the difference in their ranks is too
great for it to be any more than a
passing fancy.
HE pronounced these last words
with fatherly air which did not i'm
pose upon me. / even fancied I de-
tected in them a yelled allusion to
the circumstances of our last meeting.
II turned on my heel, feeling strange
ly disturbed, and passed on through
the rooms. The crown prince and his
charming partner were nowhere to be
| seen"
The ambassador paused. His ciga-
| rette was smoked out, and he pro-
ceeded to roll himself fresh one.
Catching sight in the crowd Of my
friend the little Count Messana of the
Italian legation. / resolved to ques-
ton him. The count is a most remark
able man. He is the greatest reposi-
tory OF scandal in the whole Of Eu-
rope, and, as his tongue never spares
II