The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-17
BY Eleanor Ingraian,.

gently polishing his pistol.
Your acceptance of Irenya as
: a matter of arrangement, Capt.
: Lesendra, leads me to the con-
, clusion you do not believe in
love-" Delight said to Danilo one
-lday.
LAS | know love, II Is not for
women" he answered.
IAN enigma" Delight laughed.
viii you tell me what you
lmean?"
THAT l love a man." he said.
, That l love Count Stefan. Tell
, me, Countess, who of all women
should boy respect most, IL when
, grown to a man he is to trust
them?"
His mother"
? Sixteen year ago, when | was
| O boy of 8, my father was killed
by the outlaws of the Prokletze.
, Ny mother was a Russian. She
returned to her own country and
married again, an officer of the
secret police. We lived without
hours breach between us until
] was 10.
"One day | came home to find
, guest in the house, whom my
, mother presented as a cousin from
! Montenegro. He was not much
, older than |, exceedingly hand
, some, and winning in manner. My
, ,stepfather and he appeared to
; know each other intimately.
, 1T was my mother who re-
minded me that I was a Montene-
grin, not a Russian, and it was
but honorable that | give my ma
tive land it's due allegiance and
military service. She suggested |
write to my kinsman, the head of
my house, Stefan Balsic, asking
to he placed with him. l did SO,
with an enthusiasm famed by our
Montenegro guest.
. Count Balsic answered my~let-
Ter kindly. He babe me come to
him at once. OF course obeyed.
My mother exacted two promises
from me. l was not to mention
our guest. | was to write fire.
quently to her-write in detail of
my daily life. So
E 80 | came here. | think now
5 HAT Count Balsic knew from the
first of his enemy's presence in
: my home, and did notl wholly
trust me. He brought me to the
king at Cetinje and | took the oath
of allegiance. / was happier than
e had ever been in my life. Out
e of that happiness | wrote to my
r mother. Indeed, at her sugges-
I on l kept a journal of all the
4 novel life and SERVICE of where
A accompanied my chief, our visit
e ,Crs-all the trifles a youth finds
e absorbing. This I sent to her
every week. atl'
| AT the end of three months
p. came the ruin. Count Balsic sent
V for me one morning and laid be-
S fore me the pile of journals. His
S enemy and my mother had made
NE their spy. Every bit of infor-
n nation had been sifted and re-
tied by the secret police, tire
{ l,ssly at work to compass his de-
r struction to detect him in some
\ misstep. The trap had failed be-
+ cause Stefan Balsic had no double
dealings with men or nations"
g why should | have done
| his?' l cried.
a Il got my answer.
n Because you are my heir by
n tie will made when, not knowing
you since boyhood, | hoped one Of
: my house might be honest said
Count Balsic. Will you still lie
. t. me, Danilo Lesendra?'
= Delight uttered faint sound.
!. Then"
!, "He took my naked word. l
= have lived beside him ever since. F."
= Surely the other two, your
: mother and-the man. exonerated
you, Captain Lesendra?"
Never, madame. And | have
= fought my way to prove by my life
: that l deserved Stefan Balsic's
pardon. ! have served him with
blood and spirit. l have earned
q : his trust, and he gives me trust.
God will send the beggar a jewel
! to give my father used to say,
y when he owed gratitude too
e Igreat for payment"
capt. Lesendra!"
"Madame?"
Delight faced him. do know
0 that man, the traitor?" she asked
unsteadily.
c 81 think you never knew him,
d madame" Danilo said, and with
a drew.
Delight sank down. Since she
o was alone, she pressed her hands
: across her eyes.
HE told the TRUTH" she insist
s ed to herself. "He told the truth.
e Michael could not do that-not
e Michael"
oI Then came a day when Delight
net Danilo, not at the foot of the
I taircase, but on the balcony it.
D elf. He had come there, not by
invitation, but as though by right.
Nor was 1t the Danilo Lesendra
who had told the story of his
: mothers treachery. II was an
e enemy who scowled at Delight.
= capt. Lesendra?" she uttered,
D s.upified. TWO
"Madame! | offer the apology
E Df necessity for this intrusion"
: What has happened?" n
: "Only what you wish and have