The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-09-28

brilliant aud cosmopolitan assembly
For some time John stood by the
princes side and was introduced to
more people than he had ever met be-
fore in his life. Presently, however,
he was discovered by his friend Amer
ton.
"Queer thing your being here, a
friend Of the prince and all that!" the
young man remarked. "Where's Miss
SOphy this evenlngr
IL haven't seen her" John replied. Il
don't believe she Is invited"
Like to be introduced to some OF
the girls, or shall we go and have a
drlnk?"
John was hesitatlng when he felt a
hand upon his shoulder. The princes
voice sounded In his ear.
"Strangewey," he said, 81 am privi-
legged to present you to Nine. Aida
Cnlavera. Madame, this is my friend
Of whom l spoke to you"
John turned away from the little
group of girls and young men toward
whom Amerton had been leading him.
The woman was different from any
thing he had imagined, from anything
he had ever seen. In the ballet a
wrlthlng, sensuous figure with every
gesture "a note In the octave Of pas
sion, here she seemed the very per-
sonlflcatlOn Of a negative and striking
immObillty. She was slender, not so
tall as she had seemed upon the stage,
dressed in white from head to foot.
Her face was almost marblelike in its
pallOr, her smooth, black hair was
drawn tightly over her ears, and her
eyes were of the deepest shade of blue.
She raised her hand, as he bowed, with
a gesture almost royal in It's condescen-
sion. The prince, with quiet tact,
bridged over the moment during which
John struggled in vain for something
to say.
"Mr. Strangewey," he remarked,
paid his first visit to Covent Garden
tonight. He has seen his first ballet,
as we mOderns understand the term.
1 cannot help envying him that delight.
He naturally finds it difficult to realize
this additional good fortune. VIII you
excuse me for one mOment?"
The prince departed to welcome
some later arrivals. The noisy little
group standing close ut hand, from
which John had been diverted, passed
on into the refreshment room, and the
two were, for a few moments, almost
isolated.
you were pleased with the perform
ance, 1 hope"
Her voice was in character with her
personality. 1t was extremely low,
scarcely louder than a whisper. To
his surprise, it was almost wholly free
from any foreign accent.
ut was very wonderful" John an
swered.
"The prince tells me-" she continued,
that you are a stranger in London.
Give me your arm. We will walk to
a quieter place. In few moments we
are to be disturbed for supper. One
eats so often and so much in this coun-
try. Why do L say that, thought 1t
is not so bad as in Russia"
They passed across the polished
wood floor into a little room with
oriental fittings, where q lamp was
swinging from the ceiling, giving out a
dim but pleasant light. The place was
empty, and the sound Of the music
and voices seemed to come from a dis
tance. She sank down upon a divan
back among the shadows, and mo-
toned John to sit by her side.
"You have come to find out, to I'M
that not so?" she inquired.
what you know Of life, the prince
tells me, you have learned from books.
Now you have come to discover what
more there is to be learned in the
world of men and women"
"The prince has been very kind"
John said.
She turned her head slowly and
looked at him.
"A young man to whom the prince
chooses to be kind Is, In a way, for