New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-09-28

HRE53 r. Hn UX
brilliant and cosmopolitan assembly
Fol- some time John stood by the
princes side and was introduced tc
more people than he had ever met be
fore in his life. Presently, however
he n discovered by his friend Amer
ton.
"Qucer thing your being here, a
friend of the prince and all that" the
young man remarked. "Where's Miss
Sophy this EVENING""
81 haven't seen her" John replied. 81
don't believe she is invited"
Like to be introduced to some of
the girls, or shall we go and have Il
drink?'
John was hesitating when he felt q
hand upon his shoulder. The princes
voice sounded in his ear.
"Strangewey." he said, 81 am prlvi-
legged to present you to Nine. Aida
Calavera. 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 AnertOn had been leading him.
The oma was different from any
thing he had imagined, from anything
he had V seen. In the ballet a
writhing. sensuous figure with every
gesture a note In the octave of pas
sion. here she seemed the very per-
sonification of q negative and striking
~imlnObility. 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 It's
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
Il gesture almost royal in its 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 seer his first ballet,
MS we noderns understand the term.
I cannot help envying him that delight.
He naturally finds it difficult to realize
this additional good fortune. Will you
excuse me for n 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, l hope?"
Her voice was in character with her
personality. 1t was extremely low,
scarcely louder than n 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
Il quieter place. In a few moments we
are to be disturbed for supper. One
eats so often and so much in this cOun-
try. Why do I say that, though? 1t
is not so bad as in Russia"
They passed across the polished
wood floor into a little room with
oriental fittings, where a lamp was
swinging from the ceiling, giving out u
dim but pleasant light. The place was
empty, and the sound of the music
and voices seemed to come from u dis
lance. 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 un-
d~erstand-is 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
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
to be kind Is, in q way, for