The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-11-30


| When he turned around, Louise hat
at least nerved herself to meet wha
she felt was imminent.
The prince approached her deliber
ately. She knew what he was goint
| to say.
Louise" he began, drawing a chail
to her side, 81 have found myself
thinking great deal about you dur
ing the last few weeks"
She did not interrupt him. She
simply waited and watched.
81 have come to certain determin.
ation," he proceeded; zone which, II
you will grace it with your approval
will give me great happiness. I ask
you to forget certain things which
have passed between us. have come
to you today to beg you to do me the
honor of becoming my wife,"
She turned her head very slowly
until she was looking him full in the
face. Her lips were little parted
her eyes little strained. The prince
was leaning toward her in a conven-
tiona attitude; his words had been
spoken simply and in his usual con-
versationaI manner. There was some
thing about him, however, profoundly
convincing.
"Your wifeI" Louise repeated.
eff you will do me that great hon.
or"
1t seemed at first as If her nerves
were strained to the breaking point.
The situation was one with which her
brain seemed unable to grapple. She
set her teeth tightly. Then she had a
sudden interlude of wonderful clear
sightedness. She was almost cool.
"You must forgive my surprise, Eu-
gene" she begged. "WS have known
each other now for some twelve years,
have we not?-and believe that this
is the first time you have ever limited
at anything of the sort l'
zone gathers wisdom, perhaps, with
the years." he replied. 81 am forty
one years old today. I have spent the
early hours of this afternoon in refec-
ton, and behold the resulti''
"You have spoken to me before" she
said slowly, "of different things. You
have offered me a great deal in life,
but never your name. I do not under
stand this sudden change!"
Louise" he declared, eff I do not
tell you the truth now, you will prob
ably guess it. Besides, this is the one
in, hot
woman should speak nothing but the
truth. 1t is for fear of losing you
that is why"
Her self-control suddenly gave way.
She threw herself back in her chair.
She began to laugh and stopped alb
ruptly, the tears streaming from her
eyes. The prince leaned forward. He
took her hands in his, but she drew
hem away.
"You are too late, Eugene!" she !
said. II almost loved you. I was al |
most yours to do whatever you liked |
With. But somehow, somewhere, not
all your worldly knowl
,dge and mine, we missed it. We do
lot know the truth about life, you and
at least you do not, and did not"
He rose very slowly to his feet.
There was no visible change in his
ace save a slight whitening of the
heeks.
"And the sequel to this?" he asked.
81 have promised to marry John
she told him.
"That," he replied, 'is impossible F.!
have prior claim"
The light of battle famed suddenly
4 her eyes. Her nervousness had
one. She was a strong woman, face
, face with him now, taller than he,
eeming, indeed, to tower over him in
lie splendor of her anger. She was
ke lioness threatened with the loss
the one dear thing.
assert it, them" she cried defiant
:. "Do what you will. Go to him c
lis minute, if you have courage
Tough, if it seems to you well. Claim,
deedl Right I have the one right {
cry woman in the world possesses
give herself, body and soul, to the K
an she loves! That is the only claim S
i'd the only right I recognize, and "
n giving myself to him, when he a
ants me, foreverw j
She stopped suddenly. Neither of
EN- had heard a discreet knock at
e door. Aline had entered with the 81
a. There was a moment of silence. p
PUT it down here by my side, 81
ine," her mistress ordered, "and
ow the prince of Seyre out" So
Aline held the door open. For a u
lgle moment the prince hesitated. W
en he picked up his hat and bowed.
Perhaps" he said, ''this may not IN
the last world" N
or
CLADTER wy