New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-05-31
L.i9ie
FOURTH EPISODE
The Hidden Prince

Christopher Race stared at the invi'
tation, and stared again. If it had
come to him in his palmy days, he
might not have been thus blankly
amazed; but at best who was Chris
TOPPER Race that he should be hidden
to u reception ut the foreign office, to
meet royalty?
OF course, Christopher said to him
self, he would not go. Before the day
of the reception he would be away in
the country with Scarlet Runner, trail
ing IA fat and vulgar Australian mil
lionaire. with his fat and vulgar mil
lionairess about rural England.
Had he not CHANGED to knock down
his little pile of letters with his elbow,
reaching for the coffee pot, he would
have accepted the millionaire's terms
and declined with thanks the for
cign office invitation. But he did
knock the pile down, and the bottom
envelope had no. resemblance to the
rest.
1t was blue, but of a delicate
"'it u was
signed, "ElOiSe Duuvray."
That name had rung in his ears.
mysterious and sweet as the music of
bells floating over the sea from Il city
of mirage, Since the masked ball, where
he had been lucky enough to serve the
fair Suutherner's purpose.
Her letter had 10 conventional be-
ginning. "Since | have been u grown
woman" she said, II have known only
two real men, and you are one of those
two. | want you to meet the other.
Something great may come of the meet
ing, and this time you would be with
me in an adventure of which neither of
US need be ashamed. AS for me, | am
In it deeply, heart and soul. If you
will throw in your fortune with mine,
come tomorrow light to the foreign Of
flee reception for which | will see that
you have an invitation. iours-grate-
fully for the past, hopefully for the fu-
ture-Eloise Dauvray."
No question now as to whether he
would 20 Or not go. He wanted to see
Eloise Dauvray. On the night of the
reception he dressed himself as one
Of the two real mel in the world ought
to be dressed for an occasion of i'm
p%ortance.
Lest she should be needed he drove
Scarlet Runner to Whitehall, and left
her in charge of a hired chauffeur
WHOM he could trust.
He was greeted by the foreign Sec
rotary and his wife, and instantly for
gotten as the murmur went round that
royalty was arriving. Now he paused
forlornly, looking for Eloise Dauvruy.
"Mr. Race" murmured a voice that
no man who had heard it once could
forget; and, turning, he vas face to
face with Eloise ~Dauvray-an aston
lshingly changed Eloise Dauvruy.
She had been beautiful before. but
she was doubly beautiful now, with the
radiant, morning beauty of a girl of
eighteen. Then he saw the other man,
and, seeing him, knew the secret of the
change in Eloise Dauvray. The glory
Of love irradiated her, and 1t seemed to
that she was not ashamed
to let him see it.
mir. Race" said Eloise Dauvray
again, 81 wanted you to come and meet
Mirko of Dalvania. l have told
him about you"
Christopher was not surprised to
that this noble young giant, in
he wonderful eastern uniform, scintil-
lating with orders and decorations,
vas called prince.
II am here with my grandmother"
said Miss Dauvray. "You have not
her, but she Is an old friend of
he foreign secretary's wife. Prince
'lirko and you and l must talk to-
They found a quiet corner, out of
he way of the crowd. "Now | am
TO tell you a secret" the girl
on. You see how / trust YOU
low Ne both trust you? For it's a
whose success means everything
- the prinee-everything, therefore, to
he. ,
"Iie HIS asked me to marry him. ,
is part of the secret" said ElOise. ,
For his sake | ought to have refused. ,
'ut | love him. My love has made me ,
,
You would have spoiled my life and ,
illed my ambition if you had refused" =,
'rince Mirko of Dalvania broke in +,
He spoke in perfect English, though (
nth an accent something like that of ,
n Italian. /,
Congratulate me. Mr.. Race" said f
ne prince. "Good fortune had a quar-
II with me until two weeks ago.; then 1
met Miss D%auvray." a
Congratulate me-" exclaimed n
"You saw what l was before. t
on see what | am now" h
This was a delicate topic; and per- b
APPS Christopher's face showed that he a
it difficult, for the girl spoke be- Il
)fs he could choose his answer. "The I
knows" she said. Il told him 5
vrtything. 1t was hard, and l was =
If pied to keep my own counsel. Per- a
acs conscience alone would not have |
me, butt was better he v