The Washington times., 1919-05-21

"Impudence? >" she interruptsd
smilingly. "Oh. YES. I'm convinced.
James, that. lacking other material.
you'd make love to hitching post"
His hurt expression and protest.
ing gesture appealed to the uni
verse against mlSinterpretation
but the Princess Mistchenka laugh
ed again unfeelingly. and seated
herself at the piano.
Some day" she said. striking q
lively chord or two, Il hope you'll
catch it. young man. You're alto
gether too free and easy with your
feminine friends. What
do you think OF Rue Carew?+
stunned by Rue's Charm.
'An astounding and enchanting
ransformation- I haven't yet re-
covered my brrsth.r
When you do. you'll talk non
sense to the child, suppose"
princess. Have I ever
You talk little else. dear friend.
when God sends a pretty fool TO lis
ten" She looked up at him from
the keyboard over which her hands
were nervously wandering. Il
ought to know she said. II also
have listened She laughed care
lessly. but her glance fingered FOR
an instant on his face, and her
mirth did not sound quite sponLane-
Gus to either. Of them
Two years ago there had been an
April evening after the opera when.
in taking leave Of heF-in her little
salon. her hand had perhaps retain
ed his a fraction Of a second longer
than she quite intended. and he had.
inadvertently. kissed her.
He had thought Of it as a charm
ing and agreeable incident: what
the Princess Na1a MistchenkG
thought Of IL she never volunteered
But she so managed that he never
again was presented with a similar
opportunity.
Perhaps they both were thinking
OF this rather ancient episode now,
for his face was touched with a mis-
chievously reminiscent smile. and
she had lowered her head a tribe,
over the keyboard where her slim,
ivory-tinted hands still idly search
ed after elusive harmonies in the
subdued light of the single lamp.
There's a man dining with u.s.
she remarked, who has the same
irresponsible and casual views on
life and manners which you en-
tertain- No doubt you'll get along
very we'll together"
who is he?''
An TmpetuOus Soul
"a Captain Sengoun. one OF our
attaches It's likely you'll find q
congenial soul in this same Cos
sack whom we all call Ajax" She
added maliciously: His only logic
is the impulse of the moment. and
he is known as Prince Erik among
his familisrs. Erik was the Devil,
YOU know
He was announced at that mo-
ment. and came marching in-a
dark. handsome. why young man
with winning black eyes and a lit
tie black moustache just shadow
ing his short upper lip-and a head
shaped to contain the devil hm-
self-the most reckless looking
head. Neeland thought, that he ever
had beheld in all his life.
But the young fellows frank
smile was utterly irresistible. and
his straight manner of facing one,
and of looking directly into the
eyes Of the person he addressed in
his almost too perfect English.
won any listener Immediately.
He bowed formally over Princess
Naia's hand, turned squarely on
Neeland when he was named to the
American. and exchanged a firm
clasp with him. Then. to the
princess:
Il am late? No? Fancy. prin-
sess-that great BOBBY. IzZet Bey.
must stop me at the club. and I
exceedingly pressed to dress and
entirely out Of humor with all
Turks. Eth bien, mon vicux" said
he in his minCinE manner Of q
nervous pelican, they're warming
up the Balkan boilers with Aus
trian pine. But hear they're full
of snow And 7 said 10 him: Snow
bOils very nicely il the fire is suf-
ficiently persistent" And I think
Izzet Bey will find il so."-with a
quick laugh of explanation to Nee
land: He meant Russian snow,
you see: and that boiIs beautiful
ly if they keep on stocking the boil .
er with Austrian fuel
The princess shrugged:
What sChOOlboy repartee' Why
did you answer him at all. AlAA2'
Well explained the attacS-- as
I was due here at $ hadn't 5Iiile e.
10 take him by the nose, had L.
Rue OnerS Amends.
Rue Carew entered and went to
the princess to make amends:
I'm so sorry TO be Iate.''-turn-
ed to smile at Neeland. then Of
fcred her hand to the Russian
How do you do. Prince Erlik?"
she said with the careless and gay
cordiality OF old acquaintance. Il
heard YOU say something about
Colonel Izzet Bey's nose as came
in"
Captain SenEoum bowed over
her slender white hand:
THE Mohammedan nose Of Izzst
Bey is an admirable bit of Oriental
architecture. Miss Carew. Why
should il surprise you TO hear me
extUl its bizarre beauty"
Anyway" said the girl Pm
contCnted that you left devi!ry for
revelry" And. MarOtte ANNOUNCE
ing dinner. she took the arm OF
Captain SsnEOun as the7 princess
took Nccland's.
Like all Russians and some Cos
sacks. Prince Ajax ate and drank