The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-28
She nodded. You knew ?"

1 She nodded. You knew?" | Yes,' he replied. He told me yes- terday."
 l Isn't it wonderful" she whisper ed And then went on rapidly, "so you see, Peter, maybe I. can be some good to you after all.'' He pressed her fingers, enjoying her happiness.
 'I can hardly believe it's true" she gasped, ''but it must be, because MT. | Mcclure had his lawyer here yester- | day talin' about it@' Yes. It's true. I think he's pret- | ty happy to get all that off his con | science. You're a rich girl. Beth" | And then, with a slow smile, That was one of the reasons why I wanted to talk with you about who I was. You see, I thought that now that | you're going to have all this money, You might want to change your mind about marry forester chap who just wants to try to show the trees | how to grow"
 Peter! Don't make fun of me. | Please. And you hurt me sol" she re- preached him. You know I'll never want to change my mind ever. ever even if I had all the money in the 1 world
 He laughed, drew her face down to his and whispered. Beth, dear, I | knew you wouldn't want to-but just wanted to hear you say it.'' Well, I have said it. And I don't want you ever to say such thing again. As if I cared for anythin'- anythin' but you.'' | He kissed her on the lips and she strengthened.
 'I wanted to hear you say that l too," he said with a laugh. And then, after silence which they both improved by gazing at each other | mutely, "But you don't seem very curious about who I am.'' Beth pressed his fingers confidently. deal-and she realized that nothing else did But she knew that some thing was required of her. And so "Oh, yes Indeed I am, Peter-aw- fully curious" she said politely. Well, you know, Beth. I'm not really so poor as I seem to be- I've got a lot of securities in a bank in Russia. because nobody knew where they were and so they couldn't take them"
 And they would have taken your money, too?'
 "Yes. When this cousin of mine his name was Nicholas-when NichoI- as was killed"
 'They killed himI who?"
 ''The Bolsheviki-they killed NJch- olas and his whole family-his wife, son and four daughters-"
 "Peter!" Beth started up and starr ed at him in startled bewild erment, as she rem embered the talks she had had with him about the Russian revolu- tion. ''Nicholas-i" she grasped. His wife fe-son-daughters. He had the same name as-as the Czar-i" And as her gaze met his again she S1c 11o1 <o DL she gasped- ''what-what do you mean?''
 "I mean that it was the Little F,a- ther-the Czar-who was my cousin, Beth"
 She stared at Peter in awe and kind of fear of this new element in their relations.
 I'm just Peter Nichols" he said with a laugh.
 But over there"
 ''Tm nothing. They chucked us all out. the Bolsheviki-every last one of us that had a handle to his name"
 "A handle-?"
 ''Yes. I used to be Grand Duke Peter Nicholaevith of zukovo and
 'G-Grand Duke Peter!' she wris- pered in a daze. And then, "Oh- how-hwo could you ?" she gasped
 Peter laughed.
 ''I couldn't help it, Beth. I was born that-way. But you will forgive me- won't you?"
 ''Forgive-? Oh-it-it makes such a difference to f1nd-you're not you-but somebody eise-''
 ''No. am-me. I'm not anybody else. But I had to tell you-some time. You don't think any the less of me, do you, Beth7'
 IT don't know what to think. I'm so-you're so-"
 ''What?''
 "Grand-and I'm-''
 Peter caught her hands and made her look at him.
 You're the only woman in the world I've ever wanted-the only one and you've promised me you'd mar ry me-you've promised, Beth"
 Her fingers moved gently in his and her gaze. wide-eyed, sought his. And it won't may any difference
 NO. Beth. Why should you think
 II was afraid-it might" she gasped. And then for a while Peter held her hands, whispering. while Beth. still abashed, answered in mono syllables, nodding from time to time.
 Later the nurse entered. her glance on her wr1St-wdttch.
 Times up,'' she said. And Beth rose one in a dream and moved slowly around the foot of the bed to the door.
 Jonathan K. McGuire had been as much astonished at Beth at the reve- | lation of Peters identity. and the ser vice that Peter had rendered him 1 made him more than anxious Jo show his appreciation by doing everything he could for the wounded mans com fort and happiness. He visited the bedside. daily and. told Peter of his conversations with Beth, and of the plans that he was makinng for her future-which now, it seemed. was Pe- ter'S future also. Peter told him something of his own history and how he had met Jim Coast on the Bernu- | dian. Then Mcclure related the story of the suppression of the outbreak at the lumber camp by the sheriff
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