Evening star., 1922-04-30

you cannot. So why worry? Be
discreet in your friendships. that's
all.' 1 urged.
She rang and ordered a whisky and
soda for me. Then, after it was
brought. she said:
We'll, l had an appointment at
Thedford's tonight incognito. There's
! a dance there. But after what you've
said I shan't co.
'T really wouldn't go there, even
under another name" 1 said. Who
introduced you?"
"a very nice fellow-a man 1 met
| in Paris three months ago. I'm fond
of dancing. as you know, and he
| dances beautifully"
He does not know who you really
are?"
"Of course not He thinks I'm a
foreigner visiting London. To him
| I always pretend 7 do not know Eng
lish. We speak in French"
Dangerous. Leopoldine. very dam
gerous! said. Remember I'm
"Oh, of course," she cried resent
fully. 1.-THE emperor has sent you
to lead me into the right path. eh?
1 can see 1t all. What an old idiot
he isl
We agreed to differ. and then, half
an hour later, we parted. I strolled
back to the Ritz full of curious
thoughts.
CCRELY it was by the irony of fate
- had been placed in the position
Of equerry and guardian to one Of
the most handsome and most uncon-
ventional of all the European prin-
cesses! And the more SO when 1t
was recollected that l bad left Sicily
not SO long ago resolved never to
again set eyes upon her.
She was as incorrigible as she was
fascinating. yet. after all. we had
been such good platonic friends for
years.
During the next fortnight I saw
her every day, for was 1 not her
equerry and also controller of her
affairs? The Baroness Won Chertek
| and Countess Czorda, both of the
highest aristocracy Of Austria, were
her ladies' in waiting and were her
companions everywhere-save when
she could manage to slip away on a
pretext of Shopping or something.
The princess rode in the park each
morning. but those who passed her
only saw a pretty girl in smart
riding habit. and most of them
thought she came from the hunting
country of the midlands, from Mel
ton or Market Marlborough. Few
girls rode so we'll as Leopoldine, arch
duchess of Austria. She took after
her aunt, the late empress, who was
so we'll known in the hunting field in
the midlands
1 confess that I was much puzzled
over the whole situation. Why the
emperor had given Leopoldine's affairs
into my hands was to me mystery.
True, she was at Claridges incog-
nito as Countess Won kreuz, and only
the management knew of her actual
identity It Is always SO with royal
ties at the really smart hotels. At
the bureau they are always ignorant
of the true status Of their guests.
Their ignorance is. to me, always in
tensely amusing.
London society was that year gayer
than it had ever been for the past
half century.
Leopoldine went out every night.
She had invitations on all hands, but
every one knew her as the Countess
Won Kreuz.
The Baroness Won Chertek tried to
raise protest against her going out
unaccompanied, but she quickly over
ruled it. She was mistress Of her
own actions, she said. and il they
did not like it, then she would ap-
point others to take their places.
4 y \
SUDDENLY she developed habit Of
going out alone to shop during
the afternoon. She would leave about
and return at S.
This aroused my curiosity, and one
day l felt it my duty to the sehperor
to watch her movements,
M ~