The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
turned in bright light, and NADIA standing
there rubbing her ewes and YaWning.


NADIA! What's the matter?'
ooh, pardon, Highness, l thought heard
you called. And there has been shooting.
Surely it is late ct night for shooting?"
"a wild boar, I expect. Somebody said
they had been seen the other side of Kyriel
Moor. It's nothing. IL got up to look
for book thai l was reading. l thought
left it in the hall. But it is not there"
II know where it isl replied NADIA, with
a compromising smile, going to the book
shelf and taking down book her mistress
had been reading few days previously.
When Evadne thanked and dismissed her
she left the room with an expression of toll
Grant understanding. When one is toying
with offer of marriage from prince it
is obviously excusable that one should sleep
badly. More particularly if it thunders.
Evadne had made an appointment for the
following morning with Ra and his tutor
to battle in the lake, for the first time since
her accident therein.
The two gentlemen duly appeared at the
rendezvous, but found only Franz, who bore
a message of apology from Her Highness.
The storm had given her wakeful night,
and she would not come out that morning.
and sweet after the nights thunder but
they did not prolong their swim. They
walked up by way of Water Gate to inquire
after the princess, and to the Englishman's
delight found her in her hammock ander the
veranda
Ra to have lunch at the bungalow
with his aunt, while his tutor went to keep
his engagement with Baron Herluin at
Castle Kyriel. Niklaus had given Ra some
fish of somewhat rare kind which he had
caught early that morning, and the boy
went off to the kitchen to coax Dola into
cooking them for him. Varley saw his
chance of word in private, but hardly
knew how to take it.
He felt stiff, and inclined to be distant
in his manner for he attributed Evadnes
failure to appear at the bathing place to the
sudden attack of conventional scruples de-
veloped by the baroness the day before He
was sure that he was welcomed with shade
of reserve Something was different in the
ladys manner, with difference not easy
to analyze. She had never looked more
beautiful and he sat down by her hammock
trying to think himself back into what used
to be his attitude where she was concerned
before he saw Beruna; but the mere thought
of the latter swurf his mind back into the
state of fret and ferment now almost
chronic. He could not reconcile what he
felt about the girl with what he was forced
to suspect concerning her. He was torn
between the rising flood of such a passion
as he had never thought to experience and
the pricking of continual mstrust.
The devotion he had felt for Evadne was
of the kind which, hoping little, can more
or less console itself with service; but his
feeling for Beruna left him no peace.
Invited by Evadne to smoke, he sat lost
in speculation, distracted that at last
the princess smiled and remarked.
"You are excellent company this MORN
ing, Mr.. Varley.'
He looked up, laughed, was confused.
Forgive me- l have something to tell
you, and the whole puzzling affair preoccu-
pies me- l wanted to come here last night
and give you a warning, but Bar-Bar for
babe me, quite sharply. She had sudden
and severe attack of Mrs. .Grundy".
The princess blushed deeply. 1t was now
habit of hers, and he had hardly even seen
the color rise in her beautiful face n. nay
words of his.
"What did you want to tell me-" she
asked keenly.
'There is so much. Since your acct lcrt l
have had chance to consult vita you
upon the matter you were gracious as to
confide to me the day before the storm on
the lake.
She held out her hand impulsiveiy.
"Why, don't believe l have ever th..nked
YOU for all YOU did-your MAGNIFICENT adj