The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06

Is secret between you and me, and
"And?"
"Prince Ra, Of course"
"Ah, the imp of darkness!"
"Oh, Mistitch! You very nearly caught
him, didn't you?"
Better for him, perhaps, if 1 had-the
scamp"
s'Now, you know it's nothing but boys
pranks! You wouldn't like it if your future
king showed signs of being muff, would
you?"
The headman gave that gurgle in his
hairy throat which meant that he was laugh
ing.
"You must know he was determined to
get to me here in the bungalow, because it
appears he had bet one of the guard that
he could. Of course, it was not fair, be-
cause let him in. He could not have got
in otherwise. But he doesn't want anybody
to know, because if Mr.. Varley were to hear
of it there would be a real row."
$50 there would! So there would"
"What l want you to do is to call off
whoever is on guard at the front door to-
night, just for five minutes, to allow of his
slipping out unseen. He has his own way
of getting back into the palace when he
reaches Flormar.'
81 can easily do that chuckled the old
man. "The young limb I'll teach him.
"Oh, but you mustn't appear, nor even
speak to him of it, You are not supposed
to know anything about itv'
cha, ha! 1 understand Well, count upon
me. I go to call off Jakoub, and when the
coast is clear l stroll round here and
whistle softly. Then he runs out by the
front door,
"Mistitch, you're a perfect dear"
"Oh, dare say, l dare say-but listen,
if you please, my lady. Never again. It's
a dangerous prank 1 tell you, l nearly
shot him."
She gasped little.
ooh, Mistitch, be very, very carefulw
"Your fault he rejoined tartly. "Put-
ting me all on the go with your tales Of
night providers"
''Ill never be so silly again." she re-
piled chokingly Her servitor Numbered off.
she drew long breath of relief, and slipped
back into the pitch-dark room.
There she hestated. 1t was terrible,
thrilling, maddening, to know him there
and not to see him. She stood still in the
middle of the floor, not daring to call him,
holding her breath.
There came SOFT swift rush, and he fell
at her feet. His arms clasped her knees,
his head lay against her wait.
eve have five minutes" she painted "and
now that he knows you are here there is
no danger. Let me make a light! Ah let
me look at you!"
She felt him start, and thought she could
perceive that it was with great effort that
he kept from springing to his feet. He held
her firmly, and his voice had hard edge,
even in its carefully lowered tone as he
replied
"Once for all, you must not. can't
explain. There are risks you do not know.
Trust me, you shall look me in the eyes be-
fore long, in the face of all the world! To-
night am the Unknown Eros. Let me de-
part as came"
''When-when?" she implored him. 'How
long must l waltz"
"Not long, for could not bear it-and
yet can bear anything so long as have
knocked out Theobald! Evadne, I have
knocked him out haven't II"
Her low, unsteady laugh was half sob.
''What a boy you are! What boy!'
Her fingers were roaming over his close
cropped hair. eff could find lock long
enough to cut off, she whispered, "just SO
as to be sure it is not dream"
He was on his feet in moment
s'No no! No time for that I will take
a token from you instead! You have some-
thing fastening your robe, just there-some-
thing that scratched me a minute ago. Give
r. to pne-SO that when we meet next. /