Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

need a crown to prove it. And as for
fearing her designs on me and mine, so
far. haven't even seen her little boy.
Maybe she's ashamed to bring him out.
Is he as bad as all that?"
THE prince? shall call the prince
average. 1 don't see what he has ever
done to deserve you."
"Of course" said Emmeline, that
part of it doesn't matter. because my
cad has promised to take whatever ]
draw as a husband and make a man
of it. If they haven't the fiakings
they'd better not join our family.
don't care what get. prince or pud-
dler, just so he's my dads kind OF man.
Even" said the second butler; "even
if he were second, butler?"
Emmeline didn't answer that. She
sat up very straight, listening.
Gould anybody he mean enough to
be behind that door?" she asked. u
heard noise"
He laughed.
IF anybody could be, it would be the
too late for her. Are you going now?"
Eyes" whispered Emmeline. "1've
dropped my slipper Put it on me
please. I'm little scared now. Dc
you make a practice of these late
auppers? Because might-see you
again"
60 it had not been bit difficult tc
- get in deep after such an initia
plunge as that, and Emmeline was in
very deep indeed She was what one
might call head-over-heels, and the
feelings of the second butler can only
be imagined. if one is highly magma
tive. The breakfast biscuits we're nc
fresher, and that table was no wider
the second night and the fourth night
and all the other nights when Emme-
line and her second butler ate and sat-
Each of those nights possessed a
characteristic that pegged it in EN-
meline'S mind. There was the night
they had talked about what she liked
best and the night when they talked
| about him. There was the night wher
they met at the head of the stairs, anC
his afternoon of. when she saw hin
drive by in the Beltramini limousine.
But she didn't report him to the
princess for having out her car, be.
cause other things happened that day
or that night, as we'll. The leg of the
| pantry table collapsed and Emmelint
| fell-into her second buffers arms
There was mad little moment In the
| pantry that would have come, no doubt
| if table legs were made of iron. Il
was pent-up moment of whispers thai
couldn't be heard and promises thai
couldn't be kept. and breathless kisse:
that could be remembered when every.
thing else was gone. Then, almost as
quickly, there was Emmeline's panic
which sent her scuttling up the stairs
and kept him waiting in the pantry fol-
three successive nights in vain
The end of such days and nights OF
worry and torment was ones dad-ii
one had a dad. dad whose face was
square and whose hands were big and
whose words rumbled out of his deer
chest.
Emmeline's troubles had way oil
ending on that chest. and she knew il
was the place for her now. Shed sal
for an hour on her bed in her peignoil
and fur coat. fighting again against
the draw of those dark back stairs.
Well. she'd go upstairs instead and
tell her dad. Shed tell him that she
| couldt be a princess because she SIM
ply had to be buffers wife.
There was dim hall light on heI
fathers floor, and she could see an
edge of light under his sitting room
door.
Her father was sitting by the reading
lamp in his sitting room when she en-
tered. But he had no book. He was
just thinking.
Prince Beltramini was here tonight
Emmeline," said he. IT had an idea
I'd seen him before. Anyway, I like
his looks. He came. he said, to ask me
for you. as is their custom, although
he doubted that you would marry him
His only condition was that / disin-
herit you from all participation in my
fortune forever. He did not know that
most OF 1t is already yours. And he
returned to me little promise In writ
ing that gave to the princess in New
York"
What was that, dad?" Emmeline's
interest was liStless
''Oh, it was nothing much. What
he said was that Beltramini princesses
had been known to be acquired by
force of arms. but none had ever been
bought or sold. suspect, Emmeline,
that this prince fellow may be consid-
cradle man. What's the matter with
you, child? Do you want to cry?"
An hour later Emmeline returned to
her own room without having said a
word about the second butler, for her
father seemed set on having her marry
the prince, and willful as she was she
hated to disappoint him.
Under her door she found a note. and
it asked her to come to the pantry
once more. What 1t said was: 1T am
prepared to pay the price of having de-
ceived you, Emmeline. although / could
not do otherwise. Will you come to me
at once so that I may tell you why?"
Emmeline marched along the hall
and down the stairway. She did not
need her briquet to light the way now.
She knew each step of the dark de-
cent. and she found those once for
bidding doors with the Sureness of
familiarity. And in the pantry by the
bfoken-legged table ne was waiting for
her as before. Or somebody was--some
one in white uniform with ribbons OF
rank and valor upon his breast He
held out his arms for her
Il had rather be the butler whom
you loved. Emmeline," ne said, than
to lose you and be the Beltramini
prince"
\ X y
S,T>HE trouble with ordinary match
Makers" said the old Princess
Beltramini di Vastellagno, as she and
her friend. Mr.. George b. Springer, took
aperitifs on the villa terrace. lis that