Newspaper Page Text
The Merry Widow
By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE
COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY HENRY W. SAVAGE
CHAPTER 11.
Old Love and New.
“I-_..y|ELL, here I am,” announced
I4| Ia tall, slender youth, entering
■ 1 I the deserted salon a few min-
J mm J utes later with Nish at his
side. “I’m here at my country’s call,
all right, but my confounded country
doesn’t seem to be on hand to meet
me.”
His graceful walk was not wholly
steady, and there was a flush on the
handsome young face. The late ar
rival was Prince Danilo of Marsovia,
attache of the Marsovian legation at
Paris. Asa diplomat he had scarcely
scored a success, for he had a delight
fully normal aversion to work and a
simple, unfailing joy in the amuse
ments of Maxim’s and his clubs.
“I’ll bunt up his excellency at once,”
(Pi j\\ i--
' j
“NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!”
Nish was assuring the prince. “Are
are you quite in condition to see him,
if I may”—
“Oh, I’m all right enough,” yawned
Danilo, “only I forgot to go to bed last
night. If I could reel off a few yards
of sleep”—
“Perhaps I could find you some place
t 0- flr . i
“I’d prefer a desk, if you can hnd
one. I always sleep best at my d es '•
But I suppose”—
“There is a couch, sir, over in the
corner behind the palms. How wouia
that do? You could get a nice nap
there, and in a little while Id find his
excellency for you. But, sir, if j m
say so, why do you waste joui 1 e n
dissipation when you might marrj an
settle down? Just think, now. Would
not a dear little wife and a home of
your own be better worth ’''bile t a.i
all your clubs? I leave it to you
“You leave it to me?” retorted Da
nilo. “Then I make it clubs."
“But, if I may say so”-
“You may not,’ r interrupted DanUo,
crossing to the couch and throw g
himself at full length among its cush
ions. “By by! ‘lf you’re wakmg, call
me early?’” . . .
He spread a handkerchief over hi
face and in a moment was sound
asleep, leaving Nish to tiptoe out in
search of Popoff.
For a few minutes no sound was
audible In the empty salon save the
distant sweii and fall of dance music,
punctuated by the slumbrous prince’s
heavy breathing.
Then Natalie hurried in with De
Jolidon. Both looked anxious.
“How careless of me!” the ambas
sador’s wife was exclaiming. “Where
can I have dropped the miserable fan?
If my husband should pick it up and
find on it those words you were foolish
enough to write— I wonder if I left
it in the niche on the stairs when w r e
were sitting there. Let’s go back and
see.”
They turned back, almost colliding
with Sonia, who was entering, Cas
cada directly behind her.
“Oh, Mme. Sadowa,” asked Natalie,
“you haven’t seen anything of a white
ivory fan? I’ve looked everywhere,
and”-
“No.” replied the widow; “but I’ll
look in this room if you haven’t made
a thorough search here already.”
Natalie, thanking her, hurried back
with her cavalier to the stairway.
Sonia idly began her search, but Cas
cada interrupted her.
“That can wait,” he pleaded, “but I
cannot. Won’t you hear me?”
“Certainly,” assented Sonia cheerful
ly. “You are going to propose, aren’t
you?”
“Ah, you read my secret!”
“It required little cleverness. You
men are all alike.”
“But no man ever before loved as I
love!” protested Cascada, his voice un
consciously rising in his emotion. “You
are all the world to me. Until I met
you I never thought I could”—
“Ring off!” grumbled Danilo in his
sleep, vaguely bothered by the loud
voice.
Sonia started.
“Someone is here!" she whispered,
pointing toward the hidden couch.
“You are mistaken,” contradicted
Cascada, “and even if It were so I am
willing for all the world to know how
r-
A long, blissful, sonorous snore from
the couch.
Sonia laughed, her eyes alight with
amusement.
“Snoring and romance don't go well
together, marquis,” she observed, "and
as the snoring doesn’t seem likely to
stop the romance must. You say you
are iu love with me, and I know you
are in love with my fortune. Good
by.”
“You misjudge me cruelly!” Cascada
protested.
“Oh, no, I don’t! Men are all alike.
Goodby/'__ -
As the discomfited marquis made his
way wr'athfully from the room Sonia
mischievously crept across to the
couch. There lay the man, sound
asleep, his face still covered by the
handkerchief. Sonia touched his hair.
“Scat!” roared Danilo, giving his
head a shake that let the handkerchief
fall from his face.
“Danilo!” gasped the widow, starting
back.
At sound of his name the prince sat
up, dazed and blinking. His wander
ing eyes fell on the woman, and, with
an exclamation of utter amazement, he
stumbled to his feet and stood staring
incredulously at her.
“Sonia!” he exclaimed. “Sonia!”
Then, recovering himself, he bowed
stiffly and said:
“I beg your pardon, madame.”
“No; I beg yours,” she replied.
“Pray go on snoring.”
“You don’t remember me?” he asked,
surprised.
“Not in the very least,” she an
swered. moving away.
“Yet you called my name.”
“You were asleep then. That was
different.”
“And now I am awake—to the joy of
seeing you again.”
“The joy is all your own. Is it so
surprising to find me in Paris? I am
here enjoying my wealth—and free
dom!"
"I congratulate you on both, especial
ly the freedom.”
“Yes. freedom is one of your fads, I
believe,” remarked Sonia, “especially
freedom from marriage. Do you still
make a habit of avoiding marriago
at the last moment?”
"Sonic, you aro unjust. If it had
rested with me you should be my wife
now. not another man’s widow.”
"If it rested with you?” she mim
icked. “Well, let the whole story rest
now. It’s forgotten.”
"By you, perhaps—never by me.”
“Oh. no! I remember it every now
and then for my own amusement. But
it is hard to think of myself as the
little Marsovian peasant maid to whom
the dashing cavalry officer, Prince
Danilo, was once engaged and whom
his rich old uncle at the last moment
forbade to marry because of her pov
erty. How differently that same rich
old uncle would look on the match to
day! Twenty millions is a pretty
dowry.”
"At least It seems you didn’t break
your heart over losing me,” sneered
Daniio.
"No; my plebeian heart stood the
shock excellently. I soon found con
solation—an eJderly husband who lived
just one week after the wedding and
left mo all his wealth.”
"Yes; 1 heard bow your father forced
you into the match. Next time you
can choose a husband to suit your
self.”
"Why should .1 many again? I am
rich. free. I have everythin* ”
"Including love?” he asked, his eyes
devouring her fragile beauty.
“I don’t believe in love." scoffed
Sonia. “All men are alike. Dozens of
them are after my money and make
iove to me because they can’t get it
ivithout me."
"Men are not all fortune hunters,”
he denied hotly. "I for one”—
“So they all say. Each says ‘I love
you!’ Each means my fortune."
"They do?” cried Danilo, in rage at
the strong insinuation. “Well, here's
one that doesn't. I for one shall never
say to you. ‘I love you!’”
A strang? smile stole across her face.
She came very close to where he stood;
so close that the faint perfume of her
hair was sweet in his nostrils; so close
that her breath was warm upon his
lips; so close that his bewildered soul
struggled In vain to hide from the glory
in her eyes. Her voice was a musical
whisper as she asked:
“You’ll never say to me ‘I love you?’”
There was an infinity of allurement
m the tempting words. Danilo. with a
mighty effort, shook off the spell and
shouted:
“Never! Never! Never!”
“That’s a comfort!” she said coldly,
drawing away and seeking to veil her
keen disappointment. "But,” she added
more softly, “why Dot say it if you
really want to?”
“I don’t want to!” he declared sulki
ly-
“ Anti you promise faithfully you’ll
never say to me, ‘I love you?’ ”
Again she was perilously close to
him. Again his eyes tore themselves
free from the pleading seductiveness of
hers as he reiterated:
“I promise! I’m not going to make a
fool of myself or be made a fool of.”
"Is that a declaration of war?"
queried Sonia.
“Nc— of friendship. Do you mean
to say if I asked you to be my wife
you would merely laugh at me?”
“Probably. All men are alike.”
“They are not, and in time I’ll prove
it to you.”
Before she could answer the ambas
sador and several of the guests came
into the room. At first opportunity
Popofif drew Daniio asld*.
“Prince,” said he Impressively, "you
have now been attached to this lega
tion nearly four months and”—
"Few of my attachments last so
long.” observed Danilo.
“You refer to your iove affairs? I
have heard of them. They have
brought you to the brink of ruin. Yog
are almost penniless. Here is my plan
j 1 .
DO NOT OVER-LOOK
1 THE GASOLINE ENGINE
You make a mistake if you think you can run your
= farm economically or profitably without a gasoline engine.
E Do not overlook the possibilities of a gasoline engine for
EE farm use. A gasoline engine will furnish power to do the
EE hundred and one little jobs about your farm which make
EE farm work drudgery if hand, wind or horse power is used.
EE The gasoline engine is so reliable, so simple, so safe, and
EEE so economical to operate that you can not afford to over-
EEE look it. Of all the gasoline engines on the market, the
EE I. H. C. engine stands first because it is designed by men
EE who understand the requirements of a practical and cheap
EE g eg farm power.
EE = P L H. C, engines are made in sizes
EE ~ p from Ito 25 horse power in vertical or
gUg 1 i horizontal stationary and portable types.
L—jp li I We have one that will fit your needs. Call
SHuolS siltl ou us we gladly explain,
I For sale by CARTER & WATKINS
I Georgia School
I f of Technology
lR departments than ever beforehand po
Mi B.a.- pared to do the best work in its history.
A Free Scholarships
fgi 1° order to atford the young men
I 'Bf of Georgia high class technical educa
tion, fifteen free scholarships are
I ua * es * 8 muc h greater than the supply
For further Information address K. 0.
JL MATHESON, A.ML,LL.D.*Pres., Atlanta,Ga.
%mvm
cr Yield a OTEVBU3
SINGLE cr DOUBLE BARREL
OIIOTCUH is Ides!. Low in Price
—High in Quality—good run value
right through! Made in standard
gauge::, lengths, v/cighta, etc. — ,
Hammer or llamfncrlc3S Styles. i
I
CTGVCK3 3::OTO-JN3
nr-A:;-;:? akd ctro;;g |
?cr ’-'.3 7rU J —“as- lend fer lUO-pMeUla*.
tv Hardware and tratad Caift.oj deacrib
dporttr.j Good, Wrr- In# untlr> output
ebaytr. If you cannot Hue attractive cover
obtair, r-e zmp dl-oct, In colore. Mailed for
uzjref J prepaid, tsyoa 9 cent. In etatayr to
rscelr* c.' Catiloj pay pasta;;,.
r.i.).
$ J- STEVENS
armo a to ° l c °-
i * * r - °’ 4<w3 ’
7 i A Chicopee Falls
j //Jti Mass.
to save you, also to give you u chance
to save your country from bankruptcy.
I want you to marry.”
“To what?” cried Danilo.
"To marry—beautiful woman, my I toy
—twenty inilliopa—Mme. Sonia Sadowa!
Hey?"
"Never!” returned Danilo, angrily, as
he rose to end the interview.
“Then a Frenchman will marry her.
and her fortune and our country will
be ruined."
"1 won’t marry her,” repeated Danilo,
“and she won’t marry me. But for my
country’s sake I’ll keep any French
man from marrying her.”
"But how?”
“You shall see!”
(To Be Continued.)
Time softens everv heartache and
makes one’s trouble* shrink to almost
nothingness.
SUCCESS 1
[ POULTRY 1
kRAISmG 5
I poultry comfortably housed.'B
H This is best accomplished by |§
■ covering your buildings with ■
I J-M Asbestos Roofing & Asbestoside 1
■ They keep the building warm in I
■ winter and cool in summer -dry U
■ and comfortable at all times. s
■ Permanently durable—ber R
■ made of Asbestos —an everlasting B
fl mineral. Require no coating or B
■ painting to preserve them. H
B Ask for samples and prices. ||
f H. W. JOHNS-MANVILLE CO. I
U Dept. K„ 100 WILLIAM Si. %
1 NBW YORK CITY ff
J V dfr iru i \ l Xju* ti;
Criminal or Picturesque.
“Did you see where boys in knee
pants in the west held up a train?'’
“On the track or at a wedding?”—
Baltimore American. ✓
The diiffe-ence between brains and
a “puli’’ is that brains can manage
to get along when the “puller” dies.