Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1910 — When the Princess Chooses [ARTICLE]

When the Princess Chooses

By NELLIE CRAVEY GILMORE

The “Princess" breathed a sigh of i relief. Their escape had been nothing short of miraculous, for the exquisite car was crippled hopelessly. The half hour that had elapsed since the accident had been an interval of palpitant excitement; but now the tension of the girl's nerves was relaxing, and some of the banished color had flowed back to her cheeks. She began to pace up and down In the twilight, her untailing poise adjusting itself readily to the exigencies of the situation. Sudden the indistinct blur of a faroff, but unmistakable, sound broke the silence; a moment more, and the musical hum of rubber-tired Wheels echoed from the high clay road to the left. The “Princess” halted and stood alert. “Dear me, Henry, I thought you would never—Oh!” The girl’s hand dropped swiftly to her side; she started back as the light from the machine flashed squarely into the man’s face. “You!” she cried, with a breathless heartbeat “Barbara!" The stranger looked at her for the first time, and there was radiant recognition in his eyes. Then recollection, coming upon its heels, he calmed himself and said: “So it is you.” “Yes, Jack; It is I." The “Princess’ spoke lightly enough, though, under cover of the dark, the blood was rushing into her cheeks. “A decidedly unexpected meeting,” the other remarked in a tone that instantly betrayed the effort to be casual, “when we thought we never would lay eyes on each other again,” he could not help adding. The “Princess” spoke lightly enough, in a bewildered w r ay, ner eyes teeming with unspoken questions. “I certainly never expected to see you here,” she answered, after an indescribable pause. “Oh, Jack, Jack, Jack!” she broke out, wretchedly, “why did you do it? Why did you come—after all?” She turned from him with a despairing gesture and sobbed in her hands. He looked at her uncomprehendingly for a moment, holding himself in by a powerful effort. Wben he had controlled himself sufficiently, he said: “I did not dream that I should ever sec you again, Princess.”

After a little, the girl turned toward him slowly, her red lips compressed. “Of course,” she replied, with a little wounded catch in her voice, “I —I am very silly, Jack. Please don’t pay any attention to what I have said.” The other bowed in silence and presently he said: ‘“lt is growing late, ‘Princess;’ I am afraid you have met with something of a mishap. Your companion—” “My brother was with me; our escape was Providential—you can judge by the appearance of the car over there. He left me almost two hours ago to go in search of assistance, and I very much fear that he has lost his way.” “Then you’d better let me take you on, as his return is very indefinite. We are fully 20 miles from civilization, and —’’ The "Princess” interrupted him with a little startled exclamation. “But—but I couldn’t leave like this! He wouldn’t know—understand. I think perhaps I'd better wait, besides, sup.pose something should have happened to—” "No danger of that, and no danger of his returning before morning, if I’m not a very poor guesser. He’s safe enough in this part of the country, but he'll find it hard work getting help. The only thing to do is to go on, and send back here to meet him. We can leave a message with the automobile.” The "Princess” darted a curious glance into the man's face. "How do vOu know so much about the country here?” she asked pointedly. “A year ago you had not been out of America for 20 years.” "It doesn’t take the tenth part of that time to become familiar with the world in which one lives—the particular world,” he answered quietly. "In which one lives!” The “Princess” spoke sharply, her hand going involuntarily to her side to still a sudden heart-beat. “I —I don’t understand,” she went on wonderingly. “Why are you here?” “At present.” he said quietly, “as chauffeur to the duke of Reverly.” The “Princess” turned white. ‘The duke of Reverly!” she gasped, putting out one hand in a blind fashion, as if to steady herself against something. The chauffeur gave no sign of having noticed her excitement, and she collected herself immediately and looked him earnestly in the eyes. "I want you te tell me the truth. Jack,” she pleaded. “Did you follow me—to England, for thq purpose of finding out who I—”

"Follow you! Oh, hardly. Not after that last night when you made me know—when I made myself know—that just an ordinary man must never dare lift his eyes to-Ho a princess.” i He spoke passionately, with a keen touch of bitterness. “Circumstances over which I have not the slightest control are responsible for my presence here,” he said more calmly. For several minutes, silence held them both. The "Princess" was the *rst to break tt “Jack," she began, a trihe uneasily, “there Is something I teuat ask you—something I want you

to do, something you must do. Promise me.” The glance she lifted to him was full of anxiety, almost alarm. The face of the man flamed a dull red, but he disciplined.his voice as he said: “I will do anything in the world for you—you know that.” ’ “Then leave the duke of Reverly,” 6he besought him, “at once.” “And may I ask you one question. Princess. In return?” She nodded. “Why do you wish me to do this?” The girl was silent for the half of a minute. Her face crimsoned slowly; then paled. “Because," she answered, choking down a sob, “in three months’ time it is decreed that 1 become his—wife.” The chauffeur regarded her mechanically for a few seconds. "Do you love him, Barbara,” he asked abruptly, “this—gentleman ?” The “Princess” laughed in a grating little fashion that did not in the least belong to her. “I’ve just a bit of a right to the question, haven’t I, Princess, at the —last?” “Love him!” she cried, "why—why I’ve never even looked upon him!" “And yet he is willing to accept you under those conditions.” "Oh, it is all arranged for us. Our forefathers were kind enough to put themselves to that trouble. Over here, we mortals are spared the necessity of attending to our own —lovo affairs.” The man was grave for a moment. Presently he said: “I happen to know the duke very well indeed, as a man, and I do not believe he would let you .marry him without the one great essential. Right, now, he Is on his way to Lorrimer house to—"

"I know,” she cut in sharply, “but It is no use. I shall never marry him if that is how he feels, for I shall lack the ‘one essential’ for all time.” “The duke is different from lots of men of his class, Barbara. As late as six months ago, he never dreamed that fate would conspire to place a coronet on his arid therefore, he has been little spoiled by pride of position.” The looked up quickly. “I —don’t understand. His is an old family, with a famous pedigree—” "There is quite an interesting bit of romance connected with the new duke's inheritance of the title. It came to light only recently that Robert, fourth duke of Reverly, had secretly married a beautiful,.American girl, concealing his Identity even from her during the short time she lived—--18 months. He returned to New York from a visit home, to find his wife buried and the child vanished. It took 30 years to find the missing heir.” The “Princess’’ sighed deeply. “Nothing can matter now,” she interposed, drearily. “Ah, it was a hapless day that inspired my adventuresome visit to America! If only I had been the simple little girl you first thought me, instead —instead—” “Instead of a princess,” he supplemented wistfully. “Not exactly a princess,” she smiled, “although you would have it so. But —” She paused, at a sudden loss for words.

The chauffeur waited a second, then pulled out his watch and studied its face intently. “It is late, Princess. We had better start!” The girl hesitated a little, then without a word, she moved toward the big scarlet car that belonged to the duke of Reverly. Somehow, her foot caught in a tangled bit of grass and she tripped. The chauffeur caught her in his arms. For a moment he held her close, so close that he could feeF the quick throbbing of her heart against his own; the tremulous rush of her warm breath against his cheek. The touch of her, helpless in his embrace, thrilled—intoxicated him, swept away the last vestige of self-controi, and he covered her eyes, her hair, her lips, with kisses. “In spite of all, you do care, you do!” he cried fiercely, as she struggled an Instant, then yielded herself to his caresses. The Princess” opened her eyes at last and met the man’s own. “I care so much,” she whispered, "that I shall never, never marry the duke of Reverly.” ' The chauffeur released her reluctantly, and for a moment held her from him with his eyes buried in hers. “It will mean the giving up of a coronet. Princess. Remember the risk you are running when you choose me; obscurity and checkered life— ■" A row of soft, pink finger-tips stopped the words on his lips. “A coronet for—a crown,” she breathed. “Jack! What is there for a woman to risk —when she becomes the wife of —her king?” The chauffeur bent and touched her forehead reverently with his Ups. Afterward, he drew from his pocket a card and scribbled a few hasty lii * across the back of It. This he fastened to the forward cushion of ths wrecked auto, and assisted the “Princess” into the duke’s car. Several hours later, when the exasperated Lord Henry returned from his fruitless quest, he chanced npon the following: “Dear Boy: "I picked ydur sister up safe and sound. We are on our way to Lorrimer bouse. Will send the car back at Once. “In haste, REVERLY.”