One Day

s he watched the sun's kisses fall on leaf and flower and tree, drying with their soft, insistent warmth the tears left by the dew of ni

stined for great things? Was there a want in the world that he could not easily have satisfi

rode along silently, slowly, a frown clouding his fresh, boyish brow, face to fa

-minds that could never see how the blessing they had

h-but it had been the strongly expressed wish of his mo

n May that she h

No one knew what personal reasons the Imperatorskoye had for the wish, but she had so definitely and unmistakably made the desire known to all her councillor

iage should also be celebrated at that time. Of course, the Boy had acquiesced. He saw no reason to put it off any longer. It was alw

finding him in all other respects so amenable to his leading, gladly made the concession. This left him a year-that is, nearly a year, for it was June

tances he chanced to meet with absent-minded, though still irreproachable, courtesy. He was hardly thinking at all, now-a

o seemed to attract much attention, of which she was-apparently -delig

ought. Then, under his breath, he

he girlish poise of her small head-but she certainly knew how to ride. She sat her

ght, and then laughed aloud at the absurdity of t

h a brisk step. Paul instantly likened her to a bird, so lightly tripping over the walk that her feet scarcely seemed to touch the ground. She was a wee thing-certainly not more than five foot tall-and petite, almost to an extreme. The Boy had expressed a preference, only a few days before, for tall,

me, and suddenly turning to look over her shoulder, just as he passed the gate, met his g

range mingling of glances that sometimes holds even

d entered the hous

ire to turn back, to follow her into that house, and compel her to meet his eyes again. Did she

seen-and yet he could not have told the color of them to save his soul

living magnets, drawing a fellow on and on, and he

of pretty eyes. He-the uncrowned king of a to-be-glorious throne! He-the affianced husband of the Princess Elodie of-Hell! He refused to think of it! And aga

at the Boy, for the nonce, was not th

ut the horses and groom had already gone from the gate. And inward

leisurely pace in the opposite direction. Startled by his unexpected appearance, she glanced back over her shoulder a

er upon wonders,

s she

was far down the street before he was fairly started in pursuit. His one

nly once-she looked back over her shoulder. She was too far ahead for him to catch the gli

ting horse at the crossing of several streets, and swore again. But though he looked searchingly in every possible direction, ther

to Berkeley Square, his heart bounding with the excitement of the chase

lling to him his position and its unwelcome responsibilities. On

red, "quite six-foot tall." Yet he pushed the portrait aside with an impatient gesture, and before his mental vi

ve been, of the Princess Elodie! And he had no

upon the pile of letters. With disgust and loathing he swept the offending

r. He was unpardonably late for luncheon, but that woul

bed by something. The

und the v