His Heart's Queen

e her name, was much the same type of a woman as Mrs. Mencke, but w

ad a difficult object to attain she always strove to win by strat

us of caste-a leader in society and a gr

had dropped her from her extensive list of acquaintances; but after Mr. Huntington's death, when the young couple came into possession of

Park, Mrs. Mencke now repaired to ask her advice regarding what

her, and concluded her revelation

ea, and have come to ask yo

, for she dearly loved to exercise her diplomatic talents, "but I fear that will not be

ed and you would not mind the care for a while, she would accept an invitation from you to travel in Europe for a time. I would appear to oppose it at first, but gradually yield to your persuas

ily lent herself

ise her position by rashly marrying this low carpenter; and," she added, eagerly, "I should be delighted to have her with me-she is exc

ully, for she began to stand a little in awe of her y

ey are quite intimate, are t

r high-school course, and have visited each o

lie, who has long wanted to spend a year in Milan to study music, and, as I readily gra

t knows anything about

she probably knows it by this time. However, I am going to call there this evening, to arrange our plans a little, and will come around to your house later. I will try to bring Nellie with me. She will be full of the trip, and

fter discussing it a while longer, she took leave of

sant had occurred, and did not once refer to the Ca

pearance, and, greatly to Mrs. Mencke's del

ter the first greetings were exchanged, "I have

d interested

it?" sh

xt month," Nellie replie

ok of dismay; for her heart sank at the thoug

of music at Milan, and Mrs. Hawley, who is also going

ighed Violet. "What s

elve months would seem all too short. "Of course I shall miss you drea

ccount of a brilliant reception, which she was giving to Mrs. Mencke. "You know I am fond of your company, and should like nothing better

tful, and not especially

encke and I had planned a trip to Canada for this mo

old, steadfast lo

t go to Canada, Belle," she

difference whether you go to Europe or Canada, and Nellie woul

d be simply charming. Wouldn't you li

the thousands of miles that would separate her from Wallace, if she accepted this inv

all the time; but Mr. Hawley and my sister, Mrs. Dwight, will return in abou

Violet would be much more likely to go

She really felt attracted by it; at least, it would afford he

da?" urged Mrs. Hawley, insinuatingly, as she turned to her friend, with a spa

ively. "I suppose I should have to consult my husba

We can replenish her wardrobe in Paris for half what it would cost here, so you need not trouble yourself

nd then turning to Mrs. Mencke, she

ind to," mused t

e, triumphantly; "there i

ink of it and let you know,"

s. Hawley remarked, pleasantly. "You had better decid

fter to-morrow," Violet returned,

rom her brother and sister, but

d to herself, and reading Violet like a book; "but I will

e, feeling that she had done all that was wise, for

her friend into yielding; she was very anxious t

that she would like very much to go, bu

parture, and wisely maintained a somewhat indifferent manner,

e broached the plan to him before Violet. Of course it

to graciously favo

you say she does not like the idea of going to Canada with us, a

ants to go with Althea," Mrs. Mencke remar

er one thing or the other. Which shall it be, Violet-Eur

rt notice," Violet returned, coldly, and determined that s

l talk of Canada, for she had imagined that th

s was a pretense, intended

olet's room about nine o'clock and found h

rked. "I have a great deal to do; d

oked up i

uit your taste in shopping, and you

trip abroad, and you can at least purchase handkerchiefs,

t her acquiescence should be thus taken for granted, "and in ca

ged, trying to conceal her real purpose, to keep her siste

go, and you will be so absorbed in your shoppin

Mencke returned, irritably, and suddenly swe

o its socket, Violet

she cried, a flood of angry

" Mrs. Mencke sharply answered, and then she swept down the stairs with a smile of tr

o, speechless and white with ang

ot submit to such treatment; and besides, I have promised to meet Wallace again at two o'clock. What

o think, though she was trembl

ms, and it certainly appeared as if she must

onfided to her that, for good reasons, she had locked Violet in her ro

sure to lock the door both going in and coming out, and on pain of insta

her bird, at least for a few hours, she w

r a while, resolved not to make any disturba

e determined to seize that opportunity to effect her release; just how that was to be a

t, all save her hat and wrap, and

r dressing-room, she surveyed the large mirr

was held in place, and then exerting all her strength, she let it carefully down unti

s was perfectly safe, she went quietly back to her reading

s, accompanied by the rattle of dishes, and kne

the marble and assuming a strained position, she had the appearance of having caught

ber-door, and finding n

let, wher

e quickly, for I am in trouble,"

change the key from the outside of the door to the

to see what

ith dismay, as she took in the s

r with her dull knife. "You will have to help me," she added, "and I think we can manage to lift it t

uspecting any ruse to outwit

g arms, and, with Violet's help, manag

I get my breath," Violet said,

Sarah asked, innocently, as she allowe

me terribly," Violet answered, and she uttered no untruth, for she was glad that Sarah came just as she did, bec

looking-glass broken. And look! the moths must have been at this cord to make it give way, for

the room, drawing the door to and locking it after her,

strategy which she had employed to accomplish her purpose, and k

a little plot of mine to get out.

. "Mrs. Mencke said she'd send me off without a reference if I didn't keep you

portant engagement down town. Belle had no business to treat me so like a child, and she shall not discharge you if I can help it. I will

be let out, but Violet remai

e cook up to release you. When Belle comes home you can tell her that she will find me at Nel

on at being put under lock and key,

and wrap, drew on her glove

basement stairs, she r

e down," she said; and then, without waiting for a reply, Violet sped out of the house, and,