The Princess Elopes

d room-mates at college, and two better friends never lived. We spent the whole night in recounting the good old days, sighed a little over the departed ones, and praised or criticiz

he was a gentleman, something that has to be bred in the bone. Once or twice I remember seeing him angry; in anger he was arrogant, deadly, but calm. He was a god in track-linen, for he was what few big men are, quick and agile. The big fellow who is cat-like in his movements is the most formidable of athletes. One thing that invariably am

t medical college, famous the world over for its nerve specialists. This was Max's first adventure in the land of gutturals.

twit him about it, for he was always eager to meet a new face, trus

aid I, "have you ever found

h to admit that possibility. I want her tall, hair like corn-silk, eyes like the cornflower, of brilliant intellect, reserved, and dignified, and patient. I want a woman, not humorous, but who understands humor, and I have never heard

o epigrams, I can se

ne that I shouldn't know what to do

celibate, a great reformer, and toward that end was studying for the pulpit. She is now the mother of several children, the most peaceful and unorative woman I know. You see, humanity goes whirring over vario

aid I, when I thought the pause had

llect, you had an af

wasn't quite

t for ideals, too, as I rem

m solemnly convin

ean to tell me that you

hould use that particular

ll about it. Who is she,

here never was a girl like her. Witty she is, and wise; as beautiful as a summer's dawn; merry and bra

you used to write poetry at col

the guest of her Highness, the Prince

and. A Britisher! I never should have believed it of you, of the man whose class

sometimes I think so

have you k

ore than

s swiftly these days, exc

I can not tell you. Some day, when everything quiets down, I'll get

bot

ot

one for larks; rides bicycles and automobiles, a

a friendly warning. Do not make any foolish attempt to

him had told of an encounter with the goddess of Mo

ur princess; besides,

r Highness is not the only pretty woman

ose to the shor

I'll wake you

?"-l

is called home. Just fixed up his passports for him. You'll be as welcome

reunion last June. Everything was in its place but yo

er has to go to the jeweler's

ull-terrier by the neck an

aw you. And here you are, doing nothing and lallygagging at court with the nobili

this place on my ow

it!"-g

e imper

uthful,

and likewise that it is during these lapses of speech that the vine of friendship grows and tightens about the heart. When you sit beside

roughly. It can't be money, for heaven knows your father lef

ething-a man who is neither a sloth nor a fool. A man must have something to put his

u will not have to,

you know, I've been th

N

produced by the same cause that

pigram? Fudge!" said I, yanking the pup from his lap on to m

an epigram?"-wit

hen we both laughed, and the pup started up a

ocket which was attached to one end of his

asked, turning i

babyhood. It wag around my neck when Scharfenstein

ing lips. It was German in type, evidently of high breeding, possessing the subtle lines which distinguish the

, when I had studied the face suf

there is no lettering, not even the jeweler's usual carat-mark to qualify the gold. I recall nothing; life with me dates only from the wide plains and grazing cattle. I was born either in Germany or Austria. That's all I know.

an. It's only horses, dogs and cattle that we buy for their pedigrees. Come; you ought to have a strawberry mark o

I leaned over and examined it. It was a four-pointed scar, with a perfect circle around it. Somehow, it seemed to me that this

a burn," I vent

ively fresh when he found me. He said I cried a good deal and kept telling hi

ng me, but I've seen the

eagerly. "Wh

bly I saw it on your

hickened and the pup whined softly in his sleep. Out upon th

x, yawning, "I'll turn in. I've bee

He'll hold your weight nicely. I can

dawn. All I need is a coup

r brand. It was a brand. I knew that I had seen it somewhere, but my memory danced away when I endeavor