The Wheat Princess

ircase of the Palazzo Rosicorelli. They had been spending the afternoon in the Borghese gardens, and the boy's very damp sa

ly. 'You may go with Marietta and have some d

e of the fact that he heard the alluring sound of Sybert's voice in the direction of the salon. Marcia went o

Why do you go so

t going home to dress. Your uncle is givi

laughed. 'I have

urt. It's a general invita

ithin but her aunt an

, Aunt Katherine?' she asked as she settled herself in a

o with it,' Mrs. Copley disclaimed. 'He invit

it, Uncle

I thought we ought to put on a bri

were going to be led

nothing worse than

ests, and when w

ral. The list, I believe, includes the Melvilles, Signora Androit and the Contessa Torrenieri, Sidney Carthrope the sculp

enoit,' sa

few weeks ago at a tea; he's very entertaining. I suppose,' s

u prefer M

arcia,' Sybert laughed. 'If it will

s she is the guest I will let her choose. I hope your dinner will be a success,' she ad

turn of mind, and Fran?ois has never fail

Dessart there-and I

Majesty was enjo

t there was a boy in a group of seminarists near us

e King's guard behead him on the spot, or did

he old priest gathered his flock together and scuttled off down

l the lads grow up, and they'll do

his usual listless drawl. Marcia glanced up at him qui

her have Leo XIII king ins

he temporal power back-not e

have more patience, and not expect the country to be rich in a minute. Everything can't be done all at once; and as for blaming th

'Will you pardon me, Miss Marcia, if I ask if those are your own co

inst the King, at any

so badly of me as that. Really, I'm not an an

rm. 'I have to go and interview the cook, and I don't dare leave

ybert complained. 'Can't you teach

t, she doesn't even ta

ewspaper-simply glaring-and suddenly he jumped to the side of the carriage and thrust the paper in my hands. He said something in Italian, but too fast for me to catch, and before I could move, Marietta had snatched it up and dashed it back in his face.

glance between her uncle and Sybert. 'What is

g each other a minute in silence. Then Copley gave a short laugh. 'Oh, well,' he said, 'I don't believe the Grido del Popolo can de

stay where I'm not wanted. All I have to say,' she called back from the doorway, 'is that you'd better

ang for

' she inquired as the maid appeare

dress yet; she is watching

f Frenchy,' she commanded as she sat down before the mirror. 'What dress do you think I'd better wear?' she

ne, Miss Marcia, and save t

agreed; 'but,' she added with a la

he could not countenance this American prodigality. She had lived ten years with an

velvet and yellow lace. Marcia put it on and surveyed he

, Miss Marcia,' Gra

ed toward the door. 'Don't be hurt because I didn't take your advice,

fashion, with two frowning lines between his brows. He paused in his wa

he remarked approvingly. 'You-e

ompliments to my dressmaker, 45 Avenue de l'Opéra. I thought I would

his statement with so

that ever lived. And what I particularly like about him, is the fact that he is so gen

cia, that you don't like Sybert,' he said qui

pose he doesn't like m

I've never known a bette

An Italian father who is arranging a marriage for his daughter,

fall in love with him-though you might do worse-b

y, as I woul

uncle, at any rate. He may not be ex

n't treat Mr. Sybert seriously enough; but really I don't think he treats me seriously, either. You think I don't know anything, just because I can't tell the difference between th

exceedingly simple

when you give me su

I suppose we've both of us been a little worried

unning for something? They should be regarded as an amusement to while away your leisure

slight frown; 'and when it stands for oppression and inj

y so bad, Un

ns, Marcia!

uickly. He was staring at the light, with a hard look

Howard; I didn't k

and it's eaten up before night. And we can keep on giving, but w

e people

le in the southern provinces are literally starving, I tell you; and i

do you

he stopped himself quickly. She looked so delicate, so patrician, so aloof from everything

she repeated. 'What

if one's money were a reproach. Italy's in a bad way just now; the wheat crop f

eople really haven

t m

Howard! Won't the gov

ed the grain tax; King Humbert gave nine thousand lire to feed the people of Pisa a couple of

in finding them work ins

rtainly. But you can't have 'em d

dinner to-night, when we're n

uldn't go far toward feed

over it; she didn't fix the lace at all as I told her. These Italian dressmakers are not to be depended u

o I usually talk this way? No wonder Mr. Sybert doesn't like me!' And then she lau

lack hair and dramatic eyes. She had a pair of nervous little hands which were never still, and a magnetic manner which brought the men to her side and created a tendency among th

n to Marcia. 'Come, Signorina Copley, and sit beside me on the sofa; we harmonize so well'-this with a glance from her own rose

' Marcia question

u were too occupied.' She shook her head, with a smile. 'It will not do in

I am not an I

put in with a laugh. 'If Miss Copley chooses, there is no re

ignorina Copley's class. With her dowry, she will

not the slightest intention of marryi

some one,' sai

ring, 'And who was the hero of this episod

adn't come and Gerald was playing in the fountain and Marietta was flirting with a gendarme (Dear me! Aunt Katherine, I didn't mean to say t

t is happier than most nobilities,' said her uncle. And the simu

th. Marcia glanced at her uncle once or twice in half perplexity. He seemed so entirely the careless man of the world, as he turned a laughing face to answer one of Mrs. Melville's sallies, that she could scarcely believe he was the same man who had spoken so seriously to her a few mi

s, Mrs. Copley adroitly redirected it, as she knew from experien

he complained to the young Frenchman on her right.

e once,' he confessed, '

pair. 'And you, too, M. Benoit! P

ou live,' sa

admitted; 'but you're all so sluggish in

virtues besides patrio

Sabine hills, Miss Copley,' Melville put in

ng-time in the Sabine hills will be compensation

oman fever!' she cried. 'I never expected t

lofe another land and peoples besides your own makes you, not littler, but, as you say, wider-broader. We are-we are-- Ah, mademoiselle!

You are doing brave

e American, La Signora Contessa is Italian, Mr. Carthrope is English, I am French, but we are all citizens of the same world, and

d with an appreciative laugh. 'And ho

that we will be strangers!'

to me, in spite of Miss Marcia, that one can't do much better than that. If you're a patriotic citizen of the world,

'Here's to the World, our fatherl

l dinner and we are pledging toasts, we should drink to

ll all visit the villa we will pled

ost!' said the young Frenchman.

r such ghosts to pros

of Italy-may they have en

se, but she did not look at him; s