[Illustration: I consented to deliver a message for him]

THE SLIM PRINCESS

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_By_ GEORGE ADE

1907 

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"The Slim Princess" has been elaborated and rewritten from a storyprinted in _The Saturday Evening Post_ of Philadelphia late in 1906 andcopyright, 1906, by the Curtis Publishing Company. 

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CONTENTS

 I WOMAN IN MOROVENIA

 II KALORA'S AFFLICTION

 III THE CRUELTY OF LAW

 IV THE GARDEN PARTY

 V HE ARRIVES

 VI HE DEPARTS

 VII THE ONLY KOLDO

VIII BY MESSENGER

 IX AS TO WASHINGTON, D. C. 

 X ON THE WING

 XI AN OUTING--A REUNION

 XII THE GOVERNOR CABLES

XIII THE HOME-COMING

 XIV HEROISM REWARDED

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THE SLIM PRINCESS

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I

WOMAN IN MOROVENIA

Morovenia is a state in which both the mosque and the motor-car nowoccur in the same landscape. It started out to be Turkish and laterdecided to be European. 

The Mohammedan sanctuaries with their hideous stencil decorations andbulbous domes are jostled by many new shops with blinking fronts andGerman merchandise. The orthodox turn their faces toward Mecca while theenlightened dream of a journey to Paris. Men of title lately have madethe pleasing discovery that they may drink champagne and still be goodMussulmans. The red slipper has been succeeded by the tan gaiter. Thevoluminous breeches now acknowledge the superior graces of intimateEnglish trousers. Frock-coats are more conventional than beaded jackets. The fez remains as a part of the insignia of the old faith andhereditary devotion to the Sick Man. 

The generation of males which has been extricating itself from theshackles of Orientalism has not devoted much worry to the Condition ofWoman. 

In Morovenia woman is still unliberated. She does not dine at apalm-garden or hop into a victoria on Thursday afternoon to go to themeeting of a club organized to propagate cults. If she met a cult faceto face she would not recognize it. 

Nor does she suspect, as she sits in her prison apartment, peeping outthrough the lattice at the monotonous drift of the street life, that hersisters in far-away Michigan are organizing and raising missionary fundsin her behalf. 

She does not read the dressmaking periodicals. She never heard of theWednesday matinée. When she takes the air she rides in a carriage thathas a sheltering hood, and she is veiled up to the eyes, and she mustnever lean out to wriggle her little finger-tips at men lolling in frontof the cafés. She must not see the men. She may look at them, but shemust not see them. No wonder the sisters in Michigan are organizing tobatter down the walls of tradition, and bring to her the more recentprivileges of her sex!

Two years ago, when this story had its real beginning, the social statusof woman in Morovenia was not greatly different from what it is to-day, or what it was two centuries ago. 

Woman had two important duties assigned to her. One was to hide herselffrom the gaze of the multitude, and the other was to be beautiful--thatis, fat. A woman who was plump, or buxom, or chubby might be classed aspassably attractive, but only the fat women were irresistible. A womanweighing two hundred pounds was only two-thirds as beautiful as oneweighing three hundred. Those grading below one hundred and fifty wereverging upon the impossible. 

II

KALORA'S AFFLICTION

If it had been planned to make this an old-fashioned discursive novel, say of the Victor Hugo variety, the second chapter would expend itselfupon a philosophical discussion of Fat and a sensational showing of howand why the presence or absence of adipose tissue, at certain importantcrises, had altered the destinies of the whole race. 

The subject offers vast possibilities. It involves the physicalattractiveness of every woman in History and permits one to speculatewildly as to what might have happened if Cleopatra had weighed fortypounds heavier, if Elizabeth had been a gaunt and wiry creature, or ifJoan of Arc had been so bulky that she could not have fastened on herarmor. 

The soft layers which enshroud the hard machinery of the human frameseem to arrive in a merely incidental or accidental sort of way. Yetonce they have arrived they exert a mysterious influence over careers. Because of a mere change in contour, many a queen has lost her throne. It is a terrifying thought when one remembers that fat so often comesand so seldom goes. 

It has been explained that in Morovenia, obesity and feminine beautyincreased in the same ratio. The woman reigning in the hearts of men wasthe one who could displace the most atmosphere. 

Because of the fashionableness of fat, Count Selim Malagaski, Governor-General of Morovenia, was very unhappy. He had two daughters. One was fat; one was thin. To be more explicit, one was gloriously fatand the other was distressingly thin. 

Jeneka was the name of the one who had been blessed abundantly. Severalof the younger men in official circles, who had seen Jeneka at adistance, when she waddled to her carriage or turned side-wise to entera shop-door, had written verses about her in which they compared her tothe blushing pomegranate, the ripe melon, the luscious grape, and othervegetable luxuries more or less globular in form. 

No one had dedicated any verses to Kalora. Kalora was the elder of thetwo. She had come to the alarming age of nineteen and no one had startedin bidding for her. 

In court circles, where there is much time for idle gossip, the mostintimate secrets of an important household are often bandied about whenthe black coffee is being served. The marriageable young men ofMorovenia had learned of the calamity in Count Malagaski's family. Theyknew that Kalora weighed less than one hundred and twenty pounds. Shewas tall, lithe, slender, sinuous, willowy, hideous. The fact that poorold Count Malagaski had made many unsuccessful attempts to fatten herwas a stock subject for jokes of an unrefined and Turkish character. 

Whereas Jeneka would recline for hours at a time on a shaded veranda, munching sugary confections that were loaded with nutritious nuts, Kalora showed a far-western preference for pickles and olives, and hadbeen detected several times in the act of bribing servants to bringthis contraband food into the harem. 

Worse still, she insisted upon taking exercise. She loved to playromping games within the high walls of the inclosure where she and theother female attaches of the royal household were kept penned up. Herfather coaxed, pleaded and even threatened, but she refused to lead theindolent life prescribed by custom; she scorned the sweet and heavyfoods which would enable her to expand into loveliness; she persistentlydeclined to be fat. 

Kalora's education was being directed by a superannuated professor namedPopova. He was so antique and book-wormy that none of the usualobjections urged against the male sex seemed to hold good in his case, and he had the free run of the palace. Count Selim Malagaski trustedhim implicitly. Popova fawned upon the Governor-General, and seemedslavish in his devotion. Secretly and stealthily he was working out afrightful vengeance upon his patron. Twenty years before, Count Selim, in a moment of anger, had called Popova a "Christian dog. "

In Morovenia it is flattery to call a man a "liar. " It is just the sameas saying to him, "You belong in the diplomatic corps. " It is nodisgrace to be branded as a thief, because all business transactions aresaturated with treachery. But to call another a "Christian dog" is thethirty-third degree of insult. 

Popova writhed in spirit when he was called "Christian, " but he coveredhis wrath and remained in the nobleman's service and waited for hisrevenge. And now he was sacrificing the innocent Kalora in order topunish the father. He said to himself: "If she does not fatten, then herfather's heart will be broken, and he will suffer even as I havesuffered from being called Christian. "

It was Popova who, by guarded methods, encouraged her to violentexercise, whereby she became as hard and trim as an antelope. Hecontinued to supply her with all kinds of sour and biting foods andsharp mineral waters, which are the sworn enemies of any sebaceouscondition. And now that she was nineteen, almost at the further boundaryof the marrying age, and slimmer than ever before, he rejoiced greatly, for he had accomplished his deep and malign purpose, and laid a heavyburden of sorrow upon Count Selim Malagaski. 

III

THE CRUELTY OF LAW

If the father was worried by the prolonged crisis, the younger sister, Jeneka, was well-nigh distracted, for she could not hope to marry untilKalora had been properly mated and sent away. 

In Morovenia there is a very strict law intended to eliminate thespinster from the social horizon. It is a law born of craft and inspiredby foresight. The daughters of a household must be married off in theorder of their nativity. The younger sister dare not contemplatematrimony until the elder sister has been led to the altar. It isimpossible for a young and attractive girl to make a desirable matchleaving a maiden sister marooned on the market. She must cooperate withher parents and with the elder sister to clear the way. 

As a rule this law encourages earnest getting-together in everyhousehold and results in a clearing up of the entire stock of eligibledaughters. But think of the unhappy lot of an adorable and much-covetedmaiden who finds herself wedged in behind something unattractive andshelf-worn! Jeneka was thus pocketed. She could do nothing except foldher hands and patiently wait for some miraculous intervention. 

In Morovenia the discreet marrying age is about sixteen. Jeneka waseighteen--still young enough and of a most ravishing weight, but theslim princess stood as a slight, yet seemingly insurmountable barrierbetween her and all hopes of conventional happiness. 

Count Malagaski did not know that the shameful fact of Kalora'sthinness was being whispered among the young men of Morovenia. When thedaughters were out for their daily carriage-ride both wore flowingrobes. In the case of Kalora, this augmented costume was intended toconceal the absence of noble dimensions. 

It is not good form in Morovenia for a husband or father to discuss hishome life, or to show enthusiasm on the subject of mere woman; but theCount, prompted by a fretful desire to dispose of his rapidly maturingoffspring, often remarked to the high-born young gentlemen of hisacquaintance that Kalora was a most remarkable girl and one possessed ofmany charms, leaving them to infer, if they cared to do so, thatpossibly she weighed at least one hundred and eighty pounds. 

[Illustration: Papova rejoiced greatly]

[Blank Page]

These casual comments did not seem to arouse any burning curiosityamong the young men, and up to the day of Kalora's nineteenthanniversary they had not had the effect of bringing to the father any ofthose guarded inquiries which, under the oriental custom, are alwayspreliminary to an actual proposal of marriage. 

Count Selim Malagaski had a double reason for wishing to see Kaloramarried. While she remained at home he knew that he would be second inauthority. There is an occidental misapprehension to the effect thatevery woman beyond the borders of the Levant is a languorous and waxenlily, floating in a milk-warm pool of idleness. It is true that thewomen of a household live in certain apartments set aside as a "harem. "But "harem" literally means "forbidden"--that is, forbidden to thepublic, nothing more. Every villa at Newport has a "harem. "

The women of Morovenia do not pour tea for men every afternoon, and theyare kept well under cover, but they are not slaves. They do not inherita nominal authority, but very often they assume a real authority. In theUnited States, women can not sail a boat, and yet they direct the cruiseof the yacht. Railway presidents can not vote in the Senate, and yetthey always know how the votes are going to be cast. And in Morovenia, many a clever woman, deprived of specified and legal rights, has learnedto rule man by those tactful methods which are in such general use thatthey need not be specified in this connection. 

Kalora had a way of getting around her father. After she had defied himand put him into a stewing rage, she would smooth him the right wayand, with teasing little cajoleries, nurse him back to a pleasant humor. He would find himself once more at the starting-place of thecontroversy, his stern commands unheeded, and the disobedient daughterlaughing in his very face. 

Thus, while he was ashamed of her physical imperfections, he admired hercleverness. Often he said to Popova: "I tell you, she might make someman a sprightly and entertaining companion, even if she _is_ slender. "

Whereupon the crafty Popova would reply: "Be patient, your Excellency. We shall yet have her as round as a dumpling. "

And all the time he was keeping her trained as fine as the proverbialfiddle. 

IV

THE GARDEN PARTY

Said the Governor-General to himself in that prime hour for wide-awakemeditation--the one just before arising for breakfast: "She is not allthat she should be, and yet, millions of women have been less thanperfect and most of them have married. "

He looked hard at the ceiling for a full minute and then murmured, "Evenmen have their shortcomings. "

This declaration struck him as being sinful and almost infidel in itsradicalism, and yet it seemed to open the way to a logical reason whysome titled bachelor of damaged reputation and tottering finances mightbalance his poor assets against a dowry and a social position, eventhough he would be compelled to figure Kalora into the bargain. 

It must be known that the Governor-General was now simply looking for ahusband for Kalora. He did not hope to top the market or bring down anynotable catch. He favored any alliance that would result in no discreditto his noble lineage. 

"At present they do not even nibble, " he soliloquized, still looking atthe ceiling. "They have taken fright for some reason. They may have aninkling of the awful truth. She is nineteen. Next year she will betwenty--the year after that twenty-one. Then it would be too late. Adesperate experiment is better than inaction. I have much to gain andnothing to lose. I must exhibit Kalora. I shall bring the young men toher. Some of them may take a fancy to her. I have seen people eat sugaron tomatoes and pepper on ice-cream. There may be in Morovenia one--onewould be sufficient--one bachelor who is no stickler for full-blownloveliness. I may find a man who has become inoculated with westernheresies and believes that a woman with intellect is desirable, eventhough under weight. I may find a fool, or an aristocrat who hasgambled. I may stumble upon good fortune if I put her out among theyoung men. Yes, I must exhibit her, but how--how?"

He began reaching into thin air for a pretext and found one. Theinspiration was simple and satisfying. 

He would give a garden-party in honor of Mr. Rawley Plumston, theBritish Consul. Of course he would have to invite Mrs. Plumston andthen, out of deference to European custom, he would have his twodaughters present. It was only by the use of imported etiquette that hecould open the way to direct courtship. 

Possibly some of the cautious young noblemen would talk with Kalora, and, finding her bright-eyed, witty, ready in conversation and withenthusiasm for big and masculine undertakings, be attracted to her. Atthe same time her father decided that there was no reason why herpitiful shortage of avoirdupois should be candidly advertised. Even at agarden-party, where the guests of honor are two English subjects, theyoung women would be required to veil themselves up to the nose-tips andhide themselves within a veritable cocoon of soft garments. 

The invitations went out and the acceptances came in. The English wereflattered. Count Malagaski was buoyed by new hopes and the daughterswere in a day-and-night flutter, for neither of them had ever comewithin speaking distance of the real young man of their dreams. 

On the morning of the day set apart for the début of Kalora, Count Selimwent to her apartments, and, with a rather shamefaced reluctance, gavehis directions. 

"Kalora, I have done all for you that any father could do for a belovedchild and you are still thin, " he began. 

"Slender, " she corrected. 

"Thin, " he repeated. "Thin as a crane--a mere shadow of a girl--and, what is more deplorable, apparently indifferent to the sorrow that youare causing those most interested in your welfare. "

"I am not indifferent, father. If, merely by wishing, I could be fat, Iwould make myself the shape of the French balloon that floated overMorovenia last week. I would be so roly-poly that, when it came time forme to go and meet our guests this afternoon, I would roll into theirpresence as if I were a tennis-ball. "

"Why should you know anything about tennis-balls? You, of all the youngwomen in Morovenia, seem to be the only one with a fondness forathletics. I have heard that in Great Britain, where the women ride andplay rude, manly games, there has been developed a breed as hard asflint--Allah preserve me from such women!"

"Father, you are leading up to something. What is it you wish to say?"

"This. You have persistently disobeyed me and made me very unhappy, butto-day I must ask you to respect my wishes. Do not proclaim to ourguests the sad truth regarding your deficiency. "

"Good!" she exclaimed gaily. "I shall wear a robe the size of an Arabiantent, and I shall surround myself with soft pillows, and I shall wheezewhen I breathe and--who knows?--perhaps some dark-eyed young man worth amillion piasters will be deceived, and will come to you to-morrow, andbuy me--buy me at so much a pound. " And she shrieked with laughter. 

"Stop!" commanded her father. "You refuse to take me seriously, but I amin earnest. Do not humiliate me in the presence of my friends thisafternoon. "

Then he hurried away before she had time to make further sport of him. 

To Count Selim Malagaski this garden-party was the frantic effort of asinking man. To Kalora it was a lark. From the pure fun of the thing, she obeyed her father. She wore four heavily quilted and padded gowns, one over another, and when she and Jeneka were summoned from theirapartments and went out to meet the company under the trees, they werealmost like twins and both duck-like in general outlines. 

First they met Mrs. Rawley Plumston, a very tall, bony and dignifiedwoman in gray, wearing a most flowery hat. To every man of MoroveniaMrs. Plumston was the apotheosis of all that was undesirable in her sex, but they were exceedingly polite to her, for the reason that Moroveniaowed a great deal of money in London and it was a set policy tocultivate the friendship of the British. 

While Jeneka and Kalora were being presented to the consul's wife, these same young men, the very flower of bachelorhood, stood back at arespectful distance and regarded the young women with half-concealedcuriosity. To be permitted to inspect young women of the upper classeswas a most unusual privilege, and they knew why the privilege had beenextended to them. It was all very amusing, but they were too well bredto betray their real emotions. When they moved up to be presented to thesisters they seemed grave in their salutations and restrainedthemselves, even though one pair of eyes, peering out above a very gauzyveil, seemed to twinkle with mischief and to corroborate their mostpronounced suspicions. 

Out of courtesy to his guests, Count Malagaski had made his garden-partyas deadly dull as possible. Little groups of bored people drifted aboutunder the trees and exchanged the usual commonplace observations. Teaand cakes were served under a canopy tent and the local orchestrastruggled with pagan music. 

Kalora found herself in a wide and easy kind of a basket-chair sittingunder a tree and chatting with Mrs. Plumston. She was trying to be ather ease, and all the time she knew that every young man present wasstaring at her out of the corner of his eye. 

Mrs. Plumston, although very tall and evidently of brawny strength, hada twittering little voice and a most confiding manner. She was immenselyinterested in the daughter of the Governor-General. To meet a young girlwho had spent her life within the mysterious shadows of an orientalhousehold gave her a tingling interest, the same as reading a forbiddenbook. She readily won the confidence of Kalora, and Kalora, being mostingenuous and not educated to the wiles of the drawing-room, spoke herthoughts with the utmost candor. 

"I like you, " she said to Mrs. Plumston, "and, oh, how I envy you! Yougo to balls and dinners and the theater, don't you?"

"Alas, yes, and you escape them! How I envy _you_!"

"Your husband is a very handsome man. Do you love him?"

"I tolerate him. "

"Does he ever scold you for being thin?"

"Does he _what_?"

"Is he ever angry with you because you are not big and plumpand--and--pulpy?"

"Heavens, no! If my husband has any private convictions regarding mypersonal appearance, he is discreet enough to keep them to himself. Ifhe isn't satisfied with me, he should be. I have been working for yearsto save myself from becoming fat and plump and--pulpy. "

"Then you don't think fat women are beautiful?"

"My child, in all enlightened countries adipose is woman's worst enemy. If I were a fat woman, and a man said that he loved me, I should knowthat he was after my bank-account. Take my advice, my dear young lady, and bant. "

"Bant?"

"Reduce. Make yourself slender. You have beautiful eyes, beautiful hair, a perfect complexion, and with a trim figure you would be simplyincomparable. "

Kalora listened, trembling with surprise and pleasure. Then she leanedover and took the hand of the gracious Englishwoman. 

"I have a confession to make, " she said in a whisper. "I am not fat--Iam slim--quite slim. "

And then, at that moment, something happened to make this whole storyworth telling. It was a little something, but it was the beginning ofmany strange experiences, for it broke up the wonderful garden-party inthe grounds of the Governor-General, and it gave Morovenia something totalk about for many weeks to come. It all came about as follows:

At the military club, the night before the party, a full score of youngmen, representing the quality, sat at an oblong table and partook ofrefreshments not sanctioned by the Prophet. They were young men ofregistered birth and supposititious breeding, even though most of themhad very little head back of the ears and wore the hair clipped shortand were big of bone, like work-horses, and had the gusty manners of thecamp. 

They were foolishly gloating over the prospect of meeting the twodaughters of the Governor-General, and were telling what they knew aboutthem with much freedom, for, even in a monarchy, the chief executive andhis family are public property and subject to the censorship of any onewho has a voice for talking. 

Of these male gossips there were a few who said, with gleeful certainty, that the elder daughter was a mere twig who could hide within the shadowof her bounteous and incomparable sister. 

"Wait until to-morrow and you shall see, " they said, wagging their headsvery wisely. 

To-morrow had come and with it the party and here was Kalora--a prettyface peering out from a great pod of clothes. 

They stood back and whispered and guessed, until one, more enterprisingthan the others, suggested a bold experiment to set all doubts at rest. 

Count Malagaski had provided a diversion for his guests. A company ofArabian acrobats, on their way from Constantinople to Paris, had beenintercepted, and were to give an exhibition of leaping andpyramid-building at one end of the garden. While Kalora was chattingwith Mrs. Plumston, the acrobats had entered and, throwing off theiryellow-and-black striped gowns, were preparing for the feats. They werebehind the two women and at the far end of the garden. Mrs. Plumston andKalora would have to move to the other side of the tree in order towitness the exhibition. This fact gave the devil-may-care youngbachelors a ready excuse. 

"Do as I have directed and you shall learn for yourselves, " said the onewho had invented the tactics. "I tell you that what you see is allshell. Now then--"

Four conspirators advanced in a half-careless and sauntering manner towhere Kalora and the consul's wife sat by the sheltering tree, intentupon their exchange of secrets. 

"Pardon me, Mrs. Plumston, but the acrobats are about to begin, " saidone of the young men, touching the fez with his forefinger. 

"Oh, really?" she exclaimed, looking up. "We must see them. "

"You must face the other way, " said the young man. "They are at the eastend of the garden. Permit us. "

Whereupon the young man who had spoken and a companion who stood at hisside very gently picked up Mrs. Plumston's big basket-chair between themand carried it around to the other side of the tree. And the two youngmen who had been waiting just behind picked up Kalora's chair andcarried _her_ to the other side of the tree, and put her down beside theconsul's wife. 

Did they carry her? No, they dandled her. She was as light as a featherfor these two young giants of the military. They made a palpable show ofthe ridiculous ease with which they could lift their burden. It may havebeen a forward thing to do, but they had done it with courtlypoliteness, and the consul's wife, instead of being annoyed, was pleasedand smiling over the very pretty little attention, for she could notknow at the moment that the whole maneuver had grown out of a wager andwas part of a detestable plan to find out the actual weight of theGovernor-General's elder daughter. 

If Mrs. Plumston did not understand, Count Selim Malagaski understood. So did all the young men who were watching the pantomime. And Kaloraunderstood. She looked up and saw the lurking smiles on the faces of thetwo gallants who were carrying her, and later the tittering becamelouder and some of the young men laughed aloud. 

She leaped from her chair and turned upon her two tormentors. 

"How dare you?" she exclaimed. "You are making sport of me in thepresence of my father's guests! You have a contempt for me because I amugly. You mock at me in private because you hear that I am thin. Youwish to learn the truth about me. Well, I will tell you. I _am_ thin. Iweigh one hundred and eighteen pounds. "

She was speaking loudly and defiantly, and all the young men werebacking away, dismayed at the outbreak. Her father elbowed his way amongthem, white with terror, and attempted to pacify her. 

"Be still, my child!" he commanded. "You don't know what you aresaying!"

"Yes, I do know what I am saying!" she persisted, her voice risingshrilly. "Do they wish to know about me? Must they know the truth? Thenlook! _Look_!"

With sweeping outward gestures she threw off the soft quilted robesgathered about her, tore away the veil and stood before them in a whitegown that fairly revealed every modified in-and-out of her figure. 

What ensued? Is it necessary to tell? The costume in which she stoodforth was no more startling or immodest than the simple gown which theAmerican high-school girl wears on her Commencement Day, and it wasdecidedly more ample than the sum of all the garments worn at politesocial gatherings in communities somewhat to the west. Nevertheless, thecompany stood aghast. They were doubly horrified--first, at theeffrontery of the girl, and second, at the revelation of her realperson, for they saw that she was doomed, helpless, bereft of hope, slimbeyond all curing. 

V

HE ARRIVES

Kalora was alone. 

After putting the company to consternation she had flung herselfdefiantly back into the chair and directed a most contemptuous gaze atall the desirable young men of her native land. 

The Governor-General made a choking attempt to apologize and explain, and then, groping for an excuse to send the people away, suggested thatthe company view the new stables. The acrobats were dismissed. Theguests went rapidly to an inspection of the carriages and horses. Theywere glad to escape. Jeneka, crushed in spirit and shamed at the brazenperformance of her sister, began a plaintive conjecture as to "whatpeople would say, " when Kalora turned upon her such a tigerish glancethat she fairly ran for her apartment, although she was too corpulentfor actual sprinting. Mrs. Plumston remained behind as the onlycomforter. 

"It was a most contemptible proceeding, my child. When they lifted usand carried us to the other side of the tree I thought it was rathernice of them; something on the order of the old Walter Raleigh days ofchivalry, and all that. And just think! The beasts did it to find outwhether or not you were really plump and heavy. It's a mostextraordinary incident. "

"I wouldn't marry one of them now, not if he begged and my fathercommanded!" said Kalora bitterly. "And poor Jeneka! This takes away herlast chance. Until I am married she can not marry, and after to-day noteven a blind man would choose me. "

"For goodness' sake, don't worry! You tell me you are nineteen. No womanneed feel discouraged until she is about thirty-five. You have sixteenyears ahead of you. "

"Not in Morovenia. "

"Why remain in Morovenia?"

"We are not permitted to travel. "

"Perhaps, after what happened to-day, your father will be glad to letyou travel, " said Mrs. Plumston with a significant little nod and a wisesquint. "Don't you generally succeed in having your own way with him?"

"Oh, to travel--to travel!" exclaimed Kalora, clasping her hands. "If Iam to remain single and a burden for ever, perhaps it would lightenfather's grief if I resided far away. My presence certainly wouldremind him of the wreck of all his ambitions, but if I should settledown in Vienna or Paris, or--" she paused and gave a little gasp--"or ifanything should happen to me, if I should--should disappear, that is, really disappear, Jeneka would be free to marry and--"

"Oh, pickles!" said Mrs. Plumston. "I have heard of romantic young womenjumping overboard and taking poison on account of rich young men, but Inever heard of a girl's snuffing herself out so as to give her sister achance to get married. The thing for you to do at a time like this, whenyou find yourself in a tangle, is to think of yourself and your ownchances for happiness. Father and Jeneka will take care of themselves. They are popular and beloved characters here in Morovenia. They are nottaking you into consideration except as you seem to interfere withtheir selfish plans. I have made it a rule not to work out my neighbor'sdestiny. "

"What can I do?" asked Kalora, seemingly impressed by the earnestness ofthe consul's wife. 

"Leave Morovenia. Keep at your father until he consents to your going. Here you are despised and ridiculed--a victim of heathen prejudice leftover from the Dark Ages. Get away, even if you have to walk, and take myword for it, the moment you leave Morovenia you will be a very beautifulgirl; not a merely attractive young person, but what we would call athome a radiant beauty--the oriental type, you know. And as a personalfavor to me, don't be fat. "

"No fear of that, " said the girl with a melancholy attempt at a smile. "But you must go and join the others. Do, please. I am now in disgrace, and you may compromise your social standing in Morovenia if you remainhere and talk to me. "

"I dare say I should go. I have a husband who requires as much attentionand scolding as a four-year-old. Sometimes I almost favor the orientalsystem of the husband's directing the wife. Good-by. "

"Good-by. "

Mrs. Plumston gave her a kiss and a friendly little pat on the arm, andwalked away toward the stables with a swinging, heel-and-toe, masculinestride. 

Kalora had the whole garden to herself. She sat squared up in the wickerchair with her fists clenched, looking straight ahead, trying in vain tothink of some plan for avenging herself upon the whole race ofbachelors. As she sat thus some one spoke to her. 

"How do you do?" came a voice. 

She was startled and looked about, but saw no one. 

"Up here!" came the voice again. 

She looked up and saw a young man on the top of the wall, his legshanging over. Evidently he had climbed up from the outside, and yetKalora had never suspected that the wall could be climbed. 

[Illustration: "Up here!" came the voice again]

He was smoothly shaven, with blond hair almost ripe enough to be auburn;he wore a gray suit of rather loose and careless material, a belt, butno waistcoat; his trousers were reefed up from a pair of saddle-brownshoes, and the silk band around his small straw hat was tricolored. Inhis hand was a paper-covered book. Swung over his shoulder was a camerain a leather case. He sat there on top of the high wall and gazed atKalora with a grinning interest, and she, forgetting that she wasunveiled and clad only in the simple garments which had horrified thebest people of Morovenia, gazed back at him, for he was the first of thekind she had seen. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked wonderingly. 

"I am looking for the show, " he replied. "They told me down at the hotelthat a very hot bunch of acrobats were doing a few stunts down here thisafternoon, and I thought I'd break in if I could. Wanted to get somepictures of them. "

"Were you invited?"

"No, but that doesn't make any difference. In Cairo I went to a nativewedding every day. If I passed a house where there was a wedding beingpulled off, I simply went inside and mingled. They never put meout--seemed to enjoy having me there. I suppose they thought it was theAmerican custom for outsiders to ring in at a wedding. "

"You said American, didn't you? Are you from America?"

"Do I look like a Scandinavian? I am from the grand old commonwealth ofPennsylvania. Did you ever hear of the town of Bessemer?"

"I'm afraid not. "

"Did you ever hear of the Pike family that robbed all the orphans, toredown the starry banner, walked on the humble working-girl and gave thedouble cross to the common people? Did you?"

"Dear me, no, " she replied, following him vaguely. 

"Well, I am Alexander H. , of the tribe of Pike, and I have two reasonsfor being in your beautiful little city. One is Federal grand jury andthe other is ten-cent magazine. You know, our folks are sinfully rich. About four years ago I came in for most of the guvnor's coin, and intrying to keep up the traditions of the family, I have made myselfunpopular, but I didn't know how unpopular I really was until I got thismagazine from home this morning. " And he held up the paper-covered book, which had a rainbow cover. "They have been writing up a few of uscaptains of industry, and they have said everything about me that they_could_ say without having the thing barred out of the mails. I noticethat you speak our kind of talk fairly well, but I think I can take youby the hand and show you a lot of new and beautiful English language. Iwill read this to you. "

Before she could warn him, or do anything except let out a horrified"Oh-h!" he had leaped lightly from his high perch and was standing infront of her. 

"I'm afraid you don't understand, " she said, rising and taking afrightened survey of the garden, to be sure that no one was watching. "Strangers are not permitted in here. That is, men, and moreespecially--ah--Christians. "

"I'm not a Christian, and I can prove it by this magazine. I am anoctopus, and a viper, and a vampire, and a man-eating shark. I am whatyou might call a composite zoo. If you want to get a line on me justread this article on _The Shameless Brigand of Bessemer_, and you willcertainly find out that I am a nice young fellow. "

Kalora had studied English for years and thought she knew it, and yetshe found it difficult fully, to comprehend all the figurative phrasesof this pleasing young stranger. 

"Do I understand that you are traveling abroad because of yourunpopularity at home?" she asked. 

"I am waiting for things to cool down. As soon as the muck-rakers wearout their rakes, and the great American public finds some other kind ofhysterics to keep it worked up to a proper temperature, I shall moseyback and resume business at the old stand. But why tell you the story ofmy life? Play fair now, and tell me a lot about yourself. Where am I?"

"You are here in my father's private garden, where you hare no right tobe. "

"And father?"

"Is Count Selim Malagaski, Governor-General of Morovenia. "

"Wow! And you?"

"I am his daughter. "

"The daughter of all that must be something. Have you a title?"

"I am called Princess. "

"Can you beat that? Climb up a wall to see some A-rabs perform, and finda real, sure-enough princess, and likewise, if you don't mind my sayingso, a pippin. "

"I don't know what you mean, " she said. 

"A corker. "

"Corker?"

"I mean that you're a good-looker--that it's no labor at all to gazeright at you. I didn't think they grew them so far from headquarters, but I see I'm wrong. You are certainly all right. Pardon me for sayingthis to you so soon after we meet, but I have learned that you willnever break a woman's heart by telling her that she is a beaut. "

[Illustration: "Are you a real ingénue, or a kidder?"]

Kalora leaned back in her chair and laughed. She was beginning tocomprehend the whimsical humor of the very unusual young man. His directand playful manner of speech amused her, and also seemed to reassureher. And, when he seated himself within a few inches of her elbow, fanning himself with the little straw hat, and calmly inspecting thetiny landscape of the forbidden garden, she made no protest against hisfamiliarity, although she knew that she was violating the most sacredrules laid down for her sex. 

She reasoned thus with herself:

"To-day I have disgraced myself to the utmost, and, since I am utterlyshamed, why not revel in my lawlessness?"

Besides, she wished to question this young man. Mrs. Plumston had saidto her: "You are beautiful. " No one else had ever intimated such athing. In fact, for five years she had been taunted almost daily becauseof her lack of all physical charms. Perhaps she could learn the truthabout herself by some adroit questioning of the young man fromPennsylvania. 

"You have traveled a great deal?" she asked. 

"Me and Baedeker and Cook wrote it, " he replied; and then, seeing thatshe was puzzled, he said: "I have been to all of the places they keepopen. "

"You have seen many women in many countries?"

"I have. I couldn't help it, and I'm glad of it. "

"Then you know what constitutes beauty?"

"Not always. What is sponge cake for me may be sawdust for somebodyelse. Say, I rode for an hour in a 'rickshaw at Nagoya to see the mostbeautiful girl in Japan and when we got to the teahouse they trotted outa little shrimp that looked as if she'd been dried over a barrel--youknow, stood _bent_ all the time, as if she was getting ready to jump. Her neck was no bigger than a gripman's wrist and she had a nose thatstood right out from her face almost an eighth of an inch. Her eyes wereset on the bias and she was painted more colors than a bandwagon. Isaid, 'If this is the champion geisha, take me back to the land of thechorus girl. ' And in China! Listen! I caught a Chinese belle coming downthe Queen's Road in Hong-Kong one day, and I ran up an alley. I haveseen Parisian beauties that had a coat of white veneering over them aninch thick, and out here in this country I have seen so-calledcracker-jacks that ought to be doing the mountain-of-flesh act in theRingling side-show. So there you are!"

"But in your own country, and in the larger cities of the world, theremust be some sort of standard. What are the requirements? What must awoman be, that all men would call her beautiful?"

"Well, Princess, that's a pretty hard proposition to dope out. Goodlooks can not be analyzed in a lab or worked out by algebra, because, I'm telling you, the one that may look awful lucky to me may strikesomebody else as being fairly punk. Providence framed it up that way soas to give more girls a chance to land somebody. Still, there is onekind that makes a hit wherever people are bright enough to sit up andtake notice. Now I suppose that any male being in his right senses wouldfind it easy to look at a woman who was young enough and had eyes andhair and teeth and the other items, all doing team-work together, andthen if she was trim and slender--"

"Should she be slender?" interrupted Kalora, leaning toward him. 

"Sure. I don't mean the same width all the way up and down, like an artstudent, but trim and--Here, I'll show you. You will find the picturesof the most beautiful women in the world right here in the ads of aten-cent magazine. Look them over and you will understand what I mean. "

He turned page after page and showed her the tapering goddesses of thestraight front, the tooth-powder, the camera, the breakfast-food, themassage-cream, and the hair-tonic. 

"These are what you call beautiful women?" she asked. 

"These are about the limit. "

"Then in your country I would not be considered hideous, would I?"

"Hideous? Say, if you ever walked up Fifth Avenue you would block thetraffic! And in the palm-garden at the Waldorf--why, you and the headwaiter would own the place! Are you trying to string me by asking suchquestions? Are you a real ingénue, or a kidder?"

"I hardly know what you mean, but I assure you that here in Moroveniathey laugh at me because I am not fat. "

"This is a shine country, and you're in wrong, little girl, " said Mr. Pike, in a kindly tone. "Why don't you duck?"

"Duck?"

"Leave here and hunt up some of the red spots on the map. You know whatI mean--away to the bright lights! I don't like to knock your nativeland but, honestly, Morovenia is a bad boy. I've struck towns aroundhere where you couldn't buy illustrated post-cards. They take in thesidewalks at nine o'clock every night. That orchestra down at the hotelhanded me a new coon song last night--_Bill Bailey_! Can you beat that?As long as you stay here you are hooked up with a funeral. "

Kalora, with wrinkled brow, had been striving to follow him in hisfigurative flights. 

"Strange, " she murmured. "You are the second person I have met to-daywho advises me to go away--to the west. "

"That's the tip!" he exclaimed with fervor. "Go west and when you start, keep on going. You come to America and bring along the papers to showthat you're a real live princess and you'll own both sides of thestreet. We'll show you more real excitement in two weeks than you'llsee around here if you live to be a hundred. "

"I should like to go, but--Look! Hurry, please! You must go!"

She pointed, and young Mr. Pike turned to see two guards in baggyuniforms bearing down upon him, their eyes bulging with amazement. 

"Shall I try to put up a bluff, or fight it out?" he asked, as he stoodup to meet them. 

"You can not explain, " gasped Kalora. "Run! _Run_! They know you have noright here. This means going to prison--perhaps worse. "

"Does it?" he asked, between his set teeth. "If those two brunettes getme, they'll have to go some. "

When the two pounced upon him he made no resistance and they capturedhim. He stood between them, each of them clutching an arm and breathingheavily, not only from exertion, but also out of a sense of triumph. 

VI

HE DEPARTS

And now, in order to give a key to the surprising performances ofAlexander H. Pike, it will be necessary to call up certain biographicaldata. 

When he was in the Hill School he won the pole vault, but later, in hisreal collegiate days, he never could come within two inches of 'varsityform, and therefore failed to make the track-team. 

While attending the Institute of Technology he worked one whole autumnto perfect an offensive play which was to be used against "Buff"Rodigan, of the semi-professional athletic-club team. This play wasknown as "giving the shoulder, " with the solar plexus as the point ofattack. The purpose of the play was not to kill the opposing player, butto induce him to relinquish all interest in the contest. 

Furthermore, Mr. Pike, while spending a month or more at a time in NewYork City, during his post-graduate days, had worked with Mr. MikeDonovan, in order to keep down to weight. Mr. Donovan had illustratedmany tricks to him, one of the best being a low feint with the left, followed by a right cross to the point of the jaw. 

While the two bronze-colored guards stood holding him, Mr. Pike rapidlytook stock of his accomplishments, and formulated a program. With asudden twist he cleared himself, sprang away from the two, and jumpedbehind a tree. One soldier started to the right of the tree and theother to the left, so as to close in upon him and retake him. This waswhat he wanted, for he had them "spread, " and could deal with themsingly. 

He used the Donovan tactics on the first guard, and they worked out withshameful ease. When the soldier saw the left coming for the pit of hisstomach, he crouched and hugged himself, thereby extending his jaw sothat it waited there with the sun shining on it until the young man'sright swing came across and changed the middle of the afternoon tomidnight. Number one was lying in profound slumber when Alumnus Piketurned to greet number two. 

The second soldier, having witnessed the feat of pugilism, doubled hisfists and extended them awkwardly, coming with a rush. Mr. Pike suddenlysquatted and leaned forward, balancing on his finger-tips, until numbertwo was about to fall upon him and crush him, and then he arose withthat rigid right shoulder aimed as a catapult. There was a sound as whenthe air-brake is disconnected, and number two curled over limply on theground and made faces in an effort to resume breathing. 

Mr. Pike picked up his magazine and put it under his coat. He buttonedthe coat, smiled in a pale, but placid manner at Kalora, who was stillimmovable with terror, and then he proceeded to vindicate his "prepschool" training. He ran over to the canopy tent, under which therefreshments had been served, pulled out one of the poles and, pointingit ahead of him, ran straight for the wall. 

Kalora, watching him, regarded this as a wholly insane proceeding. Washe going to attempt to poke a hole through a wall three feet thick?

Just as he seemed ready to flatten himself against the stones, hedropped the end of the pole to the ground and shot upward like a rocket. Kalora saw him give an upward twist and wriggle, fling himself free fromthe pole and disappear on the other side of the wall, the camerafollowing like the tail of a comet. As he did so, number two, coming toa sitting posture, began to shriek for reinforcements. Number one was upon his elbow, regarding the affairs of this world with a dreamyinterest. 

Fortunately for the Governor-General, the participants in the explodedgarden-party had escaped at the very first opportunity. 

Count Malagaski, greatly perturbed and almost in a state of collapseover the unhappy affair in the garden, was returning to his apartmentswhen the second surprising episode of the day came to a noisy climax. 

He heard the uproar and had the two guards brought before him. Theyreported that they had found a stranger in the garb of an infidel seatedwithin the secret garden chatting with the Princess Kalora. They did notagree in their descriptions of him, but each maintained that theintruder was a very large person of forbidding appearance and terrificstrength. 

"How did he manage to escape?" asked the Governor-General. 

"By jumping over the wall. "

"Over a wall ten feet high?" demanded the Governor-General. 

"Without touching his hands, sir. He was very tall; must have been sevenfeet. "

"If you ever had an atom of gray matter, evidently this stranger hasbeaten it out of you. Hurry and notify the police!"

Kalora's candid version of the whole affair was hardly less startlingthan that of the guards. The stranger had come over the wall suddenly, much to her alarm. He attempted to converse with her, but she sternlyordered him from the premises. He was exceedingly tall, as the guardshad said, and very dark, with rather long hair and curling blackmustache. He addressed her in English, but spoke with a marked Germanaccent. 

This description, faithfully set down by Popova, was carried away to thesecret police of Morovenia, said to be the most astute in the world. They were instructed to watch all trains and guard the frontier and, assoon as they had their prisoner safely put away in the lower dungeon ofthe municipal prison, they were to notify the Governor-General, whowould privately pass sentence. 

A crime against any member of the ruler's household comes under aseparate category and need not be tried in public sessions. For enteringa royal harem or addressing a woman of title the sentences range fromthe bastinado to solitary confinement for life. 

No wonder Kalora waited in trembling. Like every other provincial shehad much respect for the indigenous constabulary. She did not believe itpossible for the pleasing stranger to break through the network thatwould be woven about him. 

Shunning her father and sister, and shunned by them, she waited manysleepless hours in her own apartments for the inevitable news frombeyond the walls. 

Next morning there came to her a cheering and terrifying message. 

VII

THE ONLY KOLDO

Three hours after his pole-vault, Mr. Alexander H. Pike, wearing adinner-jacket newly ironed by his man-slave, and with a soft hat crushedjauntily down over the right ear, was pacing back and forth in the maincorridor of the Hotel de l'Europe waiting for the dread summons to thetable d'hote. 

He had to admit to himself that his nerves seemed to be about as taut aspiano wires. He told himself that possibly he was "up against it, " andyet he had stood on the brink of disaster so often during his collegecareer without acquiring vertigo, that the experience of the afternoonwas like a joyous renewal of youth. 

He had no set program but he had a feeling that if he was to bequestioned he would lie entertainingly. 

Of one thing he was certain--it would help his case if he made noattempt to hurry across the frontier. He believed in the wisdom ofhunting up the authorities whenever the authorities were hunting forhim. For instance, in the prep school, after getting the cow into thechapel, he discovered her there and notified the principal and was theonly boy who did not fall under suspicion. To assume a childlikeinnocence and to bluff magnificently, --these had been the twin rulesthat had saved him so often and would save him now, unless he should beconfronted by the princess or the two guards, in which case--he whistledsoftly. 

Suddenly two men came slamming in at the front door and stalked down theavenue of palms. They seemed to be throbbing with the importance oftheir errand, as they moved toward a little side office, which was theofficial lair of the manager. 

One of the men was elderly and wizened and the other was a detective. Pike knew it as soon as he glanced at the heavy jowls and the broad faceand heard the authoritative footfall. He knew, also, that he was not abona fide detective, but a municipal detective, who is paid a monthlysalary and walks stealthily along side streets in citizen's dress, allthe time imagining that the people he meets take him to be a merchant ora lawyer. In this he is mistaken, for he resembles nothing except amunicipal detective. 

If Mr. Pike had known that the officer who accompanied Popova was thecelebrated Koldo, chief of the secret service, no doubt the impulse toretreat to his apartment and get behind the bed canopies would have beenstronger. He knew, however, that no detective of analytical methodswould expect to find the criminal standing at his elbow, so he followedthe two over to the office and calmly wedged himself into theconference. 

The great Koldo was agitated as he told his story to the manager, whowas a polite and sympathetic importation from Switzerland. Popova stoodby and corroborated by nodding. 

"An outrage of the most dreadful nature has been reported from thepalace, " said Koldo. 

"Dear me!" murmured the manager. "I am so sorry. "

"A stranger scaled the wall and entered the forbidden precincts. Headdressed himself to the Princess Kalora with most insultingfamiliarity. Two of the household guards captured him, but he escapedafter beating them brutally. The report of the whole affair and adescription of the man have been brought to me by the esteemedPopova--this gentleman here, who is court interpreter and instructor inlanguages to the royal family. "

Popova nodded and Mr. Pike saw the scattered spires of Bessemer, Pennsylvania, whirling away into a cloud of disappearance. 

"If you have a description of the man, no doubt you will be able to findhim, " he said, knowing that this kind of speech would strengthen hisplea of innocence when brought out at the trial. 

The chief of the secret service turned and looked wonderingly at thebland stranger and resumed: "After some reflection I have decided tomake inquiries at all the hotels, to learn if any foreigner answeringthis description has lately arrived in the city. "

"You may be sure that any information I possess will be put at yourdisposal immediately, " said the manager, with a smile and a professionalbow. 

The only Koldo, breathing deeply, brought from his pocket a sheet ofpaper, while Mr. Pike propped himself deliberately against the door andtried to mold his features into that expression of guileless innocencewhich he had observed on the face of a cherub in the Vatican. 

"He is very rugged and powerful, " said the detective, referring to hisnotes. "Large, quite large--black hair, dark eyes with a glance thatseems to pierce through anything--long mustache, also black--wears muchjewelry--speaks with a marked German accent--wears a suit of Scotchplaid--heavy military boots. "

Mr. Pike removed his hat and allowed the electric light to twinkle onhis ruddy hair. 

"How--ah--where did you get this description?" he asked gently. 

"From the Princess herself, " replied Popova. "She saw him at closerange. "

"Believe me, I am sorry, but no one answering the description has beenat my hotel, " said the manager. 

"Then I shall go to the Hotel Bristol and the Hotel Victoria, " announcedKoldo, with something of fierce determination in his tone. 

"An excellent plan, " assented the manager. 

"Would you mind if I butted in with a suggestion?" said Mr. Pike, layinga friendly hand on the arm of the redoubtable Koldo. "Don't you thinkit would be better if you went alone to these hotels? This distinguishedgentleman, " indicating Popova, "is well known on account of being a highguy up at the palace. Sure as you live, if he trails around with you, you will be spotted. You don't want to hunt this fellow with a brassband. Besides, you don't need any help, do you?"--to the head of thesecret service. 

"Certainly not, " replied the famous detective, swelling visibly. "I haveall the data--already I am planning my campaign. "

"Then I should like to have a talk with Pop-what's-his-name. I think Ican slip him a few valuable pointers. You go right along and nail yourman and we'll sit here in the shade of the sheltering palm and tell eachother our troubles. "

"I must return to the palace quite soon, " murmured Popova, gazing atthe stranger uneasily. 

"Call a carriage for the professor, " spoke up Mr. Pike briskly, to themanager. "I know his time is valuable, so we'll get down to businessimmediately, if not sooner. "

The manager knew a millionaire's voice when he heard it, so he hurriedaway. The impatient Koldo said that he would communicate directly withthe palace as soon as he had effected the capture, and started for thefront door. Then, remembering himself, he went out the back way. 

The old tutor, finding himself alone with Mr. Pike, was not permitted torelapse into embarrassment. 

"In the first place, I want you to know who and what I am, " said Mr. Pike. "Come into my suite and I'll show you something. Then you'll seethat you're not wasting your time on a light-weight. "

He led the way to a large parlor ornately done in red, and pulled outfrom a leather trunk a passport issued by the Department of State of theUnited States of America. It was a huge parchment, with pictorialembellishments, heavy Gothic type and a seal about the size of a pie. Mr. Pike's physical peculiarities were enumerated and there was a directrequest that the bearer be shown every courtesy and attention due acitizen of the great republic. Popova looked it over and was impressed. 

"It isn't everybody that gets those, " said Mr. Pike, as he put thedocument carefully back into the trunk and covered it with shirts. "Havea red chair. Take off your hat--ah, I remember, you leave that on, don'tyou?"

The old gentleman seated himself, somewhat reassured by the cheerymanner of his host, who sat in front of him and beamed. 

Mr. Pike, supposed to be given to vapory and aimless conversation, really was a general. Already we have learned that he based hisevery-day conduct on a groundwork of safe principles. He had certainprivate theories, which had stood the test, and when following thesetheories he proceeded with bustling confidence. One of his theories wasthat every man in the world has a grievance and regards himself asmuch-abused, and in order to win the regard and confidence of that man, all one has to do is feel around for the grievance and then play uponit. Mr. Pike, in his province of employer, had been compelled to studythe methods of successful labor-union agitators. 

"You don't know much about me, but I know plenty about you, " he began, closing one eye and nodding wisely. "I hadn't been here very long beforeI found out who was the real brains of that outfit up at the palace. "

"Really, you know, we are not supposed to discuss the merits of ourruler, " said Popova, fairly startled at the candid tone of the other. Helifted one hand in timid deprecation. 

"Of course you're not. That's why some one who is simply a figureheadgoes on taking all the credit for tricks turned by a smart fellow who isworking for him. Now, if you lived in the dear old land of ready money, where the accident of birth doesn't give any man the right to sit onsomebody else's neck, you'd be a big gun. You'd have money and a pulland probably, before you got through, you'd be investigated. Over here, you are deliberately kept in the background. You are the Patsy. "

"The what?"

"The squidge--that means the fellow who does all the worrying and getsnothing out of it. Now, before you return to what you call the palace, and which looks to me like the main building of the Allegheny BrickWorks, will you do me the honor of going into that cave of gloom, knownas the American bar, and hitting up just one small libation?"

"I am not sure that I catch your meaning, " said Popova, who felt himselfsomewhat smothered by rhetoric. 

"Into the bar--down at the little iron table--business of hoistingbeverage. "

"We of the faith are not supposed to partake of any drink containingeven a small percentage of alcohol. "

"I'm not _supposed_ to dally with it myself, having been brought up oncistern water, but I find in traveling that I entertain a more kindlyfeeling for you strange foreign people when I carry a medium-sizedheadlight. Come along, now. Don't compel me to tear your clothes. "

There was no resisting the masterful spirit of the young steel magnate, and Popova was led away to a remote apartment, where a single shelf, sparsely set with bottles, made a weak effort to reproduce the fabledsplendors of far-away New York. 

"Let's see, what shall we tackle?" asked Mr. Pike, as he checked downthe line with a rigid forefinger. "If you don't care what happens toyou, we might try a couple of cocktails--that is, if you like the tasteof _eau de quinine_. Oh, I'll tell you what! Here are lemons, seltzerand gin. Boy, two gin fizzes. "

The attendant, who was very juvenile and much afraid of his job, smiledand shook his head. 

"Do you mean to say that you never heard of a gin fizz?" asked Mr. Pike. "All the ingredients within reach, simply waiting to be introduced toeach other, and you have been holding them apart. You ought to beashamed of yourself. Bring out some ice. Produce your jigger. Get busy. Hand me the tools and I'll do this myself. "

Then, while the other two looked on in abashed admiration, Mr. Pikedeftly squeezed the lemons and splashed in allopathic portions of thecrystal fluid and used ice most wastefully. After vigorous shaking andpatient straining he shot a seething stream of seltzer into each glassand finally delivered to Popova a translucent drink that was very talland capped with foam. 

"Hide that, Professor, " he said. "In a few minutes you will speakseveral new languages. "

Popova sipped conservatively. 

"Don't be afraid, " urged Mr. Pike, encouragingly. "If the boy watched mecarefully, possibly he can duplicate the order. "

The youth was more than willing, for he seldom received instruction. With now and then a word of counsel or warning from the wise man of thewest in the corner, he cautiously assembled two other fizzes, while Mr. Pike, in a most nonchalant and roundabout manner, sought informationconcerning affairs of state, local politics, the Governor-General'shousehold and Princess Kalora. Popova told more than he had meant totell and more than he knew that he was telling. 

It may have been that the fizzes were insidious or that Mr. Pike wasunduly persuasive, or that a combination of these two powerfulinfluences moved the elderly tutor to impulses of unusual generosity. Atany rate, he found himself possessed of an affection for the young manfrom Bessemer, Pennsylvania. It was an affection both fatherly andbrotherly. When Mr. Pike asked him to perform just a small service forhim, he promised and then promised again and was still promising whenhis host went with him to the carriage and said that he had not lived invain and that in years to come he would gather his grandchildren aroundhim and tell of the circumstances of his meeting with the greatestscholar in southeastern Europe. 

VIII

BY MESSENGER

On the morning after the strange happenings in the garden, Kalora sat byone of the cross-barred windows overlooking a side street, and enviedthe humble citizens and unimportant woman drifting happily across herfield of vision. 

Never in all her life had she walked out alone. The sweet privilege ofcourting adventure had been denied her. And yet she felt, on thismorning, an almost intimate acquaintance with the outside world, for hadshe not talked with a valorous young man who could leap over high wallsand subdue giants and pay compliments? He had thrown a sudden glare ofromance across her lonesome pathway. The few minutes with him seemed toencompass everything in life that was worth remembering. She toldherself that already she liked him better than any other young man shehad met, which was not surprising, for he had been the first to sitbeside her and look into her eyes and tell her that she was beautiful. She knew that whatever of wretchedness the years might hold in store forher, no local edict could rob her of one precious memory. She had lockedit up and put it away, beyond the reach of courts and relatives. 

During many wakeful hours she had recalled each minute detail of thatamazing interview in the garden, and had tried to estimate andforeshadow the young man's plan of escape from the secret police. 

Perhaps he had been taken during the night. The greatest good fortunethat she could picture for him was a quick flight across the frontier, which meant that he would never return--that she had seen him once andcould not hope to see him again. 

In her contemplation of the luminous figure of the Only Young Man, shehad ceased to speculate concerning her own misfortunes. The fact of herdisgrace remained in the background, eclipsed--not in evidence except asa dim shadow over the day. 

While she sat immovable, gazing into the street, feeling within herselfa tumult which was not of pain, nor yet of pleasure, but a satisfactorycommingling of both, she heard her name spoken. Popova was standing inthe doorway. He greeted her with a smile and bow, both of which struckher as being singularly affected, for he was not given to politeobservances. As he squatted near her, she noticed that he was tremulousand seemed almost frightened about something. 

"I have come to tell you that I regret exceedingly the--the distressingincident of yesterday, and that I sympathize with you deeply--deeply, "he began. 

"It is your fault, " she said, turning from him and again gazing into thestreet. "You taught me everything I do not need in Morovenia. Youneglected the one essential. I am not blind. It was never your desirethat I should be like my sister. "

She spoke in a low monotone and with no tinge of resentment, but herwords had an immediate and perturbing effect on Popova, who stared ather wide-eyed and seemed unable to find his voice. 

"You must know that I have been governed by your father's wishes, " hesaid awkwardly. "Why do you--"

"Do not misunderstand me. I thank you for what you have done. I wouldnot be other than what I am. Tell me--the stranger--you know, the one inthe garden--has he been taken?" inquired the Princess. 

"Taken! Taken! Not even a clue--not a trace! Either the earth opened toswallow him or else Koldo is a dunce. The description was most accurate. By the way, I--I had a most interesting conversation regarding the case, with a young man at the Hotel de l'Europe last evening. He is a personof great importance in his own country, also a student ofworld-politics--I--he--never have I encountered such discrimination inone so young. It was because of my admiration for his talents and myconfidence in his integrity that I consented to deliver a message forhim. "

Kalora squirmed in her pillows, and turned eagerly to face Popova. 

"A message? For me?" she cried, eagerly. 

"I will admit that the whole proceeding is most irregular, to put itmildly. The young man was so deeply interested in your perilousadventure of yesterday, and so desirous of felicitating you upon yourescape, that I yielded to his importunities and promised to deliver toyou this letter. "

He brought it out cautiously, as if it were loaded with an explosive, and Kalora pounced upon it. 

"I rely upon you to maintain absolute secrecy in regard to my part inthis unusual--"

But Kalora, unheeding him, had torn open the letter and was reading, asfollows:

 MY DEAR PRINCESS:

 I hope that's the way to begin. Something tells me that you would not stand for "Your Majesty" or any of these "Royal Highness" trimmings. 

 Believe me, you are the best ever. I have just had a talk with the eminent plain-clothes man who is looking for the burglar that broke into the garden this afternoon and tried to steal you. He read to me the description. Say, if I tried to write at this minute all of my present emotions concerning you, I would burn holes in the paper. When it comes to turning out fiction, Marie Corelli is not in the running. Honestly, when Mr. Detective walked into the hotel this evening, I figured it a toss-up whether I should ever see home and mother again. 

 I am only an humble steel-maker, but I am for you and I want to see you again and tell you right to your face what I think of you. If you will sort of happen to be in the garden at 4 p. M. To-morrow (Thursday), I will come over the wall at the very spot I picked out to-day. I know that this method of becoming acquainted with young women is not indorsed by the _Ladies_' _Home Journal_ or Beatrice Fairfax, but, as nearly as I can find out, there is no other way in which I can get into society over here. 

 So far as the bloodhounds of the law are concerned, don't give them a thought. I have met, the great Koldo, and he won't know until about next Sunday that yesterday was Tuesday. The professor has promised to bring a reply to the hotel. He is not on. 

 Sincerely, YOUR GERMAN FRIEND. 

She read it all and found herself gasping--surprised, frightened, andmoved to a fluttering delight. She had thought of him as skulking inbyways, of concealing his name and attempting to disguise himself sothat he might dodge through the meshes woven by the invincible Koldo, and here he was, still flaunting himself at the hotel and calmlypreparing to repeat his hazardous experiment. 

"He is a fool!" she exclaimed, forgetting that Popova was present. 

"I trust the message has not offended you, " said the tutor, decidedlyalarmed at her agitation and not understanding what it meant. 

"I tell you he is a fool--a fool!" she repeated. And while Popovawondered, she sprang to her feet and ran to him and gave him a muscularembrace around the tender portion of his neck, for he still squattedafter the oriental manner, even though he wore a long black coat ofGerman make. 

"I consented to bring it because he was most urgent, and seemed a propersort of person, " began Popova, "and not knowing the contents--"

"Bless you, I am not offended, " interrupted Kalora, and then, looking atthe letter again, she burst into happy laughter. 

The young stranger was unquestionably a fool. She had not dreamed thatany one could be so reckless and heedless, so contemptuous of the dreadmachinery of the law, so willing to risk his very life for the sakeof--of seeing her again!

"If he has been impertinent, possibly you will take no notice of hiscommunication, " suggested Popova. 

"Oh, I _must_--I must at least acknowledge the receipt of it. Commoncourtesy demands that. I shall write just a few lines and you must takethem to him at once. He seems to be a very forward person unacquaintedwith our local customs, and so I shall formally thank him and suggest tohim that any further correspondence would be inadvisable. That's thereally proper thing to do, don't you think?"

"Possibly. "

"Then wait here until I have written it, and unless you wish me to go tomy father and tell him something that would put an end to yourillustrious career, deliver this message within a hour--deliver ityourself. Give it to him and to no one else. "

Never was a go-between more nonplussed, but he promised with a readinessand a sincerity which indicated that he was keenly aware of the factthat Kalora held him in her power. The minx had read his secret withoutan effort!

Mr. Pike was waiting in the avenue of potted palms when the greatestscholar of southeastern Europe, now reduced to the humble role ofmessenger boy, came to him, somewhat flurried and breathless, andslipped a small envelope into his hand. 

Popova rather curtly refused to renew his acquaintance with occidentalfizzes, and waited only until he had announced to Mr. Pike that thePrincess wished to emphasize the advice contained in the letter and toassure the presumptuous stranger that it was meant for his welfare. 

This is what Mr. Pike read:

 My very good friend:

 I have protected you, not because you deserve protection, but because I like you very much. You must not come to the palace grounds again. They are now under double guard and, if I attempted to meet you, no doubt a whole company of our big soldiers would surround you and surely you could not overcome so many powerful men. I am thinking only of your safety. I beg you to leave Morovenia at once. Your danger is greater than you can imagine. What more can I say, except that I shall always remember you? Sincerely, K. 

Mr. Pike read it carefully three times and then told himself aloud thatit was not what he would precisely term a love-letter. 

"I may have made an impression, but certainly not a ten-strike, " hethought to himself, as he folded up the missive and put it into the mostsacred compartment of his Russia-leather pocketbook, along with theletter of credit. 

"I fear me that the incident is closed, " he said. "I would stay here oneyear if I thought there was a chance of seeing her again, but if shewants me to fly I guess I had better fly. "

That evening, after an earnest controversy with the manager over a verycomplicated bill, studded with "extras, " Mr. Alexander H. Pike, accompanied by dragoman, leather trunks, hat-boxes and hold-alls, droveaway to the transcontinenta express, and slept soundly while crossingthe dangerous frontier. 

Possibly he would not have slept so soundly if he had known that at fouro'clock that afternoon the Princess Kalora had been idling her time inthe palace garden, walking back and forth near the high wall. 

She had told him not to come, and of course he would not come. No onecould be so audacious and foolhardy as to invite destruction after beingsolemnly warned--and yet, if he _did_ come, she wanted to be there tospeak to him again and rebuke him and tell him not to come a third time. 

She went back to her apartment much relieved and intensely disappointed. 

Such is the perverseness of the feminine nature, even in Morovenia. 

IX

AS TO WASHINGTON, D. C. 

About the time that Mr. Pike arrived in Vienna, and after Kalora hadbeen in voluntary retirement for some forty-eight hours, the famousKoldo, head of the secret police, came into possession of a mostimportant clue. 

Having searched for two days, without finding the trail of the criminalwith the black mustache and the German accent, he bethought himself ofthe wisdom of going to the garden where the intruder had engaged in adesperate struggle with the two guards. Possibly he would discoverincriminating footprints. Instead, he found some scraps of paper, withprinting of a foreign character. 

By questioning the guards he learned that these tatters had come from aprinted book which the mysterious stranger had carried, and which henever relinquished even while reducing his foes to insensibility. 

Koldo put these pieces of paper into a strong envelope, which he sealedand marked "Exhibit A, " and delivered his precious find to theGovernor-General. 

While Mr. Pike sat in Ronacher's at Vienna, watching a most entertainingvaudeville performance, Count Selim Malagaski was in his library, conferring with the wise Popova. 

"How did he escape?" asked Count Malagaski again and again, shaking hishead. "The police have searched every corner of the town, and can findno one answering the description. "

"Have you questioned Kalora again?"

"Yes, and she now remembers that he had a very heavy scar over hisright eye. Her description and these few scraps of paper torn from thebook he was carrying are all that we have to guide us in our search. "

The Governor-General held up the several remnants of a ten-centmagazine. 

"It is in English; I read it badly. "

He gave the torn pages to the old tutor, and Popova, picking up thefirst, read as follows:

 What is the great danger that threatens the American woman? It is _obesity_. It is well known that ninety-nine per cent of all the women in the United States are striving to reduce their weight. For all such we have a message of hope. Write to Madam Clarissa and she----

"The remainder is torn away, " said Popova. 

The Governor-General had been leaning forward, listening intently. "Doyou mean to say that there is a country in which all the woman are fat?"he asked. 

"It would seem so, " replied Popova. "Let us read further. " He picked upanother of the torn pages and read aloud:

 To the Oatena Company of Pine Creek, Michigan:

 When I began using your wonderful health-food I was a mere skeleton. I have been living on it for three months and I have gained a pound a day. Permit me to express the conviction that you are real benefactors to the human race. Gratefully yours, OSCAR TILBURY, Oakdale, Arkansas. 

"Stop!" exclaimed the Governor-General, striking the table. "Is itpossible that somewhere in this world there is a food which will add apound a day?"

"The testimonial seems genuine, " replied Popova. "It has been sworn tobefore a notary. "

"What country is this?"

"America, the land of milk and honey. "

"Both very fattening, " commented the Governor-General. "Popova, I havean inspiration. You well know that my situation here is most desperate. I must find husbands for these two daughters, but I dare not hope thatany one will come for Kalora until the disgraceful affair has beenforgotten and I can absolutely demonstrate that she has developed intosome degree of attractiveness. It is better for all concerned that sheshould leave Morovenia until the present scandal blows over. Now, whynot America? It is a remote, half-savage country, and she will be farfrom the temptations which would beset her at any fashionable capital inEurope. We read in this magazine that all the women in America are fat. She will come back to us in a little while as plump as a partridge. Fromthe sworn testimonial it would appear that she can obtain in America amarvelous food which will cause her to gain a pound a day. She nowweighs one hundred and eighteen pounds. If she remained there a year shewould weigh, let me see--one hundred and eighteen plus three hundred andsixty-five--oh, that doesn't seem possible! That is too good to be true!But even six months, or only three months, would be sufficient. She_must_ be sent away for a while, in the care of some one who will guardher carefully. Read up on America to-night, and let me know all about itin the morning. "

Next day Popova, having consulted all the British authorities at hand, reported that the United States of America covered a large butundeveloped area, that the population was so engrossed with theaccumulation of wealth that it gave little heed to pleasures orintellectual relaxation, and that the country as a whole was unworthy ofconsideration except as the abode of a swollen material prosperity. 

"Just the place for her, " exclaimed the Governor-General. "No pleasuresto distract her, an atmosphere of plodding commercialism, an abundanceof health-giving nourishment! Perhaps the mere change of climate willhave the desired effect. We will make the experiment. She is doomed ifshe remains here, and America seems to be our only hope. I suppose ourbeloved Monarch sends a minister to that country. If so, communicatewith the Secretary of the Legation and request him to secure secludedapartments for her and a suite. You shall accompany her. "

"I?" exclaimed Popova, unable to conceal his joy. 

"Yes; she must be under careful restraint all the time. What is thecapital of the United States?"

"Washington. It is a sleepy and well-behaved town. I have looked it up. "

"Good! You shall take her to Washington. If one of the many civil warsshould break out, or there should be an uprising of the red men, she canhurry to the protection of the Turkish Embassy. Let us make immediatepreparations--and remember, Popova, that my whole future happiness as afather depends upon the success of this expedition. "

When Kalora was gravely informed by her father that she and the tutorand a half-dozen female attendants were to be bundled up and sent awayto America, and that she was to do penance, take a dieting treatment, and come back in due time to try and atone for her unfortunate past, didshe weep and beg to be allowed to remain at her own dear home? No; shelistened in apparently meek and rather mournful submission, and, afterher father went away, she turned handsprings across the room. 

Her utmost dream of happiness had been realized. She was to go to theland of the red-headed stranger where she would be admired and courted, and where, in time, she might aspire to the ultimate honor of having herpicture in a ten-cent magazine. 

X

ON THE WING

The train rolled away from the low and dingy station and was in the opencountry of Morovenia. Kalora and her elderly guardian and the youngwomen who were to be her companions during the period of exile had beentucked away into adjoining compartments. Each young woman was muffledand veiled according to the most discreet and orthodox rules. 

Popova's bright red fez contrasted strangely with his silvering hair, but no more strangely than did this wondrous experience of starting fora new world contrast with the quiet years that he had spent among hisbooks. 

The train sped into the farm-lands. On either side was a wide stretchof harvest fields, heaving into gentle billows, with here and there ashabby cluster of buildings. If Kalora had only known, Morovenia wasvery much like the far-away America, except that Morovenia had notlearned to decorate the hillsides with billboards. 

At last she was to have a taste of freedom! No father to scold andplead; no much-superior sister to torment her with reproaches; nopeering through grated windows at one little rectangle of outsidesunshine. To be sure, Popova had received explicit and positiveinstructions concerning her government. But Popova--pshaw!

She unwound her veil and removed her head-gear and sat bareheaded by thecar-window, greedily welcoming each new picture that swung into view. 

"You must keep your face covered while we are in public or semi-publicplaces, " said Popova gently, repeating his instructions to the veryletter. 

"I shall not. "

Thus ended any exercise of Popova's authority during the whole journey. 

Before the train had come to Budapest all the young women, urged on toinsubordination, had removed their veils, and Kalora had boldly invadedanother compartment to engage in rapt and feverish dialogue with alittle but vivacious Frenchwoman. 

Two hours out from Vienna, the tutor found her involved in a businessconference with a guard of the train. She had learned that the ticketspermitted a stopover in Vienna. She wished to see Vienna. She haddecided to spend one whole day in Vienna. 

Popova, as usual, made a feeble show of maintaining his authority, buthe was overruled. 

Count Selim Malagaski, at home, consulting the prearranged schedule, said, "This morning they have arrived in Paris and Popova is arrangingfor the steamship tickets. "

At which very moment, Kalora was in an open carriage driving from oneVienna shop to another, trying to find ready-made garments similar tothose worn by Mrs. Rawley Plumston. Popova was now a bundle-carrier. 

The shopping in Vienna was merely a prelude to a riotous extravagance oftime and money in Paris. Popova, writing under dictation, sent a messageto Morovenia to the effect that they had been compelled to wait a weekin order to get comfortable rooms on a steamer. 

Kalora had the dressmakers working night and day. 

She and her mother and her grandmother and her great-grandmother and thewhole line of maternal ancestors had been under suppression and hadattired themselves according to the directions of a religious Prophet, who had been ignorant concerning color effects. And yet, now that Kalorahad escaped from the cage, the original instinct asserted itself. Thelove of finery can not be eliminated from any feminine species. 

When she boarded the steamer she was outwardly a creature of the NewWorld. 

From the moment of embarking she seemed exhilarated by the salt air andthe spirit of democracy. 

She lingered in New York--more shopping. 

By the time she arrived at Washington and went breezing in to call upona certain dignified young Secretary, the transformation was complete. She might not have been put together strictly according to mode, but shewas learning rapidly, and willing to learn more rapidly. 

XI

AN OUTING--A REUNION

The Secretary of the Legation at Washington was surprised to receive aletter from the Governor-General of Morovenia requesting him to findapartments for the Princess Kalora and a small retinue. The letterexplained that the Governor-General's daughter had been given a longsea-voyage and assigned to a period of residence within the quietboundaries of Washington, in the hope that her health might be improved. 

The Secretary looked up the list of hotels and boarding-houses. He didnot deem it advisable to send a convalescent to one of the large andbusy hotels; neither did he think it proper to reserve rooms for her atan ordinary boarding-house, where she would sit at the same table withdepartment-employees and congressmen. So he compromised on a veryexclusive hotel patronized by legislators who had money of their own, bymany of the titled attaches of the embassies, and by families that cameduring the season with the hope of edging their way into officialsociety. He explained to the manager of the hotel that the PrincessKalora was an invalid, would require secluded apartments, and probablywould not care to meet any of the other persons living at the hotel. 

Within a week after the rooms had been reserved the invalid drove up tothe Legation to thank the Secretary for his kindness. Now, the Secretaryhad lived in modern capitals for many years, was trained in diplomacy, and had schooled himself never to appear surprised. But the PrincessKalora fairly bowled him over. He had pictured her as a wan and waxencreature, who would be carried to the hotel in a closed carriage orambulance, there to recline by the windowside and look out at therustling leaves. He had decided, after hours of deliberation, that theetiquette of the situation would be for some member of the Legation tocall upon her about once a week and take flowers to her. 

And here was the invalid, bounding out of a coupé, tripping up the frontsteps and bursting in upon him like an untamed Amazon from the prairiesof Nebraska. She wore a tailor-made suit of dark material, a sailor hat, tan gloves with big welts on the back and stout, low-heeled Oxfords. This was the young woman who had come five thousand miles to improveher health! This was the child of the Orient, and in the Orient, womanis a hothouse flower. This was the timid young recluse to whom thesoft-spoken diplomats were to carry a few roses about once a week. 

Why had she called upon the Secretary? First, to thank him for havingengaged the rooms; second, to invite him to take her out to a countryclub and teach her the game of golf. She had heard people at the hoteltalking about golf. The game had been strongly commended to her by acongressman's daughter, with whom she had ascended to the top of theWashington Monument. 

When the Secretary, having recovered his breath, asked if she feltstrong enough to attempt such a vigorous game, she was moved to silverylaughter. She told what she had accomplished during three short days inWashington. She had attended two matinees with Popova, had gone motoringinto the Virginia hills, had inspected all the public buildings, andstudied every shop-window in Pennsylvania Avenue. The Secretary knewthat all this outdoor freedom was not usually accorded a young woman ofhis native domain, and yet he felt that he had no authority to restrainher or correct her. She was a princess, and he was relatively asubordinate, and, when she requested him to take her to the countryclub, he gave an embarrassed consent. 

"You have been in America a long time?" she asked. 

"About three years. "

"You have met many people--that is, the important people?"

"All of them are important over here. Those that are not very wealthyor very eminent are getting ready to be. "

"I am wondering if you could tell me something about a young man I metabroad. I met him only once, and I have quite forgotten his name. "

"I'm afraid I haven't met him. "

"He is rather good-looking and has--well, red hair; not rusty red, but asort of golden red. "

"There are millions of red-haired young men in America. "

"Please don't discourage me. Now I remember the name of his home. Helived in Pennsa--Pennsylvania, that's it. "

"Pennsylvania is about four times as large as Morovenia. "

"But he is very wealthy. He talked as if he had come into millions. "

"I can well believe it. The millionaires of Pennsylvania are even asthe sands of the sea or the leaves of the forest. "

"He owns some sort of mills or factories--where they make steel. "

"Every millionaire in Pennsylvania has something to do with steel. Now, if you were searching in that state for a young man who is penniless andhas nothing to do with the steel industry, possibly I might be of someservice to you. The whole area of Pennsylvania is simply infested withmillionaires. Not all of them are red-headed, but they will be, beforeCongress gets through with them. "

This playful lapse into the American vernacular was quite lost upon thePrincess Kalora, who was sitting very still and gazing in a mostdisconsolate manner at the Secretary. 

"I felt sure that you could tell me all about him, " she said. 

"Believe me, if I encounter any young millionaire from Pennsylvania, whose hair is golden-red, I shall put detectives on his trail and letyou know at once. You met him abroad?"

"At a garden party in Morovenia. "

"Indeed! Garden parties in Morovenia! And yet that is not one-half assurprising as to find you here in Washington. "

"You are not displeased to find me here?"

"Charmed--delighted. "

"And you will take me to the country club?"

"At any time. It will really give me much pleasure. "

"I shall drop a note. Good-by. "

He stood at the window to watch her as she nimbly jumped into the coupéand was driven away. 

That evening he made a most astonishing report to his intimates of thecorps and asked:

"What shall I do?"

"Do you feel competent to take charge of her and regulate her conduct?"

"I do not. "

"Have you instructions to watch her and make sure that she observes theetiquette and keeps within the restrictions of her own country while sheis visiting in Washington?"

"Nothing of the sort. "

"From your first interview with her, do you believe that it would beadvisable for any of us to attempt to interfere with her plans?"

"Decidedly not. "

"Then take her to the country club and teach her the game of golf, andremember the old saying at home, that no man was ever given praise forattempting to govern another man's family. "

So it was settled that the Legation would not attempt any supervision ofKalora's daily program. And it was a very wise decision, for the dailyprogram was complicated and the Legation would have been keptexceedingly busy. 

Popova became merely a sort of footman, or modified chaperon. He knewthat he had no real authority and seldom attempted even the most timidsuggestions as to her conduct. Once or twice he mentioned health-foodand dieting, and was pooh-poohed into a corner. As for the womenattendants, who had been sent along that they might be the companions ofthe Princess during the long hours of loneliness and seclusion, theywere trained to act as hair-dressers and French maids and repairingseamstresses!

Kalora had money and a title and physical attractions. Could she wellescape the gaieties of Washington? Be assured that she made no effort toescape them. She followed the busy routine of dinners and balls, receptions and afternoon teas, her childish enthusiasm never lagging. She could play at golf and she seemed to know horseback riding the firsttime she tried it, and after the first two weeks she drove her ownmotor-car. 

The letters that went back to Morovenia were fairly dripping withsuperlatives and happy adjectives. She was delighted with Washington;she was in excellent health; the members of the Legation were verythoughtful in their attentions; the autumn weather was all that could bedesired; her apartments at the hotel were charming. In fact, her wholelife was rose-colored, but never a word of real news for her anxiousfather and sister--nothing about gaining a pound a day. TheGovernor-General hoped from the encouraging tone of the letters that shewas quietly housed, out in the borders of some primeval forest, gradually enlarging into the fullness of perfect womanhood. 

About three months after her departure, in order to reassure himselfregarding the progress in her case, he wrote a letter to the minister atWashington. He told the minister that his child was disposed to beunruly and that Popova had become careless and somewhat indefinite inhis reports--and would he, the minister, please write and let an anxiousparent know the actual weight of Princess Kalora?

The minister resented this manner of request. He did not feel that itwas within the duties of a high official to go out and weigh youngwomen, so he replied briefly that he knew no way of ascertaining theexact weight of an acrobatic young woman who never stood still longenough to be weighed, but he could assure the father that she wassomewhat slimmer and more petite than when she arrived in Washington afew weeks before. 

This letter slowly traveled back to Morovenia, and on the very day ofits delivery to Count Selim Malagaski, who read it aloud and then wentinto a frothing paroxysm of rage, the Princess Kalora in Washingtonfigured in a most joyful episode. 

A western millionaire, who had bought a large cubical palace on one ofthe radiating avenues, was giving a dancing-party, to which the entireblue book had been invited. Kalora went, trailed by the long-sufferingPopova. She wore her most fetching Parisian gown, and decked herselfout with wrought jewelry of quaint and heavy design, which was the envyof all the other young women in town, and she put in a very busy night, for she danced with army officers, and lieutenants of the navy, and onesenator, and goodness knows how many half-grown diplomats. 

At two o'clock in the morning she was in the supper-room: a fairly latehour for a young woman supposed to be leading a quiet life. The food setbefore her would not have been prescribed for a tender young creaturewho was dieting. She was supping riotously on stuffed olives. Hercompanion was a young gentleman from the army. They sat beneath a hugepalm. The tables were crowded together rather closely. 

She chanced to look across at the little table to her right, and shesaw a young man--a young man with light hair almost ripe enough to beauburn. 

With a smothered "Oh!" she dropped the olive poised between her fingers, and as she did so, he looked across and saw her and exclaimed:

"Well, I'll be--"

He came over, almost upsetting two tables in his impetuous course. Sheexpected to see him jump over them. 

He seized her hand and gazed at her in grinning delight, and the younggentleman from the army went into total eclipse. 

XII

THE GOVERNOR CABLES

"I don't believe it. It's too good to be true. I am in a trance. Itisn't you, is it?"

And he was still holding her hand. 

"Yes--it is. "

"The Princess--ah--?"

"Kalora. "

"_That's_ it. I was so busy thinking of you after I left your cutelittle country that I couldn't remember the name. I thought of 'calico'and 'Fedora' and 'Kokomo' and a lot of names that sounded like it, but Iknew I was wrong. _Kalora_--_Kalora_--I'll remember that. I knew itbegan with a 'K. ' But what in the name of all that is pure andsanctified are you doing in the land of the free?"

"You invited me to come. Don't you remember? You urged me to come. "

"That's why you notified me as soon as you arrived, isn't it? How longhave you been here?"

"I forget--three months--four months. Surely you have seen my name inthe papers. Every morning you may read a full description of whatPrincess Kalora of Morovenia wore the night before. For a simple anddemocratic people you are rather fond of high-sounding titles, don't youthink?"

"I haven't read the papers, because I'm always afraid I'll findsomething about myself. They don't describe my costumes, however. Theysimply say that I am trying to blow up and scuttle the ship of State. But this has nothing to do with your case. It is customary, when youaccept an invitation, to let the host know something about it. In otherwords, why didn't you drop me a line?"

"I will confess--the whole truth--since you have been candid enough toadmit that you had forgotten my name. I tried to find you, through theLegation. I described you, but--your name--_please_ tell me your nameagain? You mentioned it, that day in the garden. Popova promised to goto the hotel and get it for me, but we were bundled away in such ahurry. "

"Heavens! Imagine any one forgetting such a name! Alexander H. Pike, Bessemer, Pennsylvania, tariff-fed infant and all-round plutocrat. "

"Why, of course, _Pike, Pike_--it is the name of a fish. "

"Thank you. "

The young gentleman from the army moved uneasily, and they rememberedthat he was present. He hoped they wouldn't mind if he went to look uphis partner for the next dance, and they assured him that they wouldn't, and he believed them and was backing away when Popova arrived to suggestthe lateness of the hour and intimate his willingness to return to thehotel. 

His sudden journey to the western hemisphere and his period of residenceat Washington had been punctuated with surprises, but the amazementwhich smote him when he saw Kalora leaning across the table toward theyoung man who had introduced the gin fizz into Morovenia was sudden andshocking. 

Mr. Pike greeted him rapturously and gave him the keys to North America, and then Kalora patted him on the arm and sent him away to wait for her. 

They sat and talked for an hour--sat and talked and laughed and piecedout between them the wonderful details of that very lively day inMorovenia. 

"And you have come all the way to Washington, D. C. In order to increaseyour weight?" he asked. "That certainly would make a full-page story fora Sunday paper. Think of anybody's coming to Washington to fatten up!Why, when I come down here to regulate these committees, I lose a pounda day. "

"I never dreamed that there could be a country in which women are givenso much freedom--so many liberties. "

"And what we don't give them, they take--which is eminently correct. Ofall the sexes, there is only one that ever made a real impression onme. "

"And to think that some day I shall have to return to Morovenia!"

"Forget it, " urged Mr. Pike, in a low and soothing tone. "Far be it fromme to start anything in your family, but if I were you, I would nevergo back there to serve a life sentence in one of those lime-kilns, witha curtain over my face. You are now at the spot where woman is realsuperintendent of the works, and this is where you want to camp for therest of your life. "

"But I can not disobey my father. I dare not remain if he--"

She paused, realizing that the talk had led her to dangerous ground, forMr. Pike had dropped his large hand on her small one and was gazing ather with large devouring eyes. 

"You won't go back if I can help it, " he said, leaning still nearer toher. "I know this is a little premature, even for me, but I just wantyou to know that from the minute I looked down from the wall that dayand saw you under the tree--well, I haven't been able to find anythingelse in the world worth looking at. When I met you again to-night, Ididn't remember your name. You didn't remember my name. What of that? Weknow each other pretty well--don't you think we do? The way you lookedat me, when I came across to speak to you--I don't know, but it made mebelieve, all at once, that maybe you had been thinking of me, the sameas I had been thinking of you. If I'm saying more than I have a right tosay, head me off, but, for once in my life, I'm in earnest. "

"I'm glad--you like me, " she said, and she pushed back in her chair andlooked down and away from him and felt that her face was burning withblushes. 

"When you have found out all about me, I hope you'll keep on speaking tome just the same, " he continued. "I warn you that, from now on, I amgoing to pester you a lot. You'll find me sitting on your frontdoor-step every morning, ready to take orders. To-morrow I must hie meto New York, to explain to some venerable directors why the net earningshave fallen below forty per cent. But when I return, O fair maiden, lookout for me. "

He would be back in Washington within three days. He would come to herhotel. They were to ride in the motor-car and they were to go to thetheaters. She must meet his mother. His mother would take her to NewYork, and there would be the opera, and this, and that, and so on, forhe was going to show her all the attractions of the Western Hemisphere. 

The night was thinning into the grayness of dawn when he took her tothe waiting carriage. She put her hand through the window and he held itfor a long time, while they once more went over their delicious plans. 

After the carriage had started, Popova spoke up from his dark corner. 

"I am beginning to understand why you wished to come to America. Also Ihave made a discovery. It was Mr. Pike who overcame the guards andjumped over the wall. "

"I shall ask the Governor-General to give you Koldo's position. "

An enormous surprise was waiting for them at the hotel. It was a cablefrom Morovenia--long, decisive, definite, composed with an utterdisregard for heavy tolls. It directed Popova to bring the shamelessdaughter back to Morovenia immediately--not a moment's delay under painof the most horrible penalties that could be imagined. They were to takethe first steamer. They were to come home with all speed. Surely therewas no mistaking the fierce intent of the message. 

Popova suffered a moral collapse and Kalora went into a fit of weeping. Both of them feared to return and yet, at such a crisis, they knew thatthey dared not disobey. 

The whole morning was given over to hurried packing-up. An afternoontrain carried them to New York. A steamer was to sail early next day, and they went aboard that very night. 

[Illustration: They were to come home with all speed. ]

Kalora had left a brief message at her hotel in Washington. It wasaddressed to Mr. Alexander H. Pike, and simply said that somethingdreadful had happened, that she had been called home, that she wasgoing back to a prison the doors of which would never swing open forher, and she must say good-by to him for ever. 

She tried to communicate with him before sailing away from New York. Messenger boys, bribed with generous cab-fares, were sent to all thelarge hotels, but they could not find the right Mr. Pike. The real Mr. Pike was living at a club. 

She leaned over the railing and watched the gang-plank until the verymoment of sailing, hoping that he might appear. But he did not come, andshe went to her state-room and tried to forget him, and to think ofsomething other than the reception awaiting her back in the dismalregion known as Morovenia. 

XIII

THE HOME-COMING

The Governor-General waited in the main reception-room for the truantexpedition. He was hoping against hope. Orders had been given thatPopova, Kalora and the whole disobedient crew should be brought beforehim as soon as they arrived. His wrath had not cooled, but somehow hisconfidence in himself seemed slowly to evaporate, as it came time forhim to administer the scolding--the scolding which he had rehearsed overand over in his mind. 

He heard the rolling wheels grit on the drive outside, and then therewas murmuring conversation in the hallway, and then Kalora entered. Hismost dreadful suspicions were ten times confirmed. She wore no veil andno flowing gown. She was tightly incased in a gray cloth suit, and therewas no mistaking the presence of a corset underneath. On her head was akind of Alpine hat with a defiant feather standing upright at one side. Before her father had time to study the details of this barbariccostume, he sat staring at her as she was silhouetted for an instantbetween him and the open window. 

Merciful Mahomet! She was as lean and supple as an Austrian race-horse!

He could say nothing. She ran over and gave him a smack on the foreheadand then said cheerily:

"Well, popsy, here I am! What do you think of me?"

While Count Selim Malagaski was holding to his chair and trying to sortout from the limited vocabulary of Morovenia the words that couldexpress his boiling emotions, he saw Popova standing shamefaced in thedoorway. Was it really Popova? The tutor wore a traveling-suit withlarge British checks, a blue four-in-hand, and, instead of a fez, arakish cap with a peak in front. As he edged into the room the youngwomen attendants filed timidly behind him. Horror upon horrors! Theywere in shirt-waists, with skirts that came tightly about the hips, andevery one of them wore a chip hat, and not one of them was veiled!

The Governor-General tried to steady himself in order to meet thisunprecedented crisis. 

"So this is how you have managed my affairs?" he said in angry tones tothe trembling Popova. 

[Illustration: Popsy. ]

"What is the meaning of this shocking exhibition?"

"Don't blame him, father, " spoke up Kalora. "I am responsible forwhatever has happened. We have seen something of the world. We havelearned that Morovenia is about two hundred years behind the times. Theyknew that you would not approve, but I have compelled them to have thecourage of their convictions. You can see for yourself that we no longerbelong here. There is but one thing for you to do, and that is to sendus away again. "

"No!" exclaimed her father, banging his fist on the table, and thencoming to his feet. "You shall remain here--all of you--and be punished!You have ruined your own prospects; you have condemned your poor sisterto a life of single misery, and you have made your father thelaughing-stock of all Morovenia! If I can not reform you and make you adutiful child, at least I can make an example of you!"

"Stop!" she said very sharply. "Let us not have an unfortunate scene inthe presence of the servants. If you have anything to say to me, sendthem away, and remember also, father, I have certain rights which evenyou must respect. Also, I have a great surprise for you. I am beautiful. Hundreds of young men have told me so. Under no circumstances would Ipermit myself to become large and gross and bulky. You are disheartenedbecause no young man in Morovenia wishes to marry me. Bless you, thereisn't a young man in this country worth marrying!"

"Young woman, you have taxed my patience far beyond the limit, " saidher father, speaking low in an effort to control his wrath. "Hereafteryou shall never go beyond the walls of this palace! You shall be awaiting-maid for your sister! The servants shall be instructed to treatyou as a menial--one of their own class! These shameless women aredismissed from my service! As for you"--turning upon the old tutor--"youshall be put away under lock and key until I can devise some punishmentsevere enough to fit your case!"

That night Kalora slept on a hard and narrow cot in a bare apartmentadjoining her sister's gorgeous boudoir--quite a change from the suiteoverlooking the avenue. 

The shirt-waist brigade had been sent into banishment, and poor Popovawas sitting on a wooden stool in a dungeon, thinking of the dinners hehad eaten at Old Point Comfort and wondering if he had not overplayedhimself in the effort to be avenged upon the Governor-General. 

XIV

HEROISM REWARDED

A month later Popova was still in prison, and had demonstrated that evenafter one has lunched for several months at the Shoreham, the NewWillard and the Raleigh, he may subsist on such simple fare as bread andwater. 

Kalora had been humiliated to the uttermost, but her spirit was unbrokenand defiant. 

She was nominally a servant, but Jeneka and the others dared not attemptany overbearing attitude toward her, for they feared her sharp and readywit. 

The fires of inward wrath seemed to have reduced her weight a fewpounds, so that if ever a man faced a situation of unbroken gloom, thatman was the poor Governor-General. 

Count Malagaski sat in the large, over-decorated audience room, alonewith his sorrowful meditations. An attendant brought him a note. 

"The man is at the gate, " said the attendant. "He started to come in. Wetried to keep him out. He pushed three of the soldiers out of the way, but we finally held him back, so he sends this note. "

A few lines had been written in pencil on the reverse side of atypewritten business letter. The Governor-General could speak English, but he read it rather badly, so he sent for his secretary, who told himthat the note ran as follows:

 You don't know me and there is no need to give my name. Must see you on important matter of business. Something in regard to your daughter. 

"Great Heavens, another one!" said the Governor-General. "There are onethousand young men ready and willing to marry Jeneka and not one in allthe world wants Kalora. Send him away!"

"I am afraid he won't go, " suggested the attendant. "He is a verypositive character. "

"Then send him in to me. I can dispose of his case in short order. "

A few moments later Count Selim Malagaski found himself sitting face toface with a ruddy young man in a blue suit--a square-shouldered, smilingyoung gentleman, with hair of subdued auburn. 

"I take it that you're a busy man and I'll come to the point, " said theyoung man, pulling up his chair. "I try to be business from the word go, even in matters of this kind. You have a daughter. "

"I have two daughters, " replied the Governor-General sadly. 

"You have only one that interests me. I have been around a good deal, but she is about the finest looking girl I--"

"Before you say any more, let me explain to you, " said theGovernor-General very courteously. "Perhaps you are not entitled to thisinformation, but you seem to be a gentleman and a person of someimportance, and you have done me the honor to admire my daughter, and, therefore, it is well that you should know all the facts in the case. Ihave two daughters. One is exceedingly beautiful and her hand has beensought in marriage by young men of the very first families of Morovenia, notably Count Luis Muldova, who owns a vast estate near the Roumanianfrontier. I have another daughter who is decidedly unattractive, somuch so that she has never had an offer of marriage. I am telling youall this because it is known to all Morovenia, and even you, a stranger, would have learned it very soon. Under the law here, a younger sistermay not marry until the elder sister has married. My unattractivedaughter is the elder of the two. Do you see the point? Do youunderstand, when you come talking of a marriage with my one desirabledaughter, that not only are you competing with all the wealthy andtitled young men of this country, but also you are condemned to sit downand patiently wait until the elder sister has married, --which means, mydear sir, that probably you will wait for ever? Therefore I think I maysafely wish you good day. "

"Hold on, here, " said the visitor, who had been listening intently, with his eyes half-closed, and nodding his head quickly as he caught thepoints of the unusual situation. "If I can fix it up with you anddaughter--and I don't think I'll have any trouble with daughter--what'sthe matter with my rustling around and finding a good man for sister?There is no reason why any young woman with a title should go into thediscard these days. At least we can make a try. I have tackledpropositions that looked a good deal tougher than this. "

"Do you think it possible that you could find a desirable husband for ayoung woman who has no physical charms and who, on two or threeoccasions, has scandalized our entire court?"

"I don't say I can, but I'm willing to take a whirl at it. "

"My dear sir, before we go any further, tell me something aboutyourself. You are an Englishman, I presume?"

"Great Scott! You're the first one that ever called me that. I have beencalled a good many things, but never an Englishman. I'll have to beginwearing a flag in my hat. I'm an American. "

"American!" gasped the Governor-General. "I am very sorry to hear it. Ihave every reason for regarding you and your native country as mynatural enemies. "

"You're dead wrong. America is all right. The States size up pretty wellalongside of this little patch of country. "

"I do not blame you for being loyal to your own home, sir, but isn't itrather presumptuous for you, an American, to aspire to the hand of aPrincess who could marry any one of a dozen young men of wealth andsocial position?"

"What's the matter with my wealth and social position? I'm willing tostack up my bank-account with any other candidate. I happen to be wortheighteen million dollars. "

"Dollars?" repeated the Governor-General, puzzled. "What would that bein piasters?"

"It's a shame to tell you. Only about four hundred million piastres, that's all. "

"What!" exclaimed the Governor-General. "Surely you are joking. Howcould one man be worth four hundred million piasters?"

"Say, if you'll give me a pencil and a pad of paper and about ahalf-day's time, I'll figure out for you what Henry Frick is worth inpiasters and then you _would_ have a fit. Why, in the land of readymoney I'm only a third-rater, but I've got the four hundred million, allright. "

"But have you any social position?" asked the Governor-General. "Anyrank? Any title? Over here those things count for a great deal. "

"I am Grand Exalted Ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order ofElks, " said the visitor calmly. 

"Really!"

"I am a Knight Templar. "

"A knight? That is certainly something. "

"Do you see this badge with all the jewels in it? That means that I am aNoble of the Mystic Shrine. "

"I can see that it is the insignia of a very distinguished order, " saidthe Governor-General, as he touched it admiringly. 

"What is more, I am King of the Hoo-Hoos. "

"A king?"

"A sure-enough king. Now, don't you worry about my wealth or my title. I've got money to burn and I can travel in any company. The thing for usto do is to get together and find a good husband for the cripple, andfix up this whole marriage deal. But before we go into it I want to meetyour daughter and find out exactly how I stand with her. "

"That will be unnecessary, and also impossible. Whatever arrangementsyou make with me may be regarded as final. My daughter will obey mywishes. "

"Not for mine! I am not trying to marry any girl that isn't just as keenfor me as I am for her. Why, I've seen her only twice. Let me talk itover with her, and if she says yes, then you can look me up inBradstreet and we'll all know where we stand. "

"I am sorry, but it is absolutely contrary to our customs to permit aprivate interview between an unmarried woman and her suitor. "

"Whereas in our country it is the most customary thing in the world!Now, why should we observe the customs of _your_ country and disregardthe customs of _my_ country, which is about forty times as large andeighty times as important as your country? Don't be foolish! I may bethe means of pulling you out of a tight hole. You go and send yourdaughter here to me. Give me ten minutes with her. I'll state my case toher, straight from the shoulder, and, if she doesn't give me a lot ofencouragement, I'll grab the first train back to Paris. If she _does_give me any encouragement, then you'll see what can be accomplished bya real live matrimonial agency. "

The Governor-General hesitated, but not for long. The confident mannerof the stranger had inspired him with the first courage that he had feltfor many weeks and revived in him the long-slumbering hope that possiblythere was somewhere in the world a desirable husband for Kalora. He wasabout to violate an important rule, but there was no reason why any oneon the outside should hear about it. 

"This is most unusual, " he said. "If I comply with your request, I mustbeg of you not to mention the fact of this interview to any one. Remainhere. "

He went away, and the young man waited minute after minute, pacing backand forth the length of the room, cutting nervous circles around the bigoffice chairs, wiping his palms with his handkerchief and wondering ifhe had come on a fool's errand or whether--

He heard a rustle of soft garments, and turned. There in the doorwaystood a feminine full moon--an elliptical young woman, with half of herpink and corpulent face showing above a gauzy veil, her two chubby handsclasped in front of her, the whole attitude one of massive shyness. 

"I--I beg pardon, " he said, staring at her in wonder. 

She tried to speak, but was too much flustered. He saw that she wassmiling behind the veil, and then she came toward him, holding out herhand. He took the hand, which felt almost squashy, and said:

"I am very glad to meet you. "

Then there was a pause. 

"Won't you be seated?" he asked. 

She sank into one of the leather chairs and looked up at him with alittle simper, and there was another pause. 

"I--I never have seen you before, have I?" she asked, with a secretiveattempt to take a good look at him. 

"You can search me, " he replied, staring at her, as if fascinated by herwealth of figure. "If I had seen you before, I have a remote suspicionthat I should remember you. I don't think it would be easy to forgetyou. "

"You flatter me, " she said softly. 

"Do I? Well, I meant every word of it. Will you pardon me for being awee bit personal? Are there many young ladies in these parts that areas--as--corpulent, or fat, or whatever you want to call it--that is, areyou any plumper than the average?"

"I have been told that I am. "

"Once more pardon me, but have you done anything for it?"

"For what?" she asked, considerably surprised. 

"I wouldn't have mentioned it, only I think I can give you some goodtips. I had a Cousin Flora who was troubled the same way. About the timeshe went to Smith College she got kind of careless with herself, used toeat a lot of candy and never take any exercise, and she got to be anawful looking thing. If you'll cut out the starchy foods and drinknothing but Kissingen, and begin skipping the rope every day, you'll besurprised how much of that you'll take off in a little while. At firstyou won't be able to skip more than twenty-five or fifty times a day, but you keep at it and in a month you can do your five hundred. Put onplenty of flannels and wear a sweater. And I'll show you a dandyexercise. Put your heels together this way, "--and he stood in front ofher, --"and try to touch the floor with your fingers--so!"--illustrating. "You won't be able to do it at first, but keep at it, and it'll help alot. Then, if you will lie flat on your back every morning, and workyour feet up and down----"

She had listened, at first in utter amazement. Now her timidcoquettishness was giving way to anger. 

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked. 

"It's none of my business, but I thought you'd be glad to find outwhat'd take off about fifty pounds. "

"And is this why you came to see me?" she demanded. 

"_I_ didn't come to see _you_. "

"My father said you were waiting and he sent me to you. "

"Sent _you_, " replied Mr. Pike in frank surprise. "My dear girl, you maybe good to your folks and your heart may be in the right place, and Idon't want to hurt your feelings, but father has got mixed in his dates. I certainly didn't come here to see _you_. "

As he was speaking Jeneka wriggled forward in her chair and then arose. She stood before him, heaving perceptibly. 

"Your manner is most insulting, " she declared. She had expected to beshowered with compliments, and here was this giggling stranger advisingher to be thin! She toddled over to the door and pushed a bell. Then sheturned upon the bewildered stranger and remarked coldly: "Unless youhave something further to communicate, you may consider this interviewat an end. "

A servant appeared in the doorway. 

"Show this person out, " said the portly princess. 

The servant gave a little scream. 

"Mr. Pike!"

"Kalora!"

And then he was holding both her hands. 

"You are _here_--here in Morovenia? You came all the way?"

"All the way! I'd have come ten times as far. Before I left New York Iheard about all those messenger boys hunting me around the hotels, but Ididn't know what it meant. When I got back to Washington I found yournote, and, as soon as I could get Congress calmed down, I started--gotin here last night. "

"But why did you come?"

[Illustration: "Mr. Pike!" "Kalora!"]

"Can't you guess?" Mr. Pike wasted no time in circumlocution. 

During this hurried interview Jeneka had been holding a determined thumbagainst the electric button. The Governor-General, waiting impatientlyup the hallway, heard the prolonged buzzing and came to investigate. Hefound the adorable Jeneka, all trembling with indignation, in thedoorway. She saw him and pointed. He looked and saw the distinguishedstranger, the man of many titles and unbounded wealth, standing close tothe slim princess, holding both her hands and beaming upon her with allof the unmistakable delirious happiness of love's young dream. 

"What does it mean?" asked the Governor-General. "Is it possible----"

"He was rude to me, " began Jeneka, "He was most insulting----"

Mr. Pike turned to meet his prospective father-in-law. 

"You meant well, but you got twisted, " he remarked. "This is the one Iwas looking for. "

At first Count Selim Malagaski was too dumfounded for speech. 

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Can it be possible that you, a man worthmillions of piasters, an exalted ruler, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, have deliberately chosen this waspy, weedy----"

"Let up!" said Mr. Pike sharply. "You can say what you please about yourdaughter, but you mustn't make remarks about the prospective Mrs. Pike. I don't know anything about her local reputation for looks, but I thinkshe's the most beautiful thing that ever drew breath, and I'd make itstronger than that if I knew how. You thought I meant the fat one. Well, I didn't, but I hope the agreement goes just the same. And I'llstick to what I said. I'll get the other one married off. It may take alittle time, but I think I can find some one. "

"_Find_ some one?" cried Jeneka indignantly. 

"_Find_ some one?" repeated her father. "She has been sought by everyyoung man of quality in the whole kingdom. How dare you suggestthat----"

Then he paused, for he was beginning to comprehend that young Mr. Pikehad stepped in and saved him, and that, instead of rebuking Mr. Pike, heshould be weeping on his breast and calling him "son. "

Jeneka came to her senses at the same moment, for she saw her dream offive years coming true. She knew that soon she would be the CountessMuldova. 

Mr. Pike suddenly felt himself caressed by three happy mortals. 

"I shall make you a Knight of the Gleaming Scimitar, " said theGovernor-General. "I have the authority. "

"Thanks, " replied Mr. Pike. 

"And we can have a double wedding, " exclaimed Jeneka, whose ecstasy wasalmost apoplectic. 

"We shall be married in Washington, " said Kalora decisively. "I am notgoing to be carted over to my husband's house and delivered at the backdoor, even if it is the custom of my native land. I shall be marriedpublicly and have twelve bridesmaids. "

"You may start for Washington immediately, " said her father with genuineenthusiasm. 

"I shall need a chaperon. Send for Popova. "

"Good! His punishment shall be--permanent exile. "

"Nothing would please him better, " said Kalora. "Over here he isnothing--in Washington he will be a distinguished foreigner. Washington!_Washington_! To think that all of us are going back there! To thinkthat once more I shall have pickles--all the pickles I want to eat!"

"We have over fifty varieties waiting for you, " observed young Mr. Piketenderly. 

"I have been thinking, " spoke up the Governor-General. "I shall apply tothe Sultan. He shall make you a Most Noble Prince of the Order ofBosporus. The decoration is a great star, studded with diamonds. "

"Thanks, " replied Mr. Pike. 

That night the great palace at Morovenia was completely illuminated forthe first time in many months. 

THE END