Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 49: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

: ° A CROWN body and everybody. And how do you know the king will be there every time?” I thought I did know, but I didn’t say so. Those blue eyes seemed still to be smiling into mine. I saw the happy, care- free face, with all its cynical boredom gone. I felt the intoxicating thrill of that spell- binding waltz. “It’s only for three weeks, Bunch,” I said. ‘‘ The king is only going to be here for- three weeks. I can manage that. Then we are going to the Riviera. There’s noth- ing doing in town just now.” ‘“You have a hundred business and char- ity things to attend to.” “Not at night, Bunch. I must do this. I’ve set my heart on it.” Seeing I was determined, she gave way. She said we could discuss ways and means to-morrow. I was too excited, and must go to bed. But I couldn’t sleep. I spent a weird, enchanted sort of night—with the music of the “ Sable Night ” waltz and the smile in the king’s blue eyes. : The next morning my wig and my make- up stood the test of broad daylight of a peculiarly bright spring morning washed clean and vivid by heavy rain in the early hours. : Bunch repeated, after studying me from every point of view, that she would never know me. I was at the Flower Garden Club at ten o’clock. Mrs. Groote and Mr. Anselm awaited me. I was put through my paces in the ballroom with one of the other in- structresses and an attenuated orchestra. All went well. I got the job. Mrs. Groote made a few remarks to me about my behavior. She said they didn’t go in for smartness, but were eminently respectable, or words to that effect. The quieter my manners, the better she would be pleased. She strongly discountenanced her young ladies having anything to do with the gentlemen clients outside the club. I modestly agreed with her. It was funny to me how absolutely self- possessed I was, ever so much more so than in my own place in life. She.informed me that my chief duty would probably be to act aS partner to the young gentleman his introducing himself. FOR SALE. whose name she thought was Dorando. Miss Honesty had done practically nothing else during the last week. “He is a foreigner,” she added. “I think he is a count. How did you happen to be dancing with him/ Miss Fane?” I explained about dropping my bag and I gave her the impression that I really had been looking out for a job, and had come to the Flower Garden to see what it was like. She did not apparently suspect me of any ulterior motives. She seemed very glad to have secured my services. Either she had no idea of the king’s identity, or she had no inten- tion of revealing the secret to the new in- structress, So I went back home and became Eliz- abeth Cleveland once more—until Tuesday night, when I should be transformed again for a few hours into Betty Fane, of the Flower Garden Club. Later on in the morning, it being so bril- liantly fine, there were lots of people walk- ing in Hyde Park, between Hyde Park corner and Stanhope Gate. As Bunch and I walked through on our way to lunch at my great-aunt Caroline’s, I overheard a woman say something that brought the blood to my cheeks. “Look, that’s Lady Cleveland—that girl in brown with the black hair and the white - face. Not particularly pretty, is she? She’s so hugely rich that she could buy up all England. And they say she’s going to marry the King of Florania.” Then she laughed and added: ‘I think I’d make a better use of my money than that.” I was furiously indignant. These things were being said about me. It was common gossip that I was going to buy a crown. After luncheon my great-aunt Caroline re- ferred to it. “« Are these rumors true, child? Are you going to be a queen?” “JT haven’t made up my mind,” I an- swered awkwardly. ‘“ Please, Aunt Caro- line, I don’t want it talked about.” She looked at me with her shrewd old eyes. 519 aii (itd “Tt’s a big risk,’ she said. “But I dare say you'll pull through it. Your fa- : eonmichbooks.co 2