Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

A CROWN I rose and said I must go. I’d an im- ~ portant engagement. I could not face the king again. I asked the princess to excuse me to his majesty. I hoped my face didn’t . show everything I felt. I hated her for hav- ing made me show myself so awkward, so obviously overcome by her revelations. Of course I knew that she hated me. It was her revenge on me for marrying the king. The next day was Thursday—the day of the Wolvermere ball. The king had told me that he had accepted an invitation. In the morning Bunch and I played tennis in the covered court. We did nearly every morn- ing. We loved the exercise, which kept us fit. When we had finished—Bunch having roundly beaten me—I said: | ‘Bunch, I am going to bandage my right ankle. I’ve given it a severe strain. You understand?” She looked blank for a second, and I ex- plained that it was an excuse for not dancing at the Wolvermere ball. I couldn’t take that risk. Of course the king would ask me to dance. “ Bunch,” I said, ‘ I’m perfectly certain that if I danced with him, after the first three steps he’d know. That’s something I couldn’t disguise.” It was a night of anguish for me. I had to watch the king dancing the “ Sable Night ” waltz with Laline de Chanterelle— she floating like a fairy in his arms. I had to watch him dance with all sorts of people, and had to hear his polite regret at my disablement, his formal courtesies, his interludes of duty conversation, through which showed so plainly the boredom he felt in the company of the rich fiancée who could not take even the most superficial part in his life. ‘‘T was looking forward to a dance with you,” he said carelessly. ‘‘ Somehow you look as if you could dance.” Oh, how my heart was like to burst with misery! He made me feel so inferior, so entirely at the mercy of his blasé look and cynical tongue! On the Friday evening, I was early at the Flower Garden Club. 4A FOR SALE. 529 Mrs. Groote called me into her room. There was a little smile of satisfaction on her handsome hard face. ‘“ Miss Fane, you are in luck,” she began. “But before I tell you, I must give you a piece of information which you are to keep strictly to yourself. I feel sure I can trust you. Now, promise me!” “Oh, certainly,” I said, “ but I don’t un- derstand.” ‘You will ina moment. Miss Fane, we have very distinguished clients here. The gentleman you are dancing with to-night, and know as Count Dorando, is none other than the King of Florania.” I looked properly surprised, abashed, and excited. “His majesty wishes to preserve the strictest incognito,” she went on. ‘“ You must not breathe a word toa soul. I should not have told you but for the fact that several people have noticed your dancing. You have become quite a star already. Lord Maurice Angell was here on Tuesday. He is the brother of the Princess de Chanterelle, with whom the King of Flor- ania is staying. He was very much struck with your dancing, and informed his sister about it. ‘““ She is giving a great Charity Féte next Thursday at her house in Belgrave Square, and she wants you to go there and do some exhibition dancing. She is going to engage Jaime de Vosca, as your partner. Of course, the king will be there, and his fiancée, the Countess Cleveland, and all society. You will receive a big fee. Now, isn't that a piece of luck for you, Miss Fane?” I suppose Mrs. Groote thought I was stricken dumb with the overwhelming good fortune that had befallen me. Really, I was struggling with an insane desire to laugh aloud. What a mess I had landed myself in! To be asked to go and give exhibition dances at the Princess de Chanterelle’s in the presence of the King of Florania and his fiancée, the Countess Cleveland! To foot it with a hired partner—Jaime de Vosca was the world-famous Brazilian dancer— for the entertainment of the princess’s friends and the ultimate benefit of the Floranian Hospital! Eomichbooks (G(0) : tb eh ee ee er Ses ho aa oe Sn