Page 36 (1/2)

"I shall wait" Then, with a sudden softening, for he loved the girl

after his fashion: "I a old, my child If I should die, what

would become of you? I have no son; your Uncle Franz, who is but a

year or two younger than I an, and he would not tolerate

your madcap ways You must marry at once I love you in spite of your

wilfulness But you have shown yourself incapable of loving

Doppelkinn is wealthy You shall marry him"

"I will run away, uncle,"--decidedly

"I have notified the frontiers,"--tranquilly "From now on you will be

watched It is the inevitable, my child, and even I have to bow to

that"

She touched the paper in her bosom, but paused

"Moreover, I have decided," went on the duke, "to send the Honorable

Betty Moore back to England"

"Betty?"

"Yes She is a charether too

sylish independence

does not confor I shall notify her