to　have　her　show　you　the　dairy；　shall　I　call　her？〃
  The　figure　in　question　was　very　short　and　stout；　with　voluminous
  petticoats。
  〃Please　don't；　I'll　stay　without　your　setting　that　paperweight　on
  me。　　But　here's　the　dairy。　　Don't　let　her　come　inside　among　those
  pans　of　fresh　milk　with　that　smile；　or　there'll　be　trouble。〃
  The　young　girl　paused　too；　made　a　slight　gesture　with　her　hand；　and
  the　figure　passed　on　as　they　entered　the　dairy。　　It　was　beautifully
  clean　and　fresh。　　With　a　persistence　that　he　quickly　recognized　as
  mischievous　and　ironical；　and　with　his　characteristic　adaptability
  accepted　with　even　greater　gravity　and　assumption　of　interest；　she
  showed　him　all　the　details。　　From　thence　they　passed　to　the
  farmyard；　where　he　hung　with　breathless　attention　over　the　names　of
  the　cows　and　made　her　repeat　them。　　Although　she　was　evidently
  familiar　with　the　subject；　he　could　see　that　her　zeal　was　fitful
  and　impatient。
  〃Suppose　we　sit　down；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　an　ostentatious　rustic
  seat　in　the　center　of　the　green。
  〃Sir　down？〃　she　repeated　wonderingly。　　〃What　for？〃
  〃To　talk。　　We'll　knock　off　and　call　it　half　a　day。〃
  〃But　if　you　are　not　looking　at　the　farm　you　are；　of　course；　going；〃
  she　said　quickly。
  〃Am　I？　　I　don't　think　these　particulars　were　in　my　invitation。〃
  She　again　broke　into　a　fit　of　laughter；　and　at　the　same　time　cast　a
  bright　eye　around　the　field。
  〃Come；〃　he　said　gently；　〃there　are　no　other　sightseers　waiting；　and
  your　conscience　is　clear；〃　and　he　moved　toward　the　rustic　seat。
  〃Certainly　notthere；〃　she　added　in　a　low　voice。
  They　moved　on　slowly　together　to　a　copse　of　willows　which　overhung
  the　miniature　stream。
  〃You　are　not　staying　long　in　Alstadt？〃　she　said。
  〃No；　I　only　came　to　see　the　old　town　that　my　ancestors　came　from。〃
  They　were　walking　so　close　together　that　her　skirt　brushed　his
  trousers；　but　she　suddenly　drew　away　from　him；　and　looking　him
  fixedly　in　the　eye　said：
  〃Ah；　you　have　relations　here？〃
  〃Yes；　but　they　are　dead　two　hundred　years。〃
  She　laughed　again　with　a　slight　expression　of　relief。　　They　had
  entered　the　copse　and　were　walking　in　dense　shadow　when　she
  suddenly　stopped　and　sat　down　upon　a　rustic　bench。　　To　his　surprise
  he　found　that　they　were　quite　alone。
  〃Tell　me　about　these　relatives；〃　she　said；　slightly　drawing　aside
  her　skirt　to　make　room　for　him　on　the　seat。
  He　did　not　require　a　second　invitation。　　He　not　only　told　her　all
  about　his　ancestral　progenitors；　but；　I　fear；　even　about　those　more
  recent　and　more　nearly　related　to　him；　about　his　own　life；　his
  vocationhe　was　a　clever　newspaper　correspondent　with　a　roving
  commissionhis　ambitions；　his　beliefs　and　his　romance。
  〃And　then；　perhaps；　of　this　visityou　will　also　make　'copy'？〃
  He　smiled　at　her　quick　adaptation　of　his　professional　slang；　but
  shook　his　head。
  〃No；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃Nothis　is　YOU。　　The　CHICAGO　INTERVIEWER
  is　big　pay　and　is　rich；　but　it　hasn't　capital　enough　to　buy　you
  from　me。
  He　gently　slid　his　hand　toward　hers　and　slipped　his　fingers　softly
  around　it。　　She　made　a　slight　movement　of　withdrawal；　but　even
  thenas　if　in　forgetfulness　or　indifferencepermitted　her　hand　to
  rest　unresponsively　in　his。　　It　was　scarcely　an　encouragement　to
  gallantry；　neither　was　it　a　rejection　of　an　unconscious
  familiarity。
  〃But　you　haven't　told　me　about　yourself；〃　he　said。
  〃Oh；　I〃she　returned；　with　her　first　approach　to　coquetry　in　a
  laugh　and　a　sidelong　glance；　〃of　what　importance　is　that　to　you？
  It　is　the　Grand　Duchess　and　Her　Highness　the　Princess　that　you
  Americans　seek　to　know。　　I　amwhat　I　amas　you　see。〃
  〃You　bet；〃　said　Hoffman　with　charming　decision。
  〃I　WHAT？〃
  〃You　ARE；　you　know；　and　that's　good　enough　for　me；　but　I　don't　even
  know　your　name。〃
  She　laughed　again；　and　after　a　pause；　said：　〃Elsbeth。〃
  〃But　I　couldn't　call　you　by　your　first　name　on　our　first　meeting；
  you　know。〃
  〃Then　you　Americans　are　really　so　very　formaleh？〃　she　said　slyly；
  looking　at　her　imprisoned　hand。
  〃Well；　yes；〃　returned　Hoffman；　disengaging　it。　　〃I　suppose　we　are
  respectful；　or　mean　to　be。　　But　whom　am　I　to　inquire　for？　　To　write
  to？〃
  〃You　are　neither　to　write　nor　inquire。〃
  〃What？〃　　She　had　moved　in　her　seat　so　as　to　half…face　him　with　eyes
  in　which　curiosity；　mischief；　and　a　certain　seriousness　alternated；
  but　for　the　first　time　seemed　conscious　of　his　hand；　and　accented
  her　words　with　a　slight　pressure。
  〃You　are　to　return　to　your　hotel　presently；　and　say　to　your
  landlord：　'Pack　up　my　luggage。　　I　have　finished　with　this　old　town
  and　my　ancestors；　and　the　Grand　Duke；　whom　I　do　not　care　to　see；
  and　I　shall　leave　Alstadt　tomorrow！'〃
  〃Thank　you！　　I　don't　catch　on。〃
  〃Of　what　necessity　should　you？　　I　have　said　it。　　That　should　be
  enough　for　a　chivalrous　American　like　you。〃　　She　again
  significantly　looked　down　at　her　hand。
  〃If　you　mean　that　you　know　the　extent　of　the　favor　you　ask　of　me；　I
  can　say　no　more；〃　he　said　seriously；　〃but　give　me　some　reason　for
  it。〃
  〃Ah　so！〃　she　said；　with　a　slight　shrug　of　her　shoulders。　　〃Then　1
  must　tell　you。　　You　say　you　do　not　know　the　Grand　Duke　and　Duchess。
  Well！　THEY　KNOW　YOU。　　The　day　before　yesterday　you　were　wandering
  in　the　park；　as　you　admit。　　You　say；　also；　you　got　through　the
  hedge　and　interrupted　some　ceremony。　　That　ceremony　was　not　a　Court
  function；　Mr。　Hoffman；　but　something　equally　sacredthe
  photographing　of　the　Ducal　family　before　the　Schloss。　　You　say　that
  you　instantly　withdrew。　　But　after　the　photograph　was　taken　the
  plate　revealed　a　stranger　standing　actually　by　the　side　of　the
  Princess　Alexandrine；　and　even　taking　the　PAS　of　the　Grand　Duke
  himself。　　That　stranger　was　you！〃
  〃And　the　picture　was　spoiled；〃　said　the　American；　with　a　quiet
  laugh。
  〃I　should　not　say　that；〃　returned　the　lady；　with　a　demure　glance　at
  her　companion's　handsome　face；　〃and　I　do　not　believe　that　the
  Princesswho　first　saw　the　photographthought　so　either。　　But　she
  is　very　young　and　willful；　and　has　the　reputation　of　being　very
  indiscreet；　and　unfortunately　she　begged　the　photographer　not　to
  destroy　the　plate；　but　to　give　it　to　her；　and　to　say　nothing　about
  it；　except　that　the　plate　was　defective；　and　to　take　another。
  Still　it　would　have　ended　there　if　her　curiosity　had　not　led　her　to
  confide　a　description　of　the　stranger　to　the　Police　Inspector；　with
  the　result　you　know。〃
  〃Then　I　am　expected　to　leave　town　because　I　accidentally　stumbled
  into　a　family　group　that　was　being　photographed？〃
  〃Because　a　certain　Princess　was　indiscreet　enough　to　show　her
  curiosity　about　you；〃　corrected　the　fair　stranger。
  〃But　look　here！　　I'll　apologize　to　the　Princess；　and　offer　to　pay
  for　the　plate。〃
  〃Then　you　do　want　to　see　the　Princess？〃　said　the　young　girl
  smiling；　〃you　are　like　the　others。〃
  〃Bother　the　Princess！　　I　want　to　see　YOU。　　And　I　don't　see　how　they
  can　prevent　it　if　I　choose　to　remain。〃
  〃Very　easily。　　You　will　find　that　there　is　something　wrong　with
  your　passport；　and　you　will　be　sent　on　to　Pumpernickel　for
  examination。　　You　will　unwittingly　transgress　some　of　the　laws　of
  the　town　and　be　ordered　to　leave　it。　　You　will　be　shadowed　by　the
  police　until　you　quarrel　with　themlike　a　free　Americanand　you
  are　conducted　to　the　frontier。　　Perhaps　you　will　strike　an　officer
  who　has　insulted　you；　and　then　you　are　finished　on　the　spot。〃
  The　American's　crest　rose　palpably　until　it　cocked　his　straw　hat
  over　his　curls。
  〃Suppose　I　am　content　to　risk　ithaving　first　laid　the　whole
  matter　and　its　trivial　cause　before　the　American　Minister；　so　that
  he　could　make　it　hot　for　this　whole　caboodle　of　a　country　if　they
  happened　to　'down　me。'　　By　Jove！　　I　shouldn't　mind　being　the　martyr
  of　an　international　episode　if　they'd　spare　me　long　enough　to　let
  me　get　the　first　'copy'　over　to　the　other　side。〃　　His　eyes
  sparkled。
  〃You　could　expose　them；　but　they　would　then　deny　the　whole　story；
  and　you　have　no　evidence。　　They　would　demand　to　know　your
  informant；　and　I　should　be　disgraced；　and　the　Princess；　who　is
  already　talked　about；　made　a　subject　of　scandal。　　But　no　matter！
  It　is　right　that　an　American's　independence　shall　not　be　interfered
  with。〃
  She　raised　the　hem　of　her　handkerchief　to　her　blue　eyes　and
  slightly　turned　her　head　aside。　　Hoffman　gently　drew　the
  handkerchief　away；　and　in　so　doing　possessed　himself　of　her　other
  hand。
  〃Look　here；　MissMissElsbeth。　　You　know　I　wouldn't　give　you
  away；　whatever　happened。　　But　couldn't　I　get　hold　of　that
  photographerI　saw　him；　he　wanted　me　to　sit　to　himand　make　him
  tell　me？〃
  〃He　wanted　you　to　sit　to　him；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃and　did　you？〃
  〃No；〃　he　replied。　　〃He　was　a　little　too　fresh　and　previous；　though
  I　thought　he　fancied　some　resemblance　in　me　to　somebody　else。〃
  〃Ah！〃　　She　said　something