Toward the close of one of the most brilliant seasons the Capital had
ever known, less than a fortnight before Congress was to adjourn, the
wife of Grenfall Lorry received the news which spread gloomy
disappointment over the entire social realm. A dozen receptions, teas
and balls were destined to lose their richest attraction, and hostesses
were in despair. The princess had been called to Graustark.
Beverly Calhoun was miserably unhappy. She had heard the story of
Gabriel's escape and the consequent probability of a conflict with
Axphain. It did not require a great stretch of imagination to convince
her that the Lorrys were hurrying off to scenes of intrigue, strife and
bloodshed, and that not only Graustark but its princess was in jeopardy.
Miss Calhoun's most cherished hopes faded with the announcement that
trouble, not pleasure, called Yetive to Edelweiss. It had been their
plan that Beverly should spend the delightful summer months in
Graustark, a guest at the royal palace. The original arrangements of the
Lorrys were hopelessly disturbed by the late news from Count
Halfont. They were obliged to leave Washington two months earlier than
they intended, and they could not take Beverly Calhoun into
danger-ridden Graustark. The contemplated visit to St. Petersburg and
other pleasures had to be abandoned, and they were in tears.
Yetive's maids were packing the trunks, and Lorry's servants were in a
wild state of haste preparing for the departure on Saturday's ship. On
Friday afternoon, Beverly was naturally where she could do the most good
and be of the least help--at the Lorrys'. Self-confessedly, she delayed
the preparations. Respectful maidservants and respectful menservants
came often to the princess's boudoir to ask questions, and Beverly just
as frequently made tearful resolutions to leave the household in
peace--if such a hullaballoo could be called peace. Callers came by the
dozen, but Yetive would see no one. Letters, telegrams and telephone
calls almost swamped her secretary; the footman and the butler fairly
gasped under the strain of excitement. Through it all the two friends
sat despondent and alone in the drear room that once had been the abode
of pure delight. Grenfall Lorry was off in town closing up all matters
of business that could be despatched at once. The princess and her
industrious retinue were to take the evening express for New York and
the next day would find them at sea.
"I know I shall cry all summer," vowed Miss Calhoun, with conviction in
her eyes. "It's just too awful for anything." She was lying back among
the cushions of the divan and her hat was the picture of cruel
neglect. For three solid hours she had stubbornly withstood Yetive's
appeals to remove her hat, insisting that she could not trust herself to
stay more than a minute or two." It seems to me, Yetive, that your
jailers must be very incompetent or they wouldn't have let loose all
this trouble upon you," she complained.